Haunted By The Past

CHAPTER 7: ERROR IN JUDGEMENT

CHAPTER 7:

ERROR IN JUDGEMENT

The following Wednesday, Bella held a notebook, her legs crossed, as she sat opposite her new client, Jackson. He had a blonde crew-cut, bright green eyes, and well-manicured hands. He appeared to be in his thirties.

They were already half-way through the session when she sensed he’d relaxed a little. She started to feel uncomfortable when his eyes trailed hers, and she had to break eye contact with him. His eyes scanned her from head to toe. It was as if he could see right through her. Many times, she had to look away or peer at the floor. She was frustrated with herself for feeling that way. She was a professional.

“I guess you can say that a friend of mine’s been a great support with my anger.”

“And your parents?”

Jackson squirmed in his chair. “I’d rather not talk about them, if you don’t mind.”

“That’s fine, Jackson. Let’s talk about the source of the anger, or when it started.”

His lips set in a grim line. “Probably from my first relationship. I...I...guess. I got so angry that I pushed my fist into a wall. When she, aah, broke it off. I stopped myself from hitting her.”

Bella continued to probe into his life and other relationships, trying to establish a pattern of type, but he had held back on a few things. This was natural for a first session.

“So if I understand correctly, you feel the anger when your girlfriends decide to break up with you? Is that right?”

He nodded. “I guess that’s it. I don’t like it when they leave me. It hurts too much, and I don’t know how to deal with my feelings then.”

Bella nodded. “We can work on that in the sessions if you’re open to it.”

“I’d like that,” he said.

“So tell me about your work. What do you do?”

“I’m an electrician by trade and run my own business.”

Bella finished writing the last of her notes and shifted in her seat. Her shoulders ached, and a tension headache settled around the top of her head. They scheduled an appointment for the following week when they both rose from their seats. “I’ll walk you out.”

“Thanks.” Jackson smiled and his eyes scanned her again from head to toe. The muscles in Bella’s face tightened.

When she returned to her desk, she flipped open a page and wrote out her case notes. She assessed him as having Borderline Personality traits that had impacted his work, health, and relationships, but there was a greater mystery in his background. Did she really want to go there? Particularly with the way he had scanned her from head to toe, first in the beginning of the session and then at the end. He was definitely a charmer, but he wouldn’t be charming Bella anytime soon.