“Love you,” she said to him.
Stryker climbed the steps to the porch. Heather and Trudy were sitting at the table talking. “I have a psych question for my genius aunt.”
Trudy rose. “That’s my cue.” She glanced out back. “Where’s Dad?”
Stryker pointed to his uncle, relaxing nearby in a chaise lounge. “Gordon’s right there.”
His uncle shot him a proud smile. “Thank you, son.”
Trudy glared at him. “I wish you’d talk to Tyler. He’s a nice guy.”
“Not interested,” Stryker replied.
On an eyeroll, Trudy headed down the stairs.
“How do you desensitize a person?” Stryker asked, sitting beside Heather.
“Depends on what it is.”
“Closed spaces.”
Her gaze lingered on his while the corners of her mouth lifted. “If I were treating a patient for claustrophobia, I would try replacing their negative reaction with a positive one. Everyone is different, so every reaction is, as well. It’s tricky because you don’t want the positive replacement to be associated with the negative feelings.”
“Like?”
“Laughter is positive. Love is positive. If the person has a favorite type of music, that can be used. So, in an elevator, for example, you could play a favorite song. Over time, the goal is that the negative feeling of being in the elevator is replaced with the happy feeling brought on by the song.”
“Got it.”
“Food can be a good stimulus, but it can also be a crutch, so I’m wary of using food as a tool. Words are powerful and mantras can also work. Phobias are complicated. Take a spider. I would show my patient a picture of a cute, baby spider. We might spend time learning about spiders and how they’re helpful to the environment.” Heather folded her hands on the table. “Did that help?”
“I’ll let you know.” He kissed her cheek. “Did I ever thank you for stepping in for Trudy and me?”
“I’m sure you must have.”
“Thank you both for taking us in and raising us. You and Gordon went from two kids to four. And I was pretty messed up, so I know it wasn’t easy.”
“You were a fifteen-year-old boy who’d just lost his mother. Teenagers are unusual creatures.” She smiled. “You and your mom were close. She died and your dad couldn’t handle the loss, so he escaped. It’s not that uncommon. Maybe you could give him a chance.”
“Not happening.” He pushed out of the chair. “Thanks for your help. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Good luck with the claustrophobia,” she said with a smile.
Stryker headed out.
Tyler was talking on the phone in the driveway, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. He didn’t remember his dad being a smoker, but he didn’t remember much about him at all.
Tyler ended the call, stomped out the butt and ambled over. “You taking off, son?”
“Yup.” He wanted to tell him to stop calling him ‘son’, but it was less effort to say nothing. “Where you been all these years?”
“Florida.”
“What were you doing there?”
“Sales, like I did up here.”
“Why’d you leave?”
