“You told him?” she asks gently.
I nod. “I wasn’t planning on it. But he was being so apologetic, taking the blame for the distance between us, and it just… I couldn’t take it anymore. So I...”
“You confessed,” she finishes softly.
“I did,” I whisper. “And I thought I’d feel relieved afterward. But all I feel is regret.”
“For what happened?” she asks. “Or for telling him?”
“I…” I stare at my hands. “I know I regret what happened. I regretted it even while it was happening.” My voice cracks slightly. “But I regret telling him right before our family week. He was so excited about finally spending time with the boys, and I ruined that.”
“He would’ve been hurt no matter when you told him,” Claudia says gently. “His anger? That part was unavoidable.”
I swallow.
“What matters now,” she continues, “is what you do going forward.”
I stare at her. “Do you mind telling me what that is?”
She smiles indulgently. “Right now? It’s you finishing your lunch.”
I blink and glance down at my plate. It’s still half full. Hers is completely empty.
I look back at her, bewildered. “You were talking the whole time.”
She just shrugs.
Feeling suddenly self-conscious, I pick up my burger and finish it, trying not to look like an emotional animal inhaling comfort food.
When the waitress brings the bill, I immediately drop cash on the tray.
Claudia starts to protest. “Jessica, you don’t have to-”
“I took up your whole lunch break,” I say firmly. “This is the least I can do.”
She studies me for a second, then nods.
As we walk back toward the therapy center, she slips her hands into her coat pockets and glances at me.
“So,” she asks casually, “what do you think about therapy now?”
I give a small smile. “It’s a great place to vent.”
She chuckles softly. “Therapy is whatever you need it to be.” Then she tilts her head. “Have you and your husband tried marriage counseling?”
I nod. “We did last year. We saw Dr. Nina.”
“And?”
I hesitate. “And I… after I…” I trail off. “Anyway, I told Logan I was done with it.”
Claudia watches me carefully. “And now?”
I swallow hard.
“Now,” I admit quietly, “I’d do anything to get him to go with me.”
Chapter Nine
