She came in bawling like a baby. It wasn’t unusual, but her tears spoke of something dangerous. A bipolar husband, she said. Not the disorder, but verbally abusive one moment, and unbelievably sweet the next. Maybe it was the disorder. 

“Dr. Mort, please I don’t know what to do!” she screamed, eyes closed and hands flung in the air. He had never quite encountered someone like her.

“Call me David, please,” he said, sliding a tissue box over to her. While she dabbled away at her tears, David took a look at the walk-in form she’d filled out. Beth, short for Elizabeth, perhaps? It took a total of ten minutes for Beth’s breathing to slow down and her tears to stop spouting out like a fountain. 

“I-I’m sorry, I don’t know what I’m doing here. I should leave-” Beth said suddenly, as if she was just realizing where she was.

“No, no, please,” David said, standing up. “Let me try and help.” Beth stepped a foot away from the door, thought for a moment, and then sat back down. David smiled warmly. It was important to establish this room as a safe place, however intimidating society portrayed it to be. 

“I-It’s just my husband,” Beth sniffled, subconsciously fussing her dirty blonde hair. “He-I don’t know quite how to explain it,” she admitted, flinging her hands out again.

“What happened that led you here?” David asked, crossing his legs in his comfy velvet sofa couch. It wasn’t often that they got walk-ins, and so the fact that Beth was one suggested something had happened rather recently. 

“He-He called my bad names, and told me to go live on the streets,” she started crying again. Multiple sessions incoming, David smiled to himself. His thoughts were distracted by a phone ringtone, and Beth dug unceremoniously through her purse. 

“Oh! It’s him,” she laughed, with a sense of relief that was unsettling for David. He watched her visual cues very closely as she spoke to her husband for a few brief moments. 

“Well?” David asked once the call had ended.

“He wants me to go back!” she squealed with excitement; she resembled a kid on Christmas morning in some ways. 

“Oh, well-”

“Thank you so much for your help! And you can get rid of my contact information too, I won’t need to come back,” Beth smiled brightly, and then dashed out the door before he could respond.

“Well. You’re very welcome,” David said defeatedly. He had a feeling he’d see her again.

David left work with his head down and trudged down the crowded city streets to where his car was parked. He was in no proper condition to drive, but it wasn’t like there was anyone else to drive him. The cool autumn breeze breathed against his face as he adjusted his homemade scarf. David stared in jealousy as he watched blissful families traverse the streets, laughing at the day’s stories and heading to dinner together. A silent tear fell down his cheek as he drove to Manny’s Diner. It was the same as always, the red light signs and trailer building. 

“Hey David,” Manny said from behind the bar when he walked in. David raised a hand, and walked over to the farthest booth like his feet were steeped in mud. Without even ordering, Manny brought over two burgers, two fries, and two shakes without speaking a word. David slid one of the trays across the table to the other seat, and ate in silence. He watched the people in the diner, talking loudly and laughing at unfunny things. Such a miserable existence, David remarked to himself. He sighed, and left the diner table with one clean tray, and one untouched tray. The diner sat on the outskirts of the city, and so the streets were quiet and even quieter still as he left the city in his car. David didn’t stop his car until he reached the tranquil beach that was the best kept secret in the city of Cascades, Maine. The beach was empty, which was unsurprising considering it was eight at night. The autumn wind had grown stronger, but David wouldn’t be denied as much as he wanted to be. He trekked through the sand until he reached a familiar spot on the beach that was just out of reach of the turquoise water. It was a magnificent sight, even if only the moon kept the scene illuminated. David sat down with his legs out and his hands pushing against the sand to support him.

“I miss you son,” he croaked. This secret beach had been their favorite spot, whether it was after a baseball game, a night out, anything. Manny’s had been his favorite place to eat. “I can’t believe it's been three years already,” he cried, falling back and into the sand. Specks of sand weaseled their way into David’ hair and shirt, but he hardly felt it. He was there for two hours. Or maybe it was four. It could’ve been a day, a month, a year. He never wanted to leave. He only got up because he heard a distant laugh and saw two people walking over. On closer inspection, it was a couple. The woman clung to the man’s arm affectionately. David smiled, though it was because of anything but happiness, and even that faded quickly when he saw who it was. The woman was Beth, and the man was presumably her husband. Beth’s laugh also quickly slipped away when she saw David, who was still frozen from shock. Was this really the woman who had burst into his practice earlier that very day and sobbed over her broken marriage? He knew that toxic relationships often had dramatic swings, but they looked like a happily married couple with two kids and a twenty year anniversary under their belt. Maybe a little too much inference. Nevertheless, David knew this was even more reason not to wave or even smile towards her direction. Beth’s husband was a big man, so there was no telling what he could do, and David wasn’t exactly a body builder. Beth obviously thought the same thing, and David quickly made his way past them and back towards his car without even acknowledging that they were there. 

The next day was as unremarkable as almost every day of David’s life since his son’s death, excluding the day before. Patients in, patients out. His first of the day was his usual nine o’clock: Jane, a woman in her thirties that was going through a rather perplexing mid-life crisis. Her sessions were mostly filled with unpredictable outbursts of screaming and crying, followed by careful self-reflection that would make David wonder why she even needed a therapist. His ten o’clock session was a stoic Marine, who typically spoke a total of two words in the hour. Today, however, he put together a whole sentence. Perhaps a more remarkable day than David thought. He spent the rest of his morning looking through Beth’s form, which he had not yet thrown out. Something about her case that piqued his interest. After lunch was Stan, a talkative day trader that treated his therapy sessions like an Economics 101 course. However, David saw significant progress in Stan today, which was much needed encouragement for whose session David had lined up later. Once he could hear the slightly increased traffic outside his office, it was time to prepare for the little devil. The kid wasn’t misbehaved or foul-mouthed, he was just an absolute nightmare for David. Lucien was a difficult but incredibly intelligent kid, whose mother insisted that he see a therapist for whatever problems she thought he had. David assured her that being antisocial was not a problem worth seeing a therapist for, but she knew best for her son, she had said snarkily. Despite the kid’s insistent mother and intricate personality, David had always felt a special connection to him. Today’s session was no different than the rest, however, and Lucien left David with a scrambled brain. The last two patients for David’s crowded day were rather boring, but he’d still blown through four mugs of tea by the time he was getting ready to leave work. David found that tea worked better, and was healthier, than coffee. Drinking tea after four o’clock in the afternoon disrupted David’s ability to sleep at night, but it wasn’t like he got much sleep these days anyways. The night in the city was just getting started when David left his glass-windowed office building. The sun was setting earlier, but that didn’t stop mobs of young adults from storming the surprisingly vibrant nightlife of Cascades, Maine. When David returned to his quiet home in the suburbs, he found that this day would be another interesting one. Apparently waiting outside his house was none other than his ex-wife, Michaela. 

“David,” she said with her look that could melt even the hardest of hearts. David stayed at his car for a few moments, before making his way onto the paved neighborhood walkway that Michaela was standing on.

“Michaela,” he returned sternly. 

“How are you, David?” she asked softly. David could not believe his ears.

“You don’t call. You don’t text. You don’t email. You don’t even send a letter,” David scoffed. “You don’t get to show up here after a year and ask how I’m doing,” he spat, and began walking up the path that led to his house.

“David, please,” Michaela pleaded, jumping in his way. David slumped his shoulders. 

“What,” he sighed. “What do you want?” he asked with a slight bitter undertone to his voice. 

“Look, I’m sorry, David. You don’t know how much it’s impacted me-”

“Oh I don’t know how much it's impacted you? How about how much it's impacted me? Our son is dead, Michaela! And when I needed you most you left. So no, you don’t get to show up here…” David broke down in tears before being able to finish.

“Come here,” Michaela whispered, tears also streaming down her face. The two shared a long embrace in silence, before David pulled away.

“Care for a drink?” he asked. Michaela nodded, and the ex-lovers headed into David’s house. Michaela sat down at David’s circular table for one while he poured himself a shallow quantity of scotch and made his ex-wife a coffee with cinnamon.

“You remembered,” she smiled in a way that made you forget the rest of the world existed. David shook it off while he downed his scotch in one gulp and decided to bring over the entire bottle instead. The two looked at one another for a few moments before David broke the ice again.

“I met a woman. Her name’s Beth,” he said. Michaela raised an eyebrow, and he quickly clarified himself. “Not that way. She’s married,” he said without realizing how much worse it made his previous statement sound. “I-I mean, she came into my practice. You’d be all over this case,” he said, downing another glass of scotch with Michaela watching intently.

“And you aren’t?” she asked, although both of them knew that she already knew the answer. 

“Well, ten minutes after she came she got a call from her husband who said he wanted her back,” David exhaled.

“And she left,” Michaela concluded. “But you still want to help her,” she continued with her prying eyes. David scoffed again, and leaned back in his chair. The two sat in silence once again until Michael broke the tension this time.

“How was yesterday?” 

“Are you asking as my ex-wife or as a therapist?” David responded warily. He knew Michaela too well to think that it was an empty question. 

“Just answer the question David,” Michaela snapped. 

“I went to Manny’s. And then the beach. That’s it,” David answered curtly. Michaela’s meddling eyes would not give up. “And I saw Beth with her husband, walking along the beach,” he said quickly, slightly hoping that she wouldn’t hear and dismiss it. 

“Oh,” Michaela chuckled cruelly. “And how did that make you feel?”

“We’re done here,” David stood up and finished his third drink while Michaela laughed. Oh that laugh. He missed it. No I don’t, David blinked rapidly in an attempt to shake the blasphemous thought out of his head. 

“Sit down, David,” Michaela said, and he obeyed reluctantly. 

“And how was yesterday for you?” David asked. It was his turn to play the shrink. Michaela grimaced and gave no response. “Just answer the question Michaela,” he mocked playfully. Michaela gave in.

“Went through some old photos. Didn’t drink a drop. You should try it some time,” she answered choppily. David snorted.

“It distracts me from doing other things,” he said, pouring himself a fourth. Michaela observed him with a glum look.

“You should really see someone, David,” she said earnestly. A chortle slipped out from David’s mouth.

“A woman or a therapist?” he joked before quickly realizing that his ex-wife was being serious. “I think I’ll be fine.” Michaela squinted at him, but saw that it was no use arguing with him. 

“Tell me about Beth, then,” she said. And he did just that. Although he’d only had less than twenty minutes of interaction with her, David was a skilled therapist and reported his initial diagnosis. His particular interest in her case also contributed. The ex-lovers talked about Beth’s case for hours, and David let himself believe that it was just like old times again. Then Michaela checked her watch. Quarter after midnight.

“I should probably get home. It was great seeing you again, David,” she said, and swiftly left with her purse. 

“Yeah. You too,” he replied to no one.

David woke up with a splitting headache, and he was no lightweight. He could feel the feelings starting to flood back in, but he didn’t have any energy to deal with that all over again. A full day of sessions awaited him, and he was supposed to be the stable one. 

“You look awful, David,” his secretary said to him when he walked into his office that morning. She rarely used his first name despite his insistence, so he knew that he really did look pretty bad. He slumped into his office chair and took a power nap before his first session that morning. His coffee mug was already empty after he finished all of it on his way to work. Since he hardly ever got drunk, a hangover cure was not one of David’s specialties. A quiet day was really in order. He would get nothing of the sort. Just ten minutes into his first session, his office door burst open again.

“David! Please-” Beth cried, before babbling on about something that was incomprehensible.

“So sorry, Dr. Mort. She just ran right by me,” his secretary apologized, but he waved her off. David’s mind was already a little fuzzled, and this was certainly not the quiet day he’d wanted.

‘Uh-look, Jordan. We’ll reschedule this for next week, okay? Terribly sorry,” he said to his current patient, and motioned for his secretary to escort Jordan out. Beth had already helped herself to the tissues and a seat on the sofa couch opposite of David’s. He waited for the door to close completely before saying another word.

“I’m sorry, David,” Beth apologized quietly, sniffling excessively. When did patients take on a first-name basis so quickly? I suppose she’s not actually a patient. Yet, David thought to himself. 

“It’s alright,” he said cordially. “What’s going on?” asked David, who also took a seat.

“It-It’s my husband,” Beth answered shyly, twirling her hair unconsciously. I would sure hope so, David thought. It would be even worse if there was something else in her life that caused her to cry like she was now. “We had another fight,” she added.

“And what was it about?” 

“He accused me of cheating with you. He said that you walked away too quickly on the beach the other night,” Beth said, looking down at her shoes. A smart man. An overreacting one, but smart nonetheless, David noted. 

“Does he start arguments like this often?” he asked. Beth nodded, still refusing to look up. “Hey, Beth. Look at me,” he said. She looked up only slightly, but it was enough for him. “I’m here to help you, and I will. I just want you to come on a regular basis. You can’t keep bursting in like this, okay?” This was it. This would decide whether or not Beth would be an important character in David’s book or just a minor feature. 

“Okay,” she agreed. David beamed.

“Let’s get started then,” he leaned back in his seat with a notebook and pen. “You two seemed very happy that night on the beach,” he stated, simply trying to see what, if anything that Beth would say about that. 

“It was so nice,” she said dreamily. “He made me dinner and then took me to the beach that he said was a secret,” she smiled simply at the thought of that night, and David took great notice. 

“Do you have a lot of moments like that?” he asked further, though he guessed that he’d already deduced the correct answer. She nodded in response.

“He’s so sweet, even after we got married. Of course, we were a little more wild when we were younger, but he still stayed the man he was after our marriage,” she said. It sounded like she was defending him, which David saw all the time. 

“But?” he prompted. 

“But after our marriage he began to change. Paranoid, maybe? I’m not sure how to really describe it, but he just wasn’t kind all the time like he was before we got married,” she continued. 

“And why do you think he’s paranoid?” David was asking a slew of questions, but it was better than not even holding a conversation like his sessions with Brent the marine. 

“He was cheated on in a previous relationship, so I guess he’s always been a little overprotective,” she answered, but quickly defended him again. “B-But I’m okay with that and to be honest it’s really sweet, it’s just, the way he goes about it,” she concluded. She hardly even needs me here, David remarked. Her awareness sort of reminded him of Jane, his patient with the mid-life crisis. The question and answer format continued on for longer than David expected, and before he knew it, his second patient had already arrived.

“Look, that was great. See you later this week? How does two times a week sound?” David asked, standing up with Beth.

“Mmm, can we do three times a week?” she asked timidly. David smiled curiously. Patients hardly ever requested for more sessions a week. Even Stan, the ecstatic daytrader, had declined David’s request for more sessions a week when clearly his normal ones weren’t working. 

“Absolutely,” he said. “See you on Thursday?” Beth nodded happily, and left with a little more pep in her step. That’s all David needed to get him over his pounding headache. 

“She scheduled for Thursday and Friday, David,” Alice, David’s secretary, said without him asking during their lunch break. 

“I didn’t ask-”

“You didn’t have to,” she smirked, and went back to her interesting looking salad. David could do nothing else but grin like an idiot for the rest of the day. Even when he got home and loneliness crept in, he didn’t feel so empty inside. Maybe this was the case that would finally help him get back on his feet. The day couldn’t have been better until his first instinct was to call Michaela to tell her about his great day. His serotonin levels dropped dramatically, and he found himself drowning in his loneliness again. It was no secret that even two years after their divorce, his love remained. He never thought that they’d divorced simply because they didn’t love one another anymore, but the fact that it came just a year after their son died was no coincidence. Nevertheless, their separation remained true, and he had been sentenced a cruel fate that he wouldn’t wish on his worst enemy: having nobody to go home to. He’d tried to move on. He’d tried like there was no tomorrow. In fact, he’d met someone a while after his divorce with Michaela. Andrea. David thought he had finally gotten his happy ending. Until it all slipped away. 

David woke up the next morning wondering if his three day streak of remarkable days would continue. Even though he was more of a night owl, David had grown fond of mornings because the bright morning sky would put off his sadness for a while. Working sixty hours a week and immersing himself in his patients’ cases became his coping mechanisms after his divorce. There was something about helping other people, usually with their relationships, that gave him enough satisfaction. At least that’s what he told himself. 

“Morning, David,” Alice said slyly when he got into his office. 

“Morning, Alice,” he said suspiciously.

“Expecting anyone special today?” she teased, and David rolled his eyes as he stalked past her desk. And for the first time in three days, David’s day was normal. Patient in, patient out. Of course, a couple mental breakdowns occured in his sessions, but that was about as extraordinary as his typical days got. It was a boring, but relaxing day, and David was just leaving his office when his day got dramatically more interesting. 

“Hi,”  Beth said, waiting outside David’s building door.

“Hey,” David said with a confused look. “What...are you doing here?” he asked, though he already knew the answer. 

“We were close to getting into a fight, so I just left to get some air and ended up here,” she said sheepishly. David nodded.

“Well, I haven’t had dinner yet,” he smiled. “Care to join me?” He knew it was somewhat unprofessional, but he liked to think of it as just another session except in a different location. 

“Sure,” Beth agreed without hesitation. “Where to?” she asked as she followed David to his car. 

“A little place on the outskirts of town called Manny’s Diner,” he grinned, and slid into his car and Beth into the passenger seat. Knowing about Manny’s was something to be proud of. David and Beth sat in silence during the rather lengthy drive from the heart of the city to the edge of town, but the drive was incredibly peaceful. It felt like the world had stopped spinning on its axis and the crowds on the street faded from existence. All that existed at the moment was themselves and the glorious night sky in front of them that lit a glowing path in front of them. The trip felt strangely long yet short at the same time. Time didn’t exist in this fantastical little world that had been created. Nonetheless, time did exist in the real world, where Manny’s Dinner still stood. 

“Cute place,” Beth twinkled, and David had to tell himself off. He opened the door for her, and waved to Manny who raised an eyebrow amusedly. David grabbed a menu on their way in, and slid it to Beth after they sat in the farthest booth from the entrance. “What do you recommend?” she asked as she scanned the menu. 

“The Manny burger is my thing,” he answered, before taking out his notebook and pen. He had to at least make it look convincing if he wanted to convince even himself. What would Michaela think? He snorted. Beth decided on Manny’s burger as well, and David nodded at Manny for his usual order. 

“So, how do you know about this place?” Beth asked, looking around the diner. The walls were painted with royal red paint and the tables had enough of a golden glint to make the palace look like an under glorified regal dining room. Abstract and contemporary works of art clothed the walls to give the diner a contrasting vibe. 

“Uh uh,” David objected. “I’m the one asking questions here,” he said lightheartedly.

“Come on, you’re off duty,” she chuckled lightly, and David was overjoyed that she appeared to be even more open with him. A stronger relationship between therapist and patient would allow for more effective sessions. The two engaged in a squinting match across the table, but David finally caved. Maybe telling her a little about myself will help her, he thought to himself. He was reaching now. 

“I used to come here with my son after his baseball games,” David answered, refusing to look at her. He felt like the patient now. 

“And then you’d go to the beach,” Beth concluded happily. Smart woman. David conceded. “But something happened,” her happy face faded quickly. David exhaled. Might as well tell her everything now. They obviously weren’t in a therapy session.

“He’s...not around anymore,” David said in a barely audible voice. “I was at the beach that other night because it marked three years since he-yeah,” he shrugged, hoping Beth would understand. He knew that he was going against his better judgement by telling his patient these things, but for some reason it just felt right. Maybe it was the fact that he had no one else to talk to about this and Beth was the first person he felt moderately comfortable opening up to. He certainly wouldn’t talk to Michaela about their son’s death, not that they talked much anyways other than two nights ago. Their conversation stopped as Manny delivered their burgers.

“What was his name?” Beth asked tentatively, slightly wincing and hoping that she hadn’t upset David. 

“Daniel,” David answered.

“Well, here’s to Daniel,” Beth said sweetly, raising her milkshake. David laughed, which halted the floodgates. They clinked milkshakes, and David felt his heart beat in a way he hadn’t felt in quite a while. But Michaela. And Beth was married. Still, a connection existed between them, and he could tell she felt it too. Maybe that’s why David knew that their therapy sessions would be successful for her. Silence returned until Many delivered their burgers to them. 

“Tell me more about him, your son,” Beth said, then proceeding to take the largest bite from a burger that he’d ever seen.

“No, no, no. It’s your turn to talk,” David returned, chewing away at a few fries first. “Have you and your husband ever thought about kids?” he asked, introducing a new topic. One could never know what there was to find in seemingly unrelated areas. Beth chuckled.

“I’ve always wanted kids. A boy and a girl,” she said, tilting her head like she was envisioning it in her head. “But Saul says we can’t afford kids right now,” she said, and David could almost see her dream bubble being shattered. 

“Saul. Your husband?” David clarified, and Beth nodded overzealously. Intimidating, David thought. 

“But it’s okay. He promised me that we could have kids someday soon,” Beth added contentedly. “I know that you don’t think so, but Saul’s a good man. We just get into arguments every once in a while, but don’t all couples?” she asked, unsuccessfully hiding her hope that David would validate her argument. Unfortunately, he had to.

“Yes, but-” David said reluctantly, but Beth continued on.

“And I know that he calls me names too but he’s just angry sometimes. He can’t control himself. He told me that-” she began to ramble on, and although David thought it was charming, he could hardly keep up in his notebook.

“Beth,” David said, touching her arm gently so that she’d snap out of her rant. “Slow down.”

“Sorry,” she apologized meekly. “Saul just doesn’t let me talk much-I mean, I just don’t usually talk a lot. I’m a good listener,” she tried to cover her misstep. 

“Why doesn’t he let you talk very much?” David asked, taking advantage of her mistake. Beth sighed miserably and massaged her forehead like she’d committed an unspeakable act.

“He says I’m annoying when I talk too much, b-but it’s just how I express myself. Do you think I talk too much?” she asked, bracing herself for a yes.

“Absolutely not,” David replied. “I’m the listener here. You can talk as much as you want, just try to stay on topic,” he winked.

“W-Well I know that you probably see a lot of women like me coming into your practice and complaining about what seems to be like the same husband. B-But I promise you that, Saul’s different,” she insisted, though something in her eyes told David differently.

“And what type of husbands do you think I hear about all the time?” he chuckled. 

“Y-You know, the abusive ones. The ones whose wives show up with bruises and stitches. B-But look! He hasn’t done anything to me,” she continued, but David’s look must’ve given away his skepticism. “I just want to fix our relationship,” she said, looking down at her tray. 

“Of course you do. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t. And I’m here to help,” David said. “Tell me how you two first met,” he prompted. She began to tell her story, and as much as he didn’t want to admit it, Beth’s voice was soothing and beautiful; it was something he could fall asleep to. And he would’ve if it weren’t for the thoughts of his son coming back again. He’d attempted to help Beth by talking about his son at the expense of himself. 

“David? Are you okay?” Beth’s voice shattered through his depressing thoughts.

“Yes, yes, sorry. I’m fine,” he replied, blinking rapidly as if that would prove that he was okay. Beth laughed.

“I’m boring you. I guess it’s your turn to talk,” she said. David wouldn’t budge. “Please,” she begged charmingly. He sighed.

“What do you want to hear?” he caved again.

“Your son. If you don’t mind. Or anything,” she quickly modified each of her phrases. David agreed.

“Well, I told you he played baseball. Shortstop. He loved watching Derek Jeter growing up,” David gulped instead of the alternative: bursting into tears in front of his patient. “I was never much of a sports guy myself, but we sent him to camps and after school baseball activities. And the first thing he did when he came back after his first camp?” he paused. “He wanted to teach me,” he voice cracked, and Beth smiled sympathetically.

“He sounded great,” she said.

“He was,” David swallowed hard. “He was our only child, so when he became a teenager, we were afraid he might pull away from us. His parents, you know,” he laughed with an indescribable sorrow.

“Your wife?” Beth asked rather sincerely, or maybe he was imagining things.

“Ex-wife. Michaela. We split up a year after Daniel- well, you know. She said she just didn’t- couldn’t have a relationship with me anymore,” David said, with slightly less despair in his voice that it surprised him. 

“I’m so sorry, David,” Beth said quietly, reaching over and holding his hand. David’s heart skipped a beat despite how much he told his myocardium not to. “It must’ve been really difficult for you. I didn’t tell you this earlier but, a few years ago soon after we’d gotten married, Saul and I- well, I got pregnant,” said Beth, who lacked the certain tone of enthusiasm or passion that she seemed to always have. David already knew where this was headed. “I had a miscarriage,” she whimpered, and her grip on David’s hand tightened until her knuckles turned pale white. David said nothing, for he knew that little could often be said to help one feel better. He just stayed with her, and their bond over their own misery grew stronger. Beth finally dug her head out of her arms, and David motioned over at Manny for two drinks.

“Oh, oh I don’t drink, David,” she said when Manny brought over two glasses of scotch. Now David felt uncomfortable drinking, and she noticed it too. “It helps with the feelings, doesn’t it?” she asked, and David gave her a look that answered all. Beth tilted her head and wiped away her tears. “You shouldn’t.”

“And why not?” David asked grumpily. The moon was at its apex, and it was the time of night where all the pain flowed back in.

“I almost died from alcohol poisoning after my miscarriage. I-I literally drank myself to death, David. If Saul hadn’t been there to save me, I wouldn’t be here today,” she revealed. There it was, David thought. She feels indebted to Saul because he saved her! That was it! Perhaps he could still call this night a therapy session. Nevertheless, it did not feel like a therapy session for the both of them, and he didn’t mind that at all. In fact, he began to pull his hand away from his drink, and Beth grinned excitedly.

“See? No need for that,” she said, taking the two drinks and bringing them back to Manny, who raised another eyebrow at David who could only shrug. She came back and plopped into her seat, and then gasped when she checked her watch.

“It’s nine already,” she said shakily. “I have to go, he’ll be mad. This was lovely, David. We should do it again sometime,” Beth simpered. David temporarily forgot everything in the world, but snapped out of it.

“Do you need a ride back?” he asked as they stood up simultaneously. 

“Oh, no, that’s not a good idea,” she grimaced. “I’ll-I’ll call a taxi,” she said, but both of them knew fully that no taxi was out and about near the edges of the town at this time.

“At least let me drop you off closer to downtown,” he offered, and Beth conceded. Their ride over was quite but enjoyable, and Beth bid him goodnight when he dropped her off at a curb by his office.

“Goodnight Beth,” he said, and fell back into his seat once she’d left his sight. She was right, it had been a lovely night. 

The temporary high that David had felt when he was with Beth quickly went away when he got home. He dragged himself over to his living room couch where he slumped into with his laptop. He wanted to resist the urge, but things tonight proved to be too much. He opened his laptop and opened the folder he kept for old videos. Old videos, that is, of his son. David knew that the old home movies would crush him again, but that was a pain that he strangely liked. At least he was able to see his son again. The first in the folder was Daniel’s first homerun in his community t-ball game. David laughed with tears rolling down his cheeks as five year old Daniel raised his pudgy arms when he saw his first dinger. Life could not have been sweeter then. He and Michaela were still in the honeymoon phase of their marriage, and having a kid completed their life. The next video was of Daniel’s first day of kindergarten, and David could hardly bear to watch himself hold his son’s precious hand as they walked towards the front door of the elementary school. David had been on the verge of starting his own private practice, and Michaela was to be his business partner. Click. David’s crying spiraled out of control as he watched Daniel blow out the candles to his seventh birthday. Daniel had fallen off his bike earlier that day, but when David and Michaela had run over to see if their son was okay, he popped right back up with a huge smile. The camera briefly pointed towards David and Michaela with uncle Benjamin presumably holding the camera. David paused the video on his and Michaela’s shining faces. They were happy. They had successfully transitioned into their private practice, and were reeling in patients from their previous offices. Click. Daniel was graduating from elementary school. David remembered it so vividly as if he were reliving it. He wanted to relive it. His life now was not living. It was not worth living. But maybe it was now. Nonetheless, he wanted to be there. He wanted to see his son graduate from elementary school again, he wanted to do all the things he had failed to treasure because he’d thought that they had all the time in the world. The fragrance of the flowers by the entrance surrounded him. The gym was warm and uncomfortable, but they didn’t care because they were there to see their son. Whom they were so proud of. Shoes squeaked along the polished floor, and the fifth grade graduates sang a song. The camera’s focus didn’t move an inch from Daniel, who sang at the top of his lungs. David had to resist the urge to tell the surrounding parents that the kid who was singing the lyrics and standing in the spotlight was their kid. Their kid. Click. Middle school arrived. David and Michaela were worried sick that their new teenager would begin to grow distant. How little faith they had in their own son. Daniel was playing little league baseball now, playing shortstop and hitting leadoff, just like Derek Jeter in the later parts of his career. David beamed proudly as he watched his mini Jeter hit a walkoff homer. He’d made it a point to record every single one of his son’s baseball games, and he wouldn’t have missed a game for the world. Meanwhile, David and Michaela’s private practice had grown to the second largest in the city. It was chaotic in the office. Patients flowing in and out constantly, but that was the way David and Michaela liked it. Click. Trouble began to brew, and not from where the Mort household had expected. It was often warned that one should never go into business with one’s spouse, and the Mort couple was beginning to understand why. David could hardly remember why they argued now, but he knew that Daniel was the glue that held them together. When David and Michaela would come home late, Daniel would already have dinner made so no one would snap at each other. David noticed later on that Daniel would do certain things at particular times to decrease the risk of an argument breaking out between his parents. Smart kid. David couldn’t have been prouder, but he hadn’t realized that he never showed it. Click. The camera fixated on Daniel, who was performing at his solo trumpet recital. He had surprised his parents with the abrupt idea that he wanted to learn the trumpet, and boy did he learn. David and Michaela sent him to private lessons three times a week with the most prestigious teacher around. The costs were expensive and lots of time was spent on driving Daniel back and forth to his teacher’s house, which was out of the city. David loved driving his son. Whether it was the forty minute trips to a trumpet lesson or a five minute drive to a friend’s house, whether the radio was on or they were just talking, David enjoyed every minute of it. But he hardly ever told his son that. David moaned in pain. He gritted his teeth and let out a low rumble as he doubled over, attempting to avoid falling onto the floor and give up. He began to stand up to get a bottle of scotch, but then he remembered what Beth had told him. David sighed heavily and fell deep into his soft couch. Click. Middle school graduation. If anything, it was less extravagant than Daniel’s elementary school one. There was no song to sing for this graduation, but Daniel was noticeably less illuminating. Retrospectively, David began to understand how much of a toll his arguments with Michaela took on his son. Another regret. The arguments were so trivial now. Who cared if they had to cut a few patients or work longer hours? Their son was the most important, but their actions clearly didn’t reflect that. And Daniel obviously noticed too. Although they were both psychologists, neither David and Michaela had noticed how much effort Daniel put into trying to make his parents proud. The distance they put between themselves and their son reflected as shame, like they wanted nothing to do with him. David’s heart ached like someone had a firm grip on it. Click again. Daniel thrived as a high school freshman. The video showed Daniel standing up and playing a beautiful solo in his symphony orchestra. David remembered that night distinctly. He and Michaela had rushed to Daniel’s concert after yet another long day at the office that was filled with angry glares and huffing and puffing. However, all of the negative energy that had accrued was wiped away when they watched their son, who had practiced so hard for that moment, play with such passion. David remembered turning to Michaela and locking eyes with her while recording. In that moment, all of their problems disappeared. They both only felt one feeling, and both didn’t need to say a word to know what they both felt. Pride. Pure pride. The same feeling that had made them want to jump up and tell everyone that was their son at his elementary school graduation. The same feeling that had persisted throughout Daniel’s life, even when they failed to tell him. For two prestigious and well-trained psychologists, David and Michaela were pretty awful at expressing themselves. Click. David’s heart could hardly take anymore, but David himself wanted more. He wanted more than just more. He wanted to go back. All the way back to the very moment Daniel had been born, and relive all of the experiences he could only watch on a screen now. It was Daniel’s junior year in high school. Perhaps the worst year that any of them endured. The stress that came with junior year was expected, but unpredictable stress came into their lives as well. Michaela died. For two minutes, the doctors told him. She had been involved in a serious car accident on her way home from a late night at the office. She had been revived, but remained in a coma for weeks. The camera started on Michaela, who had woken up almost two months after her accident, and then shifted to Daniel, who had been allowed to play a piece of music for his ailing mother. The same video was continued a couple weeks later, with Daniel pushing Michaela back into their house in a wheelchair. David recalled his decision to record Michaela’s homecoming, thinking that they’d be able to watch it back twenty years in the future and be able to rejoice for that was an obstacle they’d gotten by. David was somewhat doing that. Click. Changes also needed to be made, and both David and Michaela knew that. They cut their patient list down by almost a half, and focused on ways to optimize their business spendings. Daniel was salutatorian of his class, and had been granted a full ride to Columbia. The video reflected Daniel, in his high school graduation gown, standing with Michaela, who then switched places with David behind the camera. David and Michaela were watching their son flourish into the young man they’d always envisioned for him to be. Things were finally returning to normal; the Mort family was happy. And then things came crashing down. David came home from the office early one day to help Daniel pack for his move into college. He could hardly remember what happened. The only thing he could fully see was the image of his son, face down on the bathroom floor, with an open bottle of Advil lying next to him. David let out an ungodly shriek. Everything from then on was a blur. He vaguely remembered running to his son’s side and begging every deity he could think of to bring back his son. Ambulances arrived outside their home after some time, but he knew that calling them would be no use. One look at the foaming from Daniel’s mouth told David all he needed to know. After all, the Advil wasn’t really Advil. They were heroin pills, the very poison that had destroyed David’s early life and the very drug that he’d promised himself that he would never touch again once he’d met Michaela. Nevertheless, withdrawal hit him as hard as anyone, and with the stressful lifestyle he led, relapse was inevitable. He knew these things. He saw it often in Michaela’s patients-- she specialized in drug therapy. How would he explain to Michaela that the pills she’d helped him give up were the very same ones that killed their son? A perhaps more serious issue that would haunt David for the rest of his days was why his son overdosed. Things only got worse from there. Well, they didn’t really. Nothing was worse than losing his precious son. Nevertheless, bad things continued to happen. The year proceeding Daniel’s death felt like a lifetime. David and Michaela were distracted from their work, and their private practice suffered. Daniel had really been the glue in their lives, and the couple began growing distant as well. Michaela did, anyways. David knew it was the beginning of the end, and it destroyed him to know that he could do nothing. Absolutely nothing. Six months after Daniel’s overdose, Michaela made the decision to leave the practice and start her own practice. David knew that she always had had greater ambitions than sharing a business with her husband. She only withdrew even more after that. She didn’t make it home for dinners, she sometimes didn’t come home at all, and she seldom spoke to David anymore despite his persistent attempts. He had watched his son’s body grow limp, and now was witnessing the woman he loved fade away from him. All he could do was mentally prepare himself for the divorce papers that were imminent to come. Michaela served them to him at Gusteau’s, their favorite restaurant. It was probably her way of trying to make things easier for him, but it only ended up hurting him more. She just didn’t have the time, energy, or desire to have a relationship with him anymore, she’d said. Michaela left right after handing him the papers, and he told himself that it was because she couldn’t bear the pain either. Whether or not that was true, it helped him. A little. Sitting across from an empty seat at the favorite restaurant he shared with the woman he loved was one of the many awful moments he endured over that year. Months passed. Time was supposed to heal all wounds, but David supposed that no one had ever told whoever came up with that phrase about losing a child. Losing Michaela was a whole other problem that he faced, along with his common use of heroin and the nasty alcoholism he’d developed. However, he met someone. Andrea. He’d never treated her like a rebound or woman he simply pursued to get over Michaela. She was different. A vibrant part of David’s life. She just happened to solve his Michaela problem, and his drug and alcohol abuse problems. He shut Michaela out of his mind, but clung as closely as he could to Daniel. Part of him was afraid that moving on with Andrea meant that he was also moving on from his son. But when he told Andrea of his concerns, she promised she would never let him forget his son. They planned a future together. They wanted to see the world. They wanted to go on picnics and stay in on cold winter days for hot chocolate and old movies. Until it ended. And similarly to his relationship with Michaela, David saw it coming from a mile away. His gut had always been right, but he always hoped that it was wrong. It was too accurate. She just didn’t have feelings for him anymore, she said. David almost laughed when she broke it off. It didn’t hurt a lot, and for a while he wondered why it didn’t hurt as much as he thought it would. One point he realized was that he still loved Michaela. He just didn’t know it while he was with Andrea. Perhaps it was also a relief for him that Andrea had ended things. He finally saw how much time and effort he put into their relationship, hardly any of which he got back after the first few months. It was a miserable relationship that he convinced himself was good for him. Health wise it was, he supposed. He wanted to go back to Michaela. But how could he? The addiction that he said he’d given up was what caused their son to overdose and remove the cork that was holding their relationship together. Without Daniel, theirs was a relationship without love. At least for Michaela, he thought. The only thing that comforted him was that at least she was happy without him. David’s heart and brain hurt. Tonight had been too much, and his brain agreed. David fell asleep on the very couch he used to cradle Daniel on.

David and Beth had a fantastic session the next night. Alice gave him a rundown of his schedule for that day the second he stepped into the office, even though he hadn’t asked for one.

“And Beth is your last,” Alice smirked, and David rolled his eyes as he slid into his office. He was restless throughout the entire day, waiting for his session with Beth to finally come. None of his patients really seemed to mind, especially Stan, who took David’s distracted silence as a sign to talk even more about his exciting economics. Finally, after a day that crawled like a turtle, Beth arrived at his practice. In fact, she was early, so he didn’t feel bad for ending Lucien’s session ten minutes early. He could deal with Lucien’s mother if he had to. 

“Hi David,” Beth glowed when she entered the room. David felt a rush of blood to his face. What’s happening to me? David scolded himself. They were not at Manny’s anymore. This was business. And business it was. They had a fantastic seventy minute session, in which David grew even more intrigued with her. She and Saul had had another fight last night, but she continued to insist that she wanted to fix things, and David had to admire her persistence.

“And why do you think that this is something you can fix?” David asked. Perhaps she had a savior complex that he hadn’t diagnosed yet.

“Well, it has to be something I can fix. He’s my husband, and I love him. We’ve been through so much together. Wouldn’t you do anything to fix a relationship with someone you love?” Beth asked. That stung. David’s mind immediately shot to Daniel, and then just as quickly fixated on Michaela. 

“Yes. I would,” David said regrettably. “But do you think he wants to fix what you two have? Or does he even think there’s something to fix?” Beth bit her lip, and David knew her answer. He silently rejoiced before he almost slapped himself for thinking such a thought. He was her therapist, and that meant wanting the best for her and helping her. Whether or not that would actually be him, or if he would only be there to help her along her way, was still to be decided. He would not, however, hurt Beth in an attempt to help himself. After their session, the two of them walked out together, much to Alice’s indiscreet delight. 

“Can we go to Manny’s tomorrow for our session? I really loved the other night,” she said. David’s heart soared with joy. 

“Absolutely,” he said. “Goodnight, Beth,” he said as she flagged down a cab.

“Goodnight, David,” she smiled before stepping into the cab. After watching Beth’s cab drive down the street, David enjoyed his walk in the late August weather to his car. That was until a large man stepped in his way. It was just far enough from the heart of downtown for anyone to see. 

“Er, excuse me,” David said, hoping that this was a simple misunderstanding. As his luck would have it, it was not.

“I’m warning you, Dr. Mort,” the man spat. “Stay away from my wife,” he said, stepping out of the shadows. Saul, David’s eyes bulged out of its sockets. 

“I’m simply helping her-”

“She doesn’t need help! Now stay away from her-” Saul said, and then leaned in for the last part. “Or I beat her to a pulp.” David’s insides shook uncontrollably. Saul left him pressed against the wall, with his breath shaking and his mind not thinking straight. There was only one thing he knew how to do at the moment. And drinking was off the table. His actions became robotic--  autopilot in some sense. He got in his car and drove until he reached a corner store that had its lights off. The owner was just leaving the store.

“I need China’s finest white tea, two and a half bags,” David gasped, stumbling out of his car. The store owner backed away.

“Look man, I’m already closed. Come back tomorrow,” he said, but David refused to take no for an answer.

“Please, I need it right now,” David begged, crashing onto the man.

“Dude, I’ve got somewhere I have to be,” the man said, attempting to get away.

“Give me what I want or I’ll leak your illegal operations to the police,” David thundered. The man stopped dead in his tracks, and stepped back onto the sidewalk.

“Wait here,” he said, breathing heavily. “I’ll be right out,” he unlocked his door and went into his store. David’s foot rapped impatiently against the sidewalk until he was about to put a hole into the ground. After an eternity, the man finally came back out. “Here,” the man tossed the bag to David and then scurried off. David clutched the bag like it was his lifeline as he staggered back to his car. It was fortunate for the citizens of Cascades, Maine, that hardly anyone was in the area at the time, for David’s car swerved in between lanes as he continued to spiral. His hands shook uncontrollably as he struggled to open his front door, and almost fell through when he finally pushed it ajar. He gasped as he collapsed on his couch. His heart continued to beat faster and faster. Am I really about to do this again? He asked himself. But think about how good it’ll feel, he countered. He shook his head violently and as he attempted to rid himself of his conscience. David dumped a tea packet out of the bag. However, its contents were far more enticing than tea. It was an old friend. Heroin. It had already been smashed into powder. How convenient. David spread out his nemesis, and leaned in. 

It was his second hangover in less than a week, something that David had not experienced since his days in college. Clearly an unexciting life, but he hadn’t needed any excitement when Michaela and Daniel were in his life. David checked his watch. Nine o’clock. David’s eyes shot out of their sockets when he saw the time. Breakfast was already out of the option as he threw on a fresh suit jacket and dress pants. He had already received four missed calls from Alice, and there was no time to return them now. David finally arrived at the office half an hour late, with his first patient impatiently waiting in his office.

“I’m so sorry,” David apologized as he took a huge gulp of his coffee, made black today, and fell hastily into his seat. Even though the session had been shortened, David still found it difficult to pay attention. Fortunately for him, this one another of his patients that loved the sound of their own voice, and so he had little work to do. When the clock finally struck ten o’clock, David hurriedly escorted his patient out of his office, and then shut his office door loudly. His head throbbed as he tried to turn on his cell phone. It died as he took it out of his pocket. David sighed frustratedly as he swung open his office door again.

“Alice. Your phone. Please,” he muttered as he closed his eyes momentarily while leaning against the door frame. Alice acted quickly when she realized what was going on.

“Pull yourself together, David,” she hissed as she handed him her cell phone. He murmured something to himself as he palmed her cell phone and shuffled back into his office with his door closed. David dialed Beth’s number from memory and waited in agony as it began ringing. He had hardly had any time to think about Saul’s ultimatum after getting high last night. He ended the call before anyone answered. He knew the right thing to do was to end sessions with Beth, but he still wanted to see her. It was incredibly selfish, and even David was disgusted at himself. It was her physical welfare, perhaps even her life, that he was risking with every minute he decided to indulge his own desires. But he still wanted to. Hers was the last session of the day, so he had time. But what if she tells him that she’s going somewhere tonight? He would still know, David thought horrifically. No, he had to call her now. He picked up the phone again, but it was almost as if his hands were controlling themselves as they dropped the cell phone so that it slid out of his immediate reach.

“Stupid,” David rebuked himself as he lay flat on the couch as he tried to reach for it.

“David!” Alice scolded as she opened the door. “Your next patient is coming in ten minutes. Do I need to get you a hangover-”

“I’m-I’m fine,” he grumbled, snatching Alice’s phone off the ground. 

“I’m cancelling the rest of your appointments for the day,” Alice said, making the executive decision that David was clearly in no position to make. 

“No! Alice!” he roared in a voice that even made himself shake. Alice jumped and her shoulders tensed. “Sorry, I-I’ll cancel them. You can take the rest of the day off,” he adjusted his tone and sat up on the couch. It was time to get over his hangover, which for some reason made him feel a lot better. Alice nodded and quickly slid out of the office. David languished as he fell back onto the couch, face up this time. Alice was leaving without her cell phone, but she seemed to have two or three of those anyways. 

“Switch,” Alice said on cue, coming back into the room and tossing David one of her other cell phones. David smirked half-heartedly as he tossed the one he had back. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked with one foot out the door.

“Yeah,” he forced a smile that appeared to be convincing enough for Alice to leave without feeling like she needed to stay. His smile dropped the moment she left, and he went back to staring at the ceiling while contemplating what to do. The responsibility of having to cancel the rest of his appointments was completely lost in his mind as his eyes lost focus. A blaring car horn outside his office snapped him out of his trance, and he began dialing Beth’s number again. Each ring felt longer than the last as his heart began racing and his breath kept deepening. Finally, the rings stopped. Voicemail. Perhaps the greatest bailout David could’ve asked for, considering the situation he’d been forced into.

“Hey Beth. It’s David. I’m just calling to tell you that I have to cancel all of your future sessions. My...patient list has gotten too long so I’ve had to make a few cuts. If you contact Dr. Breen, he’ll be happy to accept you. Bye,” David said, and died a little as he ended the call. He had lost his path to happiness again. He had lost his sobriety. He had lost Beth. 

David didn’t leave the office after he left Beth a voicemail. He hadn’t bothered to call the patients he had lined up for the day either. The locked front door hopefully would tell them all they needed to know. Alice’s second phone continued to ring infernally, presumably Beth calling to find out what had happened.

“Sorry Alice,” David muttered as he stomped on the phone. Maybe he gave up too easily. Maybe he was weak. Maybe he should’ve stood up to Saul. But he was a big man, and David was no Muhammad Ali. All he knew was that he wanted more. More of the vile contents in that tea bag. Perhaps that was part of the reason he had kept himself confined at his office, for he knew that if he went home he wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation. Lunchtime came and left, but David hardly moved from his spot on the floor. He wasn’t hungry. He wasn’t even thirsty, unless his insatiable desire for alcohol counted. David was a mess. The view of the city was nice, although the skyscrapers that partially blocked the brilliant sunlight from engulfing the entire room was disappointing. Suddenly, David heard something and whipped around. Was it Brent, the marine? Had he finally decided that he needed therapy so much that he’d kicked down the front door and marched into David’s office? What am I thinking? David scoffed. Brent was one of the last people he’d expected to think of at the moment. Nonetheless, no one was in his office. David turned back to the sunlight. He felt like he was at a resort, sitting on a beach chair and taking in all the sunlight he could get. His face felt warm, and his shoulders relaxed for the first time since the day before. David’s sabbatical was short lived. The sound he’d heard earlier returned. This time it sounded more like a voice. David turned around and almost passed out.

“Hi Dad.” David gawked at his son, who was standing in front of him. 

“H-How, are you-” David slapped himself. Surely this was a dream.

“I’m not real, Dad. You’re just having a conversation with your memory of me,” Daniel explained, twirling his curly brown hair that his mother had been ecstatic to discover he’d inherited. 

“And what are we having a conversation about?” David asked. Daniel shrugged, slipping onto one of the sofa couches and crossing his legs. 

“That’s up to you,” Daniel answered, looking around the office. David couldn’t contain his smile. Even though he knew this wasn’t real, it was real enough for him.

“How have you been-I mean-” David paused. “I’m so sorry, Daniel. Those pills- we never told you how proud- should’ve…” David began sobbing, collapsing on his knees in front of his son.

“It’s okay, Dad. I’m better than I was now. You don’t have to worry,” Daniel said, hugging his father’s upper torso area, for David was still on the ground.

“It’s been awful here without you,” David said, pulling another sofa couch close enough so that he could lean against it while still sitting on the fuzzy rug. “Your mother’s left me, though we did just talk the other night and-”

“Yeah, I saw,” Daniel smirked. “You were a little more than tipsy.” David was startled.

“You can...see us? What we’re doing?” he asked nervously, hoping that Daniel wasn’t paying attention last night. 

“Of course. You should’ve taken that Saul guy on. And Beth is totally into you-” Daniel began babbling.

“Back up. So I don’t have to catch you up on anything? You know about Andrea-” David said.

“Never liked her much,” Daniel coughed.

“What was that?” David asked, but both of them knew exactly what he’d said, and they burst out laughing simultaneously. Their laugh seemed to last for hours, and David enjoyed every second of it. Finally, their laughs died down. “Yeah, wasn’t a great time,” David said, though his mind was swirling around Daniel’s comment about Beth earlier.

“Mom’s doing well, if you didn’t know. I’d wager her private practice is going to be bigger than yours by the end of this year,” Daniel snickered, attempting to get a reaction out of his father.

“Happy for her,” David replied snarkily as his counter. Daniel grinned when he saw what his dad did there.

“Tell me about Beth then,” Daniel prompted. David made a face in a bid to hide his discomfort. It wasn’t everyday you tell your dead son about a woman that wasn’t his mother. Daniel didn’t bite.

“There’s nothing to tell, Danny boy,” David sighed.

“Oh jeez, Dad. You know I hate that nickname,” Daniel recoiled like a five year old that was embarrassed by his parents. 

“But I love it,” David chuckled. There was a long pause, in which the two just enjoyed each other’s company. David knew this moment wouldn’t last, but maybe there was a way to make it last longer. 

“You should go for her, Dad. I’m sure mom won’t mind,” Daniel said out of the blue. “She’s clearly not happy. I did some scouting and-”

“Some what?” David said, horrified to find out that his son had been taking notes on Beth. It could be useful, David’s mind argued. No, it would be invading her privacy. It would be like stalking.

“I promise I wasn’t stalking,” Daniel answered David’s own question.

“Wh-how-”

“I’m in your mind, remember?” Daniel reminded him. “It’s nothing too private. Her and Saul just don’t blend well. I don’t even know how they got married, honestly. No similarities, arguments all the time, I-”

“That’s enough,” David halted his son. Too much information would be creepy. Daniel looked at his father amusedly. All of sudden, David seemed to hear a faint bell.

“Oh, gotta go. It’s time to check in on mom,” Daniel smiled. 

“Wait-no-c-can you stay a little while longer?” David pleaded. Daniel hugged him tightly.

“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll be back,” he promised, and with a poof was erased from David’s view. 

David continued to stay in the office until his usual workday was over. Even though the commute would be worse than if he had left in the middle of the day, he didn’t mind. It just meant more time without facing the lure of the heroin, which he had promised that he would throw out after talking with his son again. He also planned to make a stop at Manny’s for dinner, also hoping that there was an off chance that he’d run into Beth, who could be looking for him. David hadn’t bothered to charge his phone, since he knew that no one would be trying to get a hold of him except Beth. Still, his son’s words, or his brain’s words in the form of his son, stayed with him throughout his trip to Manny’s. Maybe he would go after Beth. Daniel said she clearly wasn’t happy, which wouldn’t take a genius to figure out despite the mask she put on. Maybe she felt the same way too about him. He knew that Saul had told him to stay away from her, but he wasn’t so bad. Saul was just a big man. Saul was a gym rat. Saul was just...waiting for him at Manny’s front door as he turned the corner from the parking lot? And he looked furious. His face was the color of red that only a bowl of Manny’s five-alarm chili with extra chili and a side of chili could do to you. David’s first instinct was to run, but he had just told himself that he would consider pursuing Beth. This was his chance to make his decision, and he stood his ground. Saul was the bull in the ring that all those macho cowboys tried to tame, and he was charging right at David. A wise person once said that falling in love can make you do stupid things. Maybe whoever said that wasn’t so wise, because it didn’t take much to figure that out. Saul’s first punch was the hardest one, and David hit the ground with a thud. Saul’s blows came so fast that David was temporarily blinded. However, he kept his eyes and mind fixed on Beth, and hoped that that was enough to get him through this beating. There was no use calling for help, for Saul’s large frame was completely over him and wouldn’t allow a peep to get out. 

“You did this,” Saul growled, granting David a reprieve.

“Did what?” David asked, wiping the blood away from his face. Now he was perplexed. He had no idea why Saul had been waiting for him until he began his assault. And David it was simply for being Beth’s therapist. Well, ex-therapist. He had to admit he wasn’t terribly surprised when Saul began giving him a beating-- Beth’s description of him gave David enough to conduct a brief psych profile. 

“Don’t act like you don’t know,” Saul spat, and was about to continue his beating when someone called out.

“Hey!” David recognized it to be Manny’s voice. Saul jumped off of David and took off immediately without ever looking back. 

“David! Are you okay? I’m calling 911,” Manny said, running over to him. David waved him off.

“It-it’s okay. I’ll be fine. Can I get my usual, please?” he asked, taking out an old handkerchief that had not seen the light of day in years to wipe off more blood. Manny slowly put his phone back inside his jeans pocket, and then began heading back inside.

“I’ll have it for you in five. Along with some paper towels,” Manny grimaced, looking David up and down. He didn’t ask any more questions, which David was appreciative of. He managed to stand up with the help of a nearby no parking sign. A wretched ringing persisted in his brain, and if he didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought that he was seeing stars like in the comics. Once Manny brought out his usual Manny burger, David got in his car and sped back home. Not for any drug addiction of his, but because he desperately needed to lie down on a soft surface. When he got home, he dropped his dinner on the table and tossed the heroin into the trash. He had a strange urge to burn it in the fireplace, but that seemed to be a little too dramatic. David immediately toppled over on his couch, and would’ve fallen asleep if he didn’t see a figure leaning against the wall.

“Wow. You look like hell,” Daniel said, wincing at the purple bruises on his father’s face. David groaned and began to sit up but was told to stop. “You need to lie down, Dad. Mom’s having a fancy dinner at La Chevre. You know, that expensive French restaurant over on-”

“Yeah, I know,” David said, perhaps with a hint of bitterness. At least Michaela was getting what she wanted, he presumed.

“She is,” Daniel answered, and David had to remind himself that his son knew everything he was thinking. Which meant, “I see that you’ve decided to take my advice with Beth,” Daniel smirked. David rolled his eyes and stared at the ceiling. 

“Hardly. Her husband almost socked me into your world for being her therapist. Imagine if-” The doorbell rang. Daniel raised his eyebrow with a sly grin. 

“Are you expecting anyone, Dad?” he asked, and David went to open the door. He didn’t know who to expect, but the person at the door was certainly a welcome surprise.

“Hi David. I just-” Beth began rambling the second he opened the door, but her face fell when she saw David. “D-Did he do that to you?” she asked sheepishly. David nodded. “I’m so sorry, David. This is all my fault. I-I shouldn’t have-I should’ve-”

“This isn’t your fault, Beth,” David assured her. “What’d you do?”

“I-I left him,” Beth stammered, and it was as if the skies opened and the trumpets from above played a glorious tune. David had to use all of his might to contain his happiness, which was still hindered by guilt. “And-and then he left right away and said that this was all your fault. And so-so I realized that you cancelled our sessions because of him and I didn’t know what to do and-” she began to hyperventilate as she kept talking.

“Beth. I’m okay,” David said, rubbing his swollen cheek. “He just threatened to hurt you and then roughed me up a bit, that’s all,” he almost laughed as he said, for it was clear to anyone with eyes that he’d been more than roughed up. 

“Are you sure?” she asked, her face full of guilt that shouldn’t be hers. 

“Yes,” said David. “Do you need a place to stay? Now that you’ve...you know,” he struggled to find the correct words for a neutral phrasing of “finally dumped your bipolar husband”. 

“I already called my sister. She lives on the other side of town from our-” Beth stopped herself. “Saul’s place, so I should be safe there,” she smiled sweetly. 

“That’s good,” David returned. The two of them looked at each other for a brief moment, and David’s heart brimmed with joy. It was actually happening. This was something that one would see in perhaps a cheesy romance film, but this was real life. 

“Thank you for protecting me, David,” Beth twinkled affectionately, and then kissed David on the cheek. “Goodnight,” she whispered, and then walked down the paved path from David’s door to her car. 

“I spoke to our son.” Michaela looked at David sideways. It had been two months since that eventful day, in which he had a conversation with his son and Beth left her husband as well. Since then, David and Beth had continued their sessions, though both of them knew that it was far from it. It was the happiest that David had been in years. Instead of meeting at his office, David and Beth would mostly go to different places in the city, such as Manny’s, the secret beach, or other tranquil areas. They had grown very close, and David could feel the attraction between the both of them. Perhaps it was finally time to ask her out.

“David?” Michaela cut into his thoughts. “What do you mean, you spoke to our son?” she raised her eyebrow. They were having coffee and talking for the first time since two months ago as well. 

“Oh, it was nothing. He said he was just in my mind, but it felt like he was really there, Michaela,” David answered, taking a long and thoughtful sip from his coffee. Since Beth had left her husband, David had also resolved to make changes in his life. He had thrown out all the alcohol in his house, and attended an AA meeting every once in a while to keep himself accountable. 

“You’re not using again, are you?” Michaela skepticized, and David threw her a nasty look. 

“I’ve been clean for two months,” he said proudly. Michaela smiled. 

“I’m glad you’re doing well,” she said, and then also took a long drink from her cup. David debated whether or not he should tell her. They were grown adults, and she’d moved on. It wouldn’t be awkward. Totally wouldn’t be.

“Beth left her husband,” David said, and Michaela seemed pleased.

“Let me guess. She left him...two months ago?” Michaela chortled. David made a face.

“So what if that coincides with my soberness. She helps me. We’re happy,” he responded defensively.

“We’re? So you two are a thing now?” said Michaela amusedly. 

“Not quite,” David squeaked.

“Well why not?”

“I’m taking things slow.”

“Like you did with me?” Michaela laughed. “You asked me out a day after meeting me and we got married less than half a year later!” she exclaimed.

“And look how we turned out,” David returned sharply. Michaela’s smirk disappeared.

“I suppose you have a point,” she said, and was suddenly very interested at the liquid inside her cup. Their infamous silence reentered the stage.

“I think I’ll ask her to dinner today, though,” David said, feeling slightly remorseful over his bitter comment earlier. Michaela looked back up.

“That’s great!” Michaela said, patting him on the shoulder. “Go get ‘er, tiger!” David recoiled heavily.

“Never say that again,” he said, rather uncomfortable at the moment. Michaela acted as if she knew nothing of what he was talking about, and he decided to excuse himself.

“Patients to see,” he smirked, and left his ex-wife at the corner coffee shop. 

It was another day of distracted therapy for David, just like every other day he was scheduled to see Beth. However, Stan’s hour-long economic lectures no longer felt eternal, and Lucien was more of a learning experience instead of a demon sent from hell to torment him. Nevertheless, the day was still insufferably long, and five o’clock could not have come any sooner. 

“Where to today?” Beth asked, waiting for David outside his office doors when he was finally finished with his last patient. 

“Mmm, how about somewhere new?” he asked.

“Mysterious,” Beth laughed, and they walked to his car, side by side to the point where their hands were mere centimeters away from one another.When they got in his car, David put on a special Armstrong album, and drove towards another secret spot that resided in the hills this time. He had discovered the cozy spot in the forests of Maine during the countless hours he’d spent wandering the town those months after Daniel passed away. 

“And what charming place is this?” Beth said, admiring the marvelous night sky, which was only part of the glorious view. On the right side of their view was the lovely town of Cascades, Maine and on the left was the calming waters that extended to as far as the eye could see. No one could disturb them up here.

“It...has a special place in my heart. Maybe you could come up with a name for me,” David suggested, and Beth looked to the sky for inspiration. “A constellation?” he asked. Over the past two months, David had learned much about Beth, including her love for astronomy and the stories behind the constellations. Beth squinted, and shook her head slightly. David watched as her brilliant mind worked through the many stories she had stored in her head. 

“Adonis’s Garden,” Beth said after a few minutes, taking a look around the grass they sat on to make sure the setting fit the name. “Because you helped me become reborn. To start over and allow everything to have a clean slate.” David smiled, though he didn’t completely understand what she had said. Beth looked pensive, but she didn’t speak and the two of them sat in silence while they cherished the beautiful view. The feeling in the air had changed though, and David decided that it was time to make his move.

“Beth, I-”

“I went on a date with Saul last night,” Beth blurted out. David froze, and his face lost its color. The perfect night didn’t seem so perfect anymore. Maybe the change in the air was foreshadowing this. “I know what you might say, to warn me and discourage me not to go back to him, but he’s really changed this time, David. We had a whole talk at the restaurant, and he wants to be better for me,” she explained. David closed his mouth, which had dropped wide open. “He wants to fight for me, David,” she added, hoping that would clarify things. David continued his silence. “David?” David regained his alertness and cleared his thirst.

“So...you’re getting back with him then?” David asked, using all his strength to hide the deep hurt and bitterness in his voice. 

“Yes?” Beth tensed her shoulders as if a blow was coming. Maybe that was what she’d learned to expect from the man that she was going back to. 

“I see,” David said. “Well uh, I have to go. I just- I have this...thing,” he said, not even trying to make a good excuse, and headed back to his car. “I’ll call you a cab,” he muttered, and then opened his car door.

“David!” Beth said with great confusion. “Are you okay?” she asked in her seductive voice that he hated now. David refused to answer her, and sped off back towards town. Anger and confusion entered and consumed him. How could Beth do this to him? They were supposed to be together. He was supposed to ask her out tonight, and she was supposed to say yes. That was their happy ending. David’s heart was pounding and his mind was racing. Driving was the least of his worries right now. Had he imagined all of the hints she’d dropped? Could he truly have imagined all of the feelings he thought she had? What about the last two months they’d spent together? Did that mean nothing? What about the countless dinners he’d taken her to, the countless nights he’d spent comforting her, the hours where they just talked about life, their futures, and anything else under the sun? No, he couldn’t have made it all up. He wasn’t a headcase, he would know if he was. It had to be Saul. His manipulative methods must have tapped into Beth’s mindset of always seeing the best in people. He was luring her into a dangerous trap, and she was completely helpless. That cunning bastard. He knew how much that would hurt David. Ripping away Beth from him after two fantastic months with her. All so that David wouldn’t have the happy ending he deserved. No, he wouldn’t allow it. Beth was slipping away, and he had to do something about it.

David felt refreshed the next morning. He had a good night’s sleep, after experiencing no pain, anguish, or regret of any kind. He was feeling better. The commute to his office was extra long today, as a parade of police cars sped and wove through the lanes. David chuckled and stepped into his office, ready and eager to start the day. He was scheduled to see Beth later today, and knew things would be better. They had to be. Jane was his first patient again, and he was strangely content during their session. He was pleased with Jane’s ability to diagnose herself and come to her own conclusions without any help. It was encouraging to see the progress she had made. About halfway through their session, the office door suddenly flung open.

“David!” Beth screamed in a most terrible voice. 

“I’m so sorry, Dr. Mort, she just ran right by me,” Alice said worriedly. David waved her off and stood up. Tears were rushing down her face, and David knew it was a perfect opportunity to comfort her. 

“Jane. I’ll see you next week?” he said kindly, somewhat rushing her out of his office. The second she’d left, Beth burst.

“Saul’s dead, David!” she screeched. “I-I found h-his body when I-I went over today. Th-there was blood everywhere-and-and, I didn’t know what to do so I-I came over here- I, he was stabbed, David! I-It was the most t-terrible thing I’d e-ever seen-” she sobbed. David couldn’t stand to see her like this.

“It’s okay, I know,” he said. Beth’s crying stopped for a brief moment as she looked at him with a confused face. David chuckled. She would need an explanation.

“I did it for us, Beth.”