“I heard someone had to rescue you.”
“That was Nate.”
“Oh my God. Was it as heroic as people said it was? I heard he dove in after you and everything.”
“I was trying not to drown, so I have no idea.”
“Can you not swim or something?”
I grimace. “Uh, no. I can’t. I’m terrified of water, actually.”
“Hang on a second.” Scarlett blinks at me. “You’re scared of water and you’re on an island cruise?”
“Yeah. Not my finest choice ever. This whole thingwas for my ex and I regretted it the second we weren’t together. Nate promised me he would make sure I was safe, which is why I came. He did his part.”
“He really did. So, when did this fear of water start?”
“I was a kid. I almost drowned in a pool. Probably the typical way to develop a fear.”
“You’d be surprised,” she says. “Some people just have an innate fear of things. I can’t believe you’re even here, to be honest. Being afraid of something and facing it? I usually have to push my patients for it.”
“I’m not facing anything.”
“Are you not scared at all?”
“I am.”
“Then you’re working on it.” She smiles. “Which is more than most people do.”
“There’s no work. I’m just scared every time I step on a dock. God, it’ll probably be worse now.” I sigh. “Great.”
“Fear doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what it means.”
Scarlett twists her lips. “Do you take your fear as a warning, Maisie?” Her voice is deeper now, and I wonder if this is how she sounds when she’s with a patient.
“That’s what it means, right? It’s to protect us.”
“Historically, yes. But these days, it sometimes spirals out of hand. Our brains want to protect us from things that are perfectly normal to experience. Like water.”
“I can’t swim,” I remind her. “I have a real reason to be afraid of water.”
“Absolutely, but you could learn. Water might pose a risk, but it’s not always dangerous if you learn how to handle it.”
“There’s no way I can learn how to handle water.” I shake my head. “I just can’t.”
“I’m not saying you have to. But other than this cruise, do you avoid the water?”
“Like the plague.”
“Is there anything else you avoid when you’re scared?” she asks.
Her words slice right through me. There’s a lot I’ve avoided. My issues with Nate. My issues with Rob. I couldn’t evenfaceRob after I dumped him.
“A-are you sure you’re not gonna bill me? This seems like a therapy session.”
She blinks, her cheeks coloring. “Oh, sorry. I don’t mean to pry into your life. I kinda went on autopilot there.”
