"Go," Jade said gently. "Zeus is waiting."
Maddox nodded, grabbed her jacket, and paused at the bedroom door. "Jade?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad you told me that you need some time." Her voice was quiet. "I don't want you to say anything you're not ready to say."
Something warm settled in Jade's chest. "Thank you."
After Maddox left, the apartment felt too quiet. Jade stood in the kitchen with her coffee, staring out the window.
I'm falling in love with you.
She was, but saying it felt enormous, like once the words were spoken, they couldn't be taken back.
Her phone buzzed on the counter next to her.
Maddox: “Home. Zeus is judging me for smelling like you.”
Jade smiled despite herself, typing back: “Tell him I'm sorry for corrupting his partner.”
Maddox: “Too late. Already corrupted.”
The warmth in Jade's chest expanded. She set her phone down, finished her coffee, and grabbed her bag.
Work waited for her. Clients needed her focused and present, not distracted by feelings she wasn't ready to name out loud.
But as she locked the apartment door behind her, one thought followed her down the stairs:
Me, too, Maddox. Me too.
The morning passed in emails and case notes, coffee that went cold while Jade prepped for her first session. By ten o'clock, she'd almost convinced herself she could focus.
Jade's ten o'clock client was a patrol officer named Stacy Whittaker who'd been in a car accident three weeks ago. She had minor injuries but had major anxiety about getting back behind the wheel. They'd been working on grounding techniques,cognitive reframing, and gradual exposure to help her get back to work.
"I drove to work today," Stacy said, settling into the chair across from Jade. "First time since the accident."
"How did that feel?" Jade asked, genuinely pleased. Stacy had been taking an Uber and bus for weeks.
"Terrible." Stacy laughed, but there was relief underneath it. "My hands were shaking the whole way. But I did it."
"That's significant progress." Jade made a note. "What helped you make that choice today?"
They talked through the decision, the fear, and the moment Stacy turned the key anyway. Jade listened, asked questions, and guided without pushing her beyond her limits. This was the work she was good at: holding space and helping people see their own strength.
Her phone buzzed in her bag. She ignored it but made a mental note to check it later.
Stacy was describing the drive, the way every car felt too close, how every light took too long. Jade nodded, tracking the anxiety patterns and noting the self-talk that had gotten Stacy through her fear.
"You used the techniques we practiced," Jade observed. "Even when it was hard."
"Yeah." Stacy seemed surprised, raising her eyebrows. "I guess I did."
By the time the session ended, Stacy was sitting straighter, some of the tension gone from her shoulders. Progress wasn't linear, but it was happening.
"Same time next week?" Jade asked at the door.
"Yeah. Thanks, Doc."
