Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 136048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
“You’re right. He was not real, and the scenes that played out in your head were all a figment of your imagination. However, it doesn’t make your reaction to them any less real. The emotions you felt during those times were real. The fear you felt, the pain you unknowingly inflicted on yourself, the grief when you believed your friend had been killed, that was all real. And just like any other trauma that we suffer through, it takes a huge toll on one’s mental well-being, so it’s imperative that we work through it and find a way to overcome and push past the fear that weighs you down.”
“Isn’t that what the meds are for?”
Dr. Preston shakes her head. “If it were that easy, I’d be out of a job,” she says with a slight chuckle. “The medication is helpful, but it can only do so much. If you were to stop taking your pills, these hallucinations would likely return. Our goal is to get you to a place of inner strength so that when the time comes for you to break free from your medication, you will no longer be at risk, nor will you need to fear what your own mind is capable of. And I believe it, Harper. You are young and strong, but on top of that, you are willing to take the necessary steps. I just need you to trust the process and trust me. We can do this. It’s just one step at a time.”
My lips press into a tight line just as the soft alarm sounds through the small office, signaling the end of our session and sending a wave of relief crashing through my body.
“Okay, Harper. You did well today,” she tells me as she collects her notepad and stands from the armchair opposite mine. “Have a think about what we’ve discussed here today, and during our next session, let’s see if we can figure out where this new reluctance is coming from.”
I offer her an encouraging smile, as if to say Sure, let’s do it, when I already know that, for the time being, opening up about the bullshit I endured with this imaginary stalker is strictly off-limits. At least until Knight and Detective Gray can figure out who the hell attacked me in the parking garage. After that, I’m more than happy for Dr. Preston to dig around inside my brain. If she’s really able to make it so that I’m never committed to a psych ward again, that’d be wonderful.
Knowing that Dr. Preston has another patient right after me, I make a hasty exit before checking in with her receptionist and making sure my next session is booked. With everything as it should be, I take off, wanting to get back home and sleep.
This right here is the harsh reality of night shift; every other business only operates during daylight hours. Any appointments I have to go to, business phone calls I need to make, even simple grocery shopping, all have to happen during the day, and more often than not, these simple, mundane chores eat into my sleeping hours. It sucks, but that’s the life I signed up for.
It’s a short drive from the therapist’s office, and barely ten minutes later, I pull up into the driveway, my mind already replaying everything Dr. Preston and I discussed. She’s a smart woman, and she clearly knows what she’s doing. I don’t doubt that if I truly stepped up and put my whole heart and soul into therapy, she could help me get better. And I don’t just mean she could help rid me of my mental hallucinations. I mean, she could help me through all of my trauma: the resentment I hold for my mother, the unease I feel from the parking garage attack, the stress from wanting to be exceptional at work, and the fear I drown in at the idea of ever losing Knight.
Letting out a heavy sigh, I cut the engine of my old Honda and make my way toward the front door of the home I share with Knight, and with every step I take, I can’t help but feel how surreal this is. Barely even three months ago, Knight was nothing more than my mother’s brother-in-law, whom I’d occasionally see at ridiculous dinner parties. I never thought things would move past him making me blush like a schoolgirl, but now I have him on his knees every damn night.
My whole world has so drastically changed. One minute I was rocking out in the morgue, slicing and dicing while making my way through my favorite playlists, and the next thing I know, I blinked and am in a committed relationship with my step-uncle, getting dicked down deeper than a conspiracy theorist’s videos on YouTube.
What are the chances?