Emma stood in the middle of the room, spinning in a slow circle, her arms out from her body as if she were trying to embrace the room. Sam and Robbie watched her with silly grins on their faces.
"I tell you what, Emma. Your therapy session is after Sam's. Why don't you stay here? I'll come get you when it's time."
"Oh, can I? That would be fantastic!" She hugged Robbie, kissed Sam and scampered off to explore.
"Catch you later then," Sam said, jokingly sarcastic. "I'll miss you, sweetie pie!" He called in a girlish tone.
"I'll miss you too, pooter princess!" Emma called from the balcony. "Have fun in therapy."
"Oodles and boodles," he tossed back as he followed Robbie out.
"She's in love," Sam grinned. "I sure wish she'd greet me with the same enthusiasm."
"Give it time," Robbie said. "You're familiar, the library isn't. I still have that reaction to it from time to time. This way to therapy."
"I'm a little nervous," Sam admitted as they walked down a long corridor. "I've never been good at this."
"Tell the truth, hold nothing back, be yourself, and talk about anything. I give that advice to all our guests. You're scheduled with Dr. Stewart. I think you two will get along very well."
"Is Emma seeing Dr. Stewart too?"
"Yes. I scheduled you first, because I think there are things you might want to share with the doctor, to make the session with Emma smoother."
Robbie tapped on an office door. A woman's voice called for them to enter.
"Hi, Robbie. Who have you brought me today?"
"This is Sam, Dr. Stewart. He and his friend Emma came in yesterday afternoon."
"Welcome, Sam. Find a place to sit and I'll be right with you. Just finishing up a couple things."
Robbie bid them farewell and walked out, closing the door. Dr. Stewart sat at her desk, tapping some keys on her computer. She frowned slightly, pursing her lips and wrinkling her forehead.
"What the hell?" She exclaimed. "Oh, no you didn't! Bastard!" She typed very quickly, pounding the enter key as she fussed. "Gotcha! Eat that!"
Sam watched her in growing puzzlement. She caught his eye, giggling somewhat nervously. "Mafia Wars. I'm totally hooked. I've had some jerk attacking me during the night. He wiped out my casinos. I just set my Mafia on him."
Sam started to chuckle, then laughed out loud. "Don Alfredo, 920th level Maniac." He waved at her.
"No, really? You're in my Mafia! I have you as my Mastermind. I'm Dona Electra."
He started laughing louder, shaking his head. "Freudian, hm? Gonna have to watch what I say to you about my mother."
She giggled, shaking her head. He looked at her carefully for the first time. Dr. Stewart was a small woman, with pale blonde curls to her shoulders. Blue eyes sparkled behind dark framed glasses. She wore dark slacks and a soft, loose sweater in shades of pink. She could have been anywhere between 20 and 40. It was hard to tell. Given the number of diplomas on the walls, he opted for forties. She was attractive, pleasant, easy to relate to.
"So, Sam. Tell me about yourself. Why are you here?"
"I came cause I'm a drug user. I drink, too."
"Would you classify yourself as an addict or alcoholic?"
"Depends on your definition of addict. Do I use on a daily basis? Pot, yes. Do I drink heavily? On weekends I get pretty wasted. Friday night through Monday is usually a blur. The occasional hit of X. Am I using anything habit forming? No. My girlfriend, Emma, uses pretty heavily, and I started because of her. Following her to parties to keep an eye on her, I got into it, too. Before last year, I smoked cigarettes, that was about it."
"What made you start more frequently?"
©2020 Dellani Oakes
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