“I don’t want to stop being honest when I’m struggling.” Janie gripped Hannah’s hand again. “I want to stop trying to be perfect and just be real. That’s a hang-up from my parents, but it’s one I’m finding it tough to let go of.”
“They’re important patterns to be aware of,” Rae said. “And the awareness itself is a huge step. What are you going to do differently this time?”
“We’re going to check in more.” Hannah half turned to Janie and took both her hands. “And try to talk about what we need instead of assuming the other person knows.”
“I’m going to be more honest about when I’m having a bad day,” Janie said. “I’m going to try not to hide it and pretend everything’s fine. I went to the doctor you recommended last week and got a prescription for antidepressants.”
“That’s a significant step.” Rae made a note. “How do you feel about that decision?”
Janie sighed deeply. “More conflict, honestly. It feels like I’m admitting defeat or something, and I’m worried it won’t fix anything. But Maria told me about a friend who took them, and they worked really well, so I guess I’m also a little relieved that I might not have to white-knuckle through every day anymore.”
“Taking medication for depression isn’t defeat,” Rae said gently. “It’s recognizing that you have amedicalcondition that responds tomedicaltreatment. You wouldn’t refuse insulin if you were diabetic, would you?”
“No, of course not.” The two examples seemed like oppositeends of the scale, but that kind of thinking wasn’t going to help.
“And we’re going to make time for just us,” Hannah said. “We’ll keep having a date every week. We’ve got Carmen now, and she’s working out great, so that makes it easier for us to be together on our own.”
“All of that sounds excellent.” Rae nodded encouragingly. “So where are you two at now? Logistically, I mean. Janie, are you still at the apartment?”
Janie nodded. “But we want to talk about me being home more.”
“How often are we talking?” Rae asked.
Hannah bounced in her chair. “I was thinking maybe every other night. That gives Janie a few nights at her apartment if she needs space, but it also lets us build a routine together.”
Rae focused on Janie. “How does that feel to you?”
“I think that’ll work well. I want to be with Hannah and the girls, and I want to go home. But I also don’t want to rush back into something and have it fall apart again.”
“That’s very self-aware too.” Rae looked between them. “What about Hannah’s father? Is he still living with you?”
“Yeah, but we’ve been talking about that.” Hannah placed her hand on Janie’s thigh. “We have a big backyard, and there’s side access to the property. We’re thinking about building him a tiny house back there. That’ll give him his own space, but he’ll still be close enough to see the girls regularly.”
“And how do you feel about that, Janie?”
“I like it,” Janie said. “I mean, Tom’s been great. He’s been really supportive at a time when Hannah needed him most. He didn’t hesitate to upend his whole life to help. But having the house to ourselves feels better to me. Tom still gets to be close to his granddaughters, and they get to see him every day, but we get our house to ourselves again.”
“That sounds like a creative solution that respects everyone’s needs,” Rae said. “When would you staying over more regularly start?”
“Tonight?” Hannah looked at Janie hopefully. “If you’re ready?”
“I don’t have a bag with me.” Janie’s heart raced, but Hannah’s tender expression quieted her anxiety. “But I could swing by the apartment and pick some stuff up. I’ll have to work for a while after the girls have gone to bed.”
“That’s okay. I understand,” Hannah said, her voice gentle. “But tonight, just come home. Please.”
Tears threatened to spill over again as Janie nodded. “I will.”
Rae smiled. “I think this is excellent progress. But I want to make sure you’re both being realistic about what this means. Being together again is a big adjustment. You’re going to have moments of friction, times when you get on each other’s nerves, and times when the old patterns try to reassert themselves.” She held up her hands. “That’s normal. The key is to keep communicating, keep being honest, and keep coming back here to help you process things when you need to.”
Hannah nodded. “We will.”
Rae smiled then checked in about the custody case. They filled her in on the timeline, with the hearing scheduled in three weeks.
“That’s a lot of stress on top of rebuilding your relationship,” Rae said. “Make sure you’re truly supporting each other through that and not just focusing on presenting a united front for the court.”
“We’re trying,” Janie said. “David is preparing us well. But I won’t deny that it’s scary.”
“Of course it is. Your mother is threatening your family. But from what you’ve told me, you have a strong case. You’re engaged parents, you’re working on your relationship, and you have support systems in place. A judge is going to see that.”
