“You’re angry,” she said.
“I’m frustrated,” I responded.
“Why?” she asked.
“Because there is no basis for your opinion about Elijah. You don’t even know him.”
“It’s a gut feeling,” she said. “I’ve learned to listen to those.”
How have your gut feelings worked out in regard to Dad?That’s what I wanted to say, but I knew that was a low blow, and even though she was into low blows, I wasn’t. I was into avoidance, apparently. “How is your arm feeling today?”
“Sore,” she said.
“And your head?”
“Still there,” she said.
I thought that was her attempt at a joke, so I offered a stiffsmile and got her coffee and a banana. Then I went to my room to make more work calls or give myself some space to cool off.
Next to my computer was the homework sheet Dr. Franklin had given Elijah and me. It was the size of a regular piece of printer paper. It was laid out like a dinner date. The phrasehors d’oeuvrewas followed by a waxy square meant to be scratched off to reveal… something. I wasn’t sure what. Under that were the wordsappetizer,main course,palate cleanser,dessert, andnightcap. Each had its own scratch-off box. A whole meal. Meant for soon-to-be-married couples. I was dying to know what activities Dr. Franklin wanted engaged couples to do for a perfect date night. I wasn’t sure why I didn’t just scratch off the boxes and find out.
I shook my head. I was getting distracted. Tara should’ve been doing this sheet. Maybe I should take it to her.
Speaking of Tara, I grabbed my phone and dialed her number. She picked up on the third ring. “Hello.”
“Hi, do you have a minute or are you at work?”
“It’s my day off. But hold on, let me go into the other room.”
“Why?” Michael called after her. “Is that your other boyfriend?”
“Yes!” she called back. “Her name is Sutton, and I have scheduled a make-out session later!”
“I approve!” he said.
I rolled my eyes.
A door shut and then into the phone she said, “Sorry, okay. Hi, I do not have an audience. So? Are you calling to give me an update?”
“I think this therapist is clueless.Despite what you saw yesterday, I don’t know how anyone could mistake Elijah and me for an engaged couple.”
“Huh. What’s her name? Maybe I can do some behind-the-scenes legwork. Drop her some cryptic message likeWhat if a couple you were seeing was pretending to be engaged? What would you do?Maybe that will get her thinking about all the people she’s seeing. Maybe you’re her only couple.”
I thought about that for a minute, but it didn’t sit right. Tara had made the bet. She needed to see it through without cheating and face the outcome she’d been willing to risk. “I don’t think lying is a good way to trick Michael into therapy.”
“You’re right. I guess I just have to accept the inevitable. Realize I love the guy and have faith in our relationship without a professional having a good, solid look at it.”
“I wish Michael would willingly go. If it can strengthen the bond of strangers, imagine what it would do for an actual couple.”
“Right?!”
“But I think Elijah sees how it can help now. I hope he’ll convince Michael.”
“That would be nice. Oh! I heard you’re coming to the fundraiser this Saturday.”
“Am I going to regret saying yes?”
“I mean, it’s not a rock concert. It’s a fundraiser. But actually, maybe that’s more your scene.”
