“No!” Both of her husbands turn her down abruptly, but she just smiles and winks at me.
“Why do you need to see them? You’re too attractive to have issues.”
Tini is funny because she’s not flirting, per se. It’s like she’s working something out in her mind out loud that most people would just think. She shrugs like she’s done trying to figure it out. She leans over and kisses Ten then skips off in her black tutu after saying something about checking on children.
I hide my amusement, but they’re wild.
“You were saying,” I prod Ten.
“Right. I want you to go eat” He continues when he sees my expression, “Unless you somehow believe you can get drugged all the way in Texas—then we have a whole different set of sessions—you have no reason why you shouldn’t eat when you’re alone. You’ll be fine. Eat something, and prove to yourself that I’m right.”
I enter the kitchen, not too happy with the assignment. I’m aware that I avoid eating when I’m home alone, but I’m also not hungry. It’s like my body knows not to crave food when I’m alone.
“Get something simple, it doesn’t have to be an entire meal.”
“A bagel with cream cheese and jelly?”
“Whatever.”
I get to work toasting the bagel and adding the ingredients. I was drugged by candy from a crazy woman. I’m aware of that, yet I’m still anxious when I raise it to my lips. After a deep breath, I nibble at the edge.
“Bite it like a man.”
I don’t know if you’re supposed to side-eye your therapist, but Ten seems unfazed by my look because I’m doing what he said. He’s satisfied after I eat half of the slice.
“Good. I’ll call you in a few minutes to check on you.”
He’s gone before I finish chewing. Looking around our new home, I try to determine what I should do next.
What did you use to do pre-Heaven when I wasn’t working.
Work used to bleed into my free time. Just because I was home didn’t mean I stopped working.Rubbing my beard, I walk in a circle while trying to realign with my core self. I can’t surf and I’ve already gone swimming…
Television it is. I’ve never had time to binge-watch anything since it’s been a thing. The couch and I become one as I flip through all our subscription services, looking for something binge-worthy but will not take days.
Veronica Mars?What’s that about?I read the synopsis and decide to give the teenage detective a shot. I like Kristen Bell’s type of humor. I’m immediately pulled into the first episode and didn’t realize that I wasn’t waiting for Ten’s call until he called me back.
“Hello?”
“I see you are still awake and alive.”
“Yup. All good,” I confirm absently.
“We'll follow up next week.”
“Okay. Same time?”
“Did I tell you a different one?”
“Noted.” I put the phone down, knowing he’s already hung up.
I’m floored by the first episode. There’s so much to unpack. Who raped her? Who killed her best friend? What the fuck is wrong with Logan? What’s Lily's secret?
The theme song is catchy. I’m in. I begin dozing off a few episodes into the tangled web of teenage woe. There may be something to the crazy man’s methods because I opt not to fight it.
Heaven
I check my phone a few times to make sure Axel hasn’t called or sent me a text. I must be ready for parenthood because it’s taking every inch of resolve not to be a helicopter girlfriend. While he has to learn how to be his own person again, I need to learn not to coddle a grown man. Hell, he’s bigger than me. This is good for us. I won’t worry as much, and Axel will enjoy his independence once more. He’ll still go out and run errands on his own, but the quiet time like sitting in the house alone is what makes him overthink.
