Abyss

Chapter 3 The Talk

This was certainly new. Never has a therapist step foot at my house. Let alone come when my parents would cancel appointments. “What’s up with you? Don’t you have other patients to see?” I asked him sitting back in the couch and crossing my arm over my chest. He set down a tape recorder, and an empty note pad with his pen on top of the coffee table in front of us. He’s on the couch across from me. He seemed to consider how to respond. “Yes I have other patients but today I set aside for you. I was hoping we could work all day together. Because I really want to help you. I also believe you could help me as well. Now did you have the same dream last night? Or did it change?” He moved to the edge of his seat. “You said that the dream I’ve been having is about a cold case right?” I asked him moving closer and keeping my voice low. I didn’t want to be over heard by the house keeper and her report to my parents. That would make things really bad for me. “Would your parents mind if I take you out for brunch?” He asked as he stood up glancing around and seeing that we were being watched. “As along as you’re paying I don’t think they would mind. You are the doctor after all. You should know what’s best to get vivid dream and overactive imagination under control.” I said standing up making hand gestures so he can see what I wrote on them and no one else. He saw my message and nodded his head. “Yes and as the doctor fresh air, a nice walk and talk. And good food are in order.” With that we were headed out. Not as soon as we reach the road in front of the house my father was calling my phone. The therapist looked at me when I stopped and I showed him my phone. He took it from me and answered the call. “Hello there, we were headed out to get some food. And since it was nice day figured a nice walk and talk would be best.” He said in a professional cheery tone. Apparently my father didn’t like that idea because the doctors face went to a serious almost mean look. “Look you hired me to help and I’m doing just that. You and your wife signed a contract with me stating that whatever treatment I see fit I can do. Also if any appointments missed I have the right to come to your house and conduct appointments there. So if you want a lawyer to fight then by all means. However until then I’m doing my job as a professional.” With that he hung up and pocketed my phone. He turned toward me and smiled. “Now I’m going to hold onto your phone while we are conducting our sessions. I don’t want your parents to interfere.” I just nodded my head. That sounded nice not having to worry about my parents and what they would to me if I purposely ignored their calls. Which he took out my phone and texted my parents to inform them he had my phone and unless it was urgent we weren’t to be disturbed, and once they were home he would bring me back and they would talk about the day. With that we got in his car and headed out to brunch.

“We will talk after we leave. Until then let’s just enjoy the nice morning and our food. By the looks of your cheek you haven’t enjoyed someone’s company while eating in a while.” He said as we pulled up to a café. That had a very nice outside sitting area. Which I was pretty excited to actually enjoy the sun, good food, and someone’s company. Before we got out of the car for the person to park the car. “What’s your name?” I asked him. He seemed taken aback. “Did you not listen when I introduced myself yesterday?” I shook my head no. “My name is Dr. Drake Lewis. But you can call me Drake.” We shook hands and got out of the car. Service was good, food even better, and I did enjoy the company. ‘So this is what it feels like to not be alone while eating. It’s actually nice.’ I thought as the bill came to the table and he paid without looking at it. “We’re charging it to your parents.” He whispered with a smile. I couldn’t help but smile then it quickly faded. “You said you have a contract with my parents. What’s that about no other therapist had one.” I whispered to him because I didn’t want others to hear me. The waiter came back with the card. With that we were off. In the car we started down the road toward the park. “Yes, the two you saw happen to be good friends of mine. So when your parents never went back after the first appointment and pushed you only having wild dreams nothing more. They recommended me to your parents, and I made sure a contract was ready to prevent them from doing what they tried to do.” He parked the car and got out waiting for me. I took a deep breath and got out.

“Now tell me about your home life.” We walked along the side walk and took a left going on to the hiking trails. “My home life isn’t anything special. I have school, my father works, and my mother is about being fit.” I shrugged my shoulders. I wasn’t lying but at the same it’s not the truth. “Now I know you’re not telling the whole truth. I can see the mark on your cheek. So something happened after our appointment yesterday. Care to share?” I looked around to make sure no one else was around before I spoke. “They thought I said something bad. To make another appointment happen. They want the picture perfect family. But if something, like my dreams and apparently overactive imagination; then they want to explain it away that works for them. They rather call me crazy then to help me.” Saying it out loud it hurt but at the same time it didn’t. I didn’t look over at Drake to see his response. “So because I didn’t say anything about your dreams coming from an overactive imagination. They got angry and thought you said that didn’t fit what they wanted. Am I right?” I just nodded my head yes. He stopped looking at some flowers that were planted on the side of the trail. “You know, some people don’t know how to stop and just look at the flowers.” He got closer to them admiring their beauty. He motions for me to join him. Moving closer to the flowers they seemed so perfect from a distance but being closer they weren’t. However that didn’t stop them from being beautiful either. Their smell was wonderful and relaxing. “So what you’re saying is everyone is flawed. But we are still beautiful in our own way.” I said to him in almost a whisper. As I glazed at the flowers. He patted my head and smiled. “In a way we are all beautiful, and perfect. It just depends on how you look at things. Like you fitting into a what your parents consider perfect. That would be me taking a flower and trying to make it work how I want. Will that ever work? Maybe but eventually it would be ruin and never the same again.” With that he stood up and starting walking again. I quickly followed him. We didn’t speak again until we got back in the car.

“Seems like your parents have ears everywhere.” I just gave him a puzzled look then thinking back there was a lot of people just staring, and seems like trying to listen to the talk we had when we stopped at the flowers. I thought I was being paranoid when I thought they had spies. Guess I had the right to be that way. “So we’re are we off to now?” I ask him looking out the window to see if we had another spy some where. “We go to my office. No spies there and we can talk freely.”

We arrived at his office. It was really nice to park near the door instead of the parking garage and having to walk three blocks to get to here. We were greeted by his secretary and an officer. Drake and the officer shook hands. “How can I help you today officer?” The officer withdrew his hand first and looked at me. “You have that contract on hand? Dr. Goodman is making some claims.” His eyes dart from Drake to me. I could feel my heart starting to pound in my chest. Drake left and headed into the room where we talk. Must have the contract hidden away in there. I turned my attention to the officer. “Sir, did they tell you my age and they did talk on the phone.” I asked the officer keeping my voice level and calm. Even though my heart is about to burst out of my chest. He just nodded his head. “They did, and demanded I at least see the contract. But claims the Doctor is lying and that the contract is a fake. And that the doctor here forced you out and kidn*pped you.” Drake walked back in with the contract in hand. Handing it to the officer. “Now I also have video evidence of them signing and agreeing. If you need it.” The officer looked at the signatures and handed it back. “No that’s alright Dr. Drake. But if I were you I’d get a lawyer. They are not messing around here Drake.” With that warning the officer took his leave. After he was gone Drake’s face turned sour. And he turned toward his secretary. “Get my lawyer on the phone and tell him everything that’s going on. And to get here as soon as he can.”

With that we are in the room we had a talk in yesterday. He’s in the arm chair and I’m on the couch. Laying down because everything was spinning. It started out nice but now. I took a deep breath and let out a groan. “So yesterday, we talked about your dream. And earlier today you seem like you wanted to tell me something.” I just stared at the ceiling.

“Yeah, there was more to my dream. The uncle didn’t kill me. Instead I escaped him and I hid in the woods. Sneaking back for food and my stuff when everyone was asleep. Then a huge storm was coming in they left. There was a camper near our camp site. I went to get help from them but it turned out to be my parents. Well the person’s parents, and they couldn’t believe that I wasn’t dead. Then I woke up right after being choked by the father.” I took a deep breath closing my eyes. “I just can’t believe there’s more to the story. I wish it was just over already.” I rubbed my head with my hands feeling my hair tangle up under my hands.

“Have you told anyone else about the dream continuing?” Was all he asked and made a couple of notes. Removing my hands I looked over at him and shook my head no. He made a couple of more notes. “So as I said yesterday there is a cold case file about what you are talking about. This murder happened in the 1970’s and is still unsolved today. But I believe you could help us solve it. Some of what you said is new information and other parts were never released to the public. But it happened so long ago now you won’t know anything about it.” With that he got up from his chair and cross the room to his book shelves grabbing a notebook from it. I sat up as he was walking back and handed it to me. “I want you to start writing down the dreams in full detail. Or at least from what you remember in this notebook. Also keep it hidden I have a feeling your parents wouldn’t be happy with it.” I nodded my head and just stared at the note book.

“So the dreams I’ve had so far I should probably put them all down then. To the last detail.” Looking up at Drake “Im going to need 2 more notebooks then. There’s a lot of detail.” Without a word he got up and grabbed two books. He also handed me his pen.

“I have to talk to my lawyer and some other people. This gives you time and privacy to write. I’ll leave you to it.” With that he left closing door. So I started writing everything little detail. Make sure not to leave anything out. I was almost done writing when Drake came walking in with my parents and the lawyers in tow. I didn’t realize they had walked in until my father cleared his voice. My head snapped up and I shut the notebook. My father looked at the note books and got a very angry look on his face.

“What are you writing?” His voice had no emotion to it at all, but you could see the anger in his eyes. Before I had a chance to answer Dr. Drake spoke up. “It’s part of the treatment. Writing down the dreams it could help get them out of the brain. A sort of moving on.” He came and took the notebooks away and gave them to his lawyer. “I want to see those.” My father said reaching out to take them from the lawyer. My heart leaped into my throat. I really didn’t want my parents to read them. I stood up immediately “NO!” I couldn’t stop myself from yelling. You could feel the tension in the air. It was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Both my parents got very angry by my out burst. But it was to late to apologize. “You and mom will not read those. You never once cared about what I was dreaming about. Never asked and now you’re willing to read it?! No! I’ll burn them before you can.” I hardened my voice and glared at them. Drake step between my parents and myself.

“Agreed. Those notebooks are not for your eyes. They are only for my eyes, and itll stay that way. Unless you wish to press charges on me and fight the contract you both signed.” My parents lawyer looked past Drake and stared at me.

“Did Dr. Drake make you leave against your will?” I shook my head no. “I went with Dr. Drake out of my own free will.” I answered politely with the hardness still in my voice. “Did Dr.Drake do anything unprofessional?” I just gave him a confused look. “Can you clarify by unprofessional?” I asked them then it hit me. And I got appalled by the question he asked. Before he could answer me I held up my hand to stop him. “No Dr. Drake was professional, all that happened was we ate lunch together, and a walk through the park to work off the food. Then we came here and resumed our talk from yesterday.” With that the lawyer seemed satisfied with my answer and left. Not saying anything to my parents. Which caused my parents to chase after him. Since he was the only means to get me to stop seeing this therapist. With them out of the room Drake and his lawyer who put the notebooks down turned toward me. “May I introduce my lawyer Mr. Zack Harris. Mr. Harris this who I was telling you about. In those notebooks you’ll find information about a cold case murder. That has been buried for a very long time.” Mr. Harris stuck out his hand and smiled. “Dr. Drake here has told me a lot about you. But something he failed to mention. What happened to your cheek?” He asked as we shook hands. I withdrew my hand and looked at the floor. “My mother back handed me yesterday. Because she got mad about me having another appointment with Dr. Drake today.” I looked him in the eyes. It felt nice to come out and say what happened me instead of lying about it. “Is this the first time she’s hit you?” I shook my head no. “She’s hit me when I don’t fit in the perfect family idea they have. My father pulls the strings and my mother is the puppet.” Mr. Harris nodded his head and handed my his card. “If something like that happens again call Dr. Drake and myself. We are on your side.” I quickly put it in my pocket. I just removed my hand from my pocket when my parents and their lawyer barged right on in again. My father crossed the room quickly grabbing my arm and yanking me to him. “We are going home!” His voiced boomed in the room, and his grip tightened on my arm. Being pulled to the door I look back at Dr. Drake. And tried to yank my arm from my fathers grip.

“No. Now let me go! You’re hurting my arm.” I half yelled at him. He let my arm go but glared right through me. “You either come home with us now. Or don’t come back.” My heart leaped in my throat. And my stomach stank. It wouldn’t be the end of the world to be away from my parents. But at the same time I had no where to go. No car, no money, and no friends to help. I opened my mouth to speak but Dr. Drake beat me to it. “Thats fine I have an extra room. Which in the contract I can have Sky stay with me. Which gives me a perfect opportunity to evaluate sleeping.” My parents looked absolutely furious. They didn’t say anything just stormed off. Their lawyer just gave a nod and left himself.

Dr. Drake and I pulled up to his house. Which wasn’t to far from my house. Just a few blocks away. ‘No wonder he came over. He doesn’t live that far away.’ I thought as I looked around the neighborhood. Drake stood in his door way waiting for me. “Well come on the house doesn’t bite.” He half laughed as he waved me inside. Thankfully Dr. Drake is an elderly man so it’s like I’m staying with my grandpa. Which I’ve never met my grandparents. They move around the world and every once in a while I get a birthday card. And they have no idea how old I am or even my name I’m just grandchild to them.

Inside the house was nice and clean. He had a couple of pictures of himself diving in the ocean. And some I’m guessing had friends and family. I just stared at them thinking about if my family was really a family. “You keep up those sad thoughts you’ll hurt yourself.” Drake said matter of fact, and leads me to a spare bedroom down the hall. “This is your room and my room is the first door on the right just down the hall. I know it’s been a long day so I’ll let you get settled. Dinner will be ready here soon. How do you feel about Chinese?” I opened up the door to look inside the room and gave him a thumbs up.

I claimed into the bed. My body just felt heavy from the day. The events of new part of the dream to my parents’ actions weighed on my mind. Before I realized it Dr. Drake was waking me up for food. Yawning I got up and stretched. Walking out of the bedroom. I followed the smell of food. My stomach roared with hunger, and my mouth watering from the smell. The dining room table was set with food and plates. Juice for me and a drink for Dr. Drake. “I wasn’t sure what you liked so I ordered one of everything. Except for what I like then I got two.” He sat down and started making his plate. I followed and made sure I tried things I’ve never had before so his money didn’t go to waste. After the food I found I didn’t like a few things. Which we talked about the food and what we liked. Also other food related topics as we got food cleaned up. “So what’s up with that contract? I’m a little worried with what you have in it.” I asked as I sat on the couch and him in an arm chair. “That contract was written by my lawyer and I wanted to make sure that your parents couldn’t force me to call you crazy when you are not. And also from destroying my reputation as a retired police officer.” He sat back and propped up his feet. Sitting back I started feeling tired again. “Head to bed Sky. We’ll talk tomorrow.” I got up and headed to the bedroom. Before I got into the hallway I turn toward Dr. Drake. “Hey, I wanted to tell you thanks for today. I’ve actually never been out to lunch. And had a nice time let alone a walk in the park. It’s nice not feeling alone.” With that I was officially off to bed. I didn’t bother to look at his face. I felt he didn’t have anything to say and I really needed sleep.