Carla was quiet for a moment, and Jade braced herself for the lecture and reprimand. But when Carla spoke, her voice was gentle. “Jade, you already know the ethics here.”
“I know. She needs to transfer to another therapist.”
“Immediate,” Carla confirmed. “There’s no way to continue a therapeutic relationship while pursuing a personal one. The boundary is clear.”
“I know,” Jade said again. The relief of having Carla say it out loud, making it real and actionable, loosened something in her chest.
“I could take her,” Carla offered. “If she’s willing. I have experience with PTSD, and I’m trained in EMDR. It might actually be a better fit for the deeper trauma work she needs.”
Jade nodded. “Thank you.”
“But,” Carla continued, and there was something careful in her tone now, “we need to talk about the other piece.”
Jade cocked her head to the side. “What other piece?”
“You and Maddox.” Carla leaned forward. “Seeing aside the ethics for a moment, I need you to be honest with yourself about this. Is this healthy?”
The question stung, probably because Jade had been avoiding asking it herself. “I think so,” she said. “I hope so.”
“You said your ex made you feel like you were too much, and now you’re drawn to someone who needs exactly what you have to give: your care, your persistence, your refusal to give up on people.” Carla’s expression was compassionate but unflinching. “Does that concern you at all?”
Jade’s throat tightened. “You think I’m trying to heal my own wound by fixing hers.”
“I’m asking if you’ve considered it.”
She paused then. Had she really considered it? Jade thought about Maddox’s face when she’d finally told the story about Titan—the mixed relief and terror, the way she’d shown up last night like she was taking a leap off a cliff.
“Maddox doesn’t make me feel like I’m too much,” Jade said slowly. “When I pushed, she pushed back. When I was persistent, she respected it even when it annoyed her. She’s not asking me to be less of myself. If anything, she—” Jade stopped, surprised by how her chest had constricted. “She needs me exactly as I am, and that scares the hell out of me.”
Carla’s expression softened. “That’s honest, at least.”
“But you think it’s too fast.”
“I think you’ve known her for what, two months? And last night was the first time you crossed that line.” Carla picked up her tea again, cradling it between her hands. "Fast doesn't mean wrong, Jade, but it does mean you need to be conscious about it. Don't let the intensity convince you that you know her better than you do."
Jade nodded, letting the wisdom of it settle into her bones. “Okay.”
“The therapy transfer needs to happen this week,” Carla said, shifting back into practical mode. “You'll need to have that conversation with her today, ideally. Make it clear you’re not rejecting her personally or professionally, and it's the only way forward if you both want to pursue a personal relationship.”
“What if she thinks I'm ending things?”
“Then you'll reassure her. You're good at communication, Jade. Use those skills.” Carla's smile was small but warm. “And for what it's worth, I don't think this is about you trying to fix someone. I think you're genuinely drawn to her. Just make sure you're building something sustainable, not just responding to intensity.”
Jade felt something loosen in her chest. She didn’t get absolution, exactly—she still had to navigate this carefully and ethically—but she got permission to move forward with her eyes open.
“Keep checking in with me,” Carla added. “Weekly, at minimum. If this relationship is going to work, you need support to maintain your own boundaries and wholeness. Don't lose yourself in taking care of her.”
“I won't,” Jade promised.
Carla gave her a look that suggested she'd believe it when she saw it, but there was affection underneath in her tone. “I'm not saying don't pursue this,” she reiterated. “Just pursue it consciously. Know what you're walking into, communicate, and keep doing your own work.”
“I will.”
“Good.” Carla reached across the table and squeezed Jade's hand briefly. “Trust yourself. You've done the work to know the difference between healing and codependence, but keep doing it.”
They sat in Honey and Hearth for a few minutes longer, talking about Carla’s newest home renovation and the month-long vacation to Romania she was planning to take later in the summer, before they stood up to go back to work. Jade hugged Carla goodbye and promised, again, that she’d check in weekly.
By the time Jade got back to her office at the police department, she felt steadier. A plan was forming: talk to Maddox today, explain the therapy transfer, and make it clear this was a necessity. Carla would take over Maddox’s therapy sessions, and then—assuming Maddox still wanted to try—they could explore this thing between them without the ethical complication hanging over their heads.
