Cry, Wolf, Cry Ch.8

Chapter 8: Anyone For Therapy?

~ Three Months Later ~

            “Liam, it’s been months. The doctor said if after a month you didn’t feel better that this would be a good idea to try. No cost, nothing extra, we go there anyway.”

            “And I’m sick and tired of you reminding me about it like it’s something I HAVE to do, Anna!”

            She looked down, not wanting to bring her head up to risk meeting his gaze. She whispered, “I’m sorry” and put the papers on the table before heading to their room.

            Liam sighed, sitting at the table and running his fingers through his hair. He’d let it get shaggier than he liked only because he didn’t want to drive anywhere. He’d been holding conferences over the phone for work so he could still get paid. It was a lot of extra work to get the phone records, print them off, scan them into his computer, and then e-mail them to the person who made out his checks. He never knew who it was, but he knew where to send things to make sure they got done and he did get paid. Anna or Theodore was nice enough to pick up his check and he’d called in at the beginning to make sure they could pick it up for him. On nice days he walked with Anna to the bank to deposit his check, but if weather was bad he just waited.

            Theodore walked in and put his bag on the table. “You guys have another fight?”

            Liam sighed, “Not a fight, but I did snap at her. She’s right, I need to at least try that therapy thing the doctor was talking about. I don’t want to be a bother to you or her and what if it doesn’t work? What if it makes me worse?!”

            “Liam, it’s not going to make you worse. The Center wouldn’t host the group and the group wouldn’t have been going on as long as it has if it wasn’t helping people or if it was hurting them. All you can do is try. You’re scared, I get that. You’re probably worried about what’ll happen to Bee if you keep snapping like you have been. Am I right?”

            Liam nodded, “It’s more than that though. What if I snap one day and she’s finally had enough and leaves me? What if I hurt her?”

            Theodore left the room and looked at Anna as they passed in the hallway. She walked into the kitchen and up to Liam, “Do you really think that you’d hurt me? Or that I’d leave you? Hell, Liam, if I ever thought you were going to hurt me I wouldn’t be with you in the first place. I trust you. You have to trust that I’m not going to let you hurt me and you should trust that you’re not going to hurt me. You’re nothing like he was and you couldn’t be like him if you tried.”

            Liam stood suddenly and grabbed her, tossing her over his shoulder while he grabbed the papers from the table and he took her to their room, locking the door behind him after throwing her onto the bed. She didn’t fear him. She smiled at him as he put her down.

            “Even though you hate being thrown and you hate when I carry you because you’re afraid you’re going to fall you never look at me with fear. You never have. I really should trust myself more. I should trust you more. You know me better than I know myself.” He kissed her neck and rubbed his head against her shoulder, “Do you really think the therapy will work?”

            She shrugged, rubbing his head. “I don’t know, Liam, but it’s worth a try to find out, isn’t it?”

            He looked at her. “I’m scared.”

            She kissed his head. “So am I.”