She continues to dig her nails into his hair, and I nod, taking a deep breath as I lean down, wondering if this is going to end very badly for me.
I apply gentle pressure to his lips; his are cold, almost lifeless, and Su Yin whispers, “Now what do you see, Joseph?”
He shifts, not responding, my lips on his, sucking gently, reassuring, applying pressure.
I pull away and he groans. “Please don’t leave me.”
She nods, and I reapply the pressure. This time he kisses me back, a low groan cracking the air.
It’s as if I am kissing my husband for the first time, and Su Yin’s gentle tones are haunting as she whispers, “Zac has left because you don’t need him anymore.”
Joseph stiffens, a howl of pain filling my mouth, and I make to pull back, but Su Yin is having none of that.
“Kiss your wife, Joseph. Zac wants you to move on. He can’t stay with you forever; you must let him go. Concentrate on your wife. You must be strong for her.”
His tears are wet against my cheek, but he kisses me back, deeply, almost painfully, as he struggles with the situation.
“Zac has left, Joseph. You don’t need him anymore. Focus on Tiffany and the new life you will make. Zac needs to be free to rest in peace. Let him go; set him free.”
Joseph is kissing me harder, more deeply, and almost frantically, and Su Yin unfastens one of his hands, saying gently, “Hold your wife.”
He reaches for me, crushing my lips to his in a frenzy, and it’s almost painful as he unleashes his demons into me. I feel them: the pain, the hurt, the panic almost, and all the time I kiss him back. My hand moving to cup his jaw, feeding off him, swallowing his pain.
He pulls away and growls, “Untie me.”
Su Yin merely says, “What do you see now, Joseph?”
His voice breaks. “My future.”
She says nothing and releases his other hand and whispers, “Where is the pain? Let me help you set it free.”
He falters, his hands gripping my face so hard it’s painful, and he says almost in astonishment, “I feel no pain.”
Su Yin steps away.
“Kiss your wife again, allow your mind to open, and then tell me where the pain is? I can help free it from inside you.”
He does as she says, this time relaxing his hold, gentler, almost caressing my face.
His kiss is more intense, his need greater, and for a moment I forget she is even in the room. My towel slips, my skin heats and my desire increases as his hands work their magic and push the towel away.
He pulls me closer, his finger drifting through my hair, one hand behind my back, merging our bodies together, his passion increasing the tension in the room.
I’m not sure if we’re about to have sex in front of his therapist. It’s a strange situation, and yet I will do anything to help him—even that.
As she releases his ankles, her voice cuts through the thick tension, strangely like balm, and she whispers, “Where is Zac? Joseph, speak his name; call for him.”
He breaks away, and his voice is husky as he whispers, “Where are you, Zac?”
“Louder.”
Su Yin commands him, and he yells, “Come out, Zac. Don’t you leave me.”
She yells, “Where is he, Joseph? What do you see?”
He pulls me close, his fingers gripping my ass, one hand behind my back, holding me tightly.
“I see Tiffany. Zac has gone.”
