It shouldn’t have surprised her, though, because a SEAL is a different breed of man. This particular one seemed to prefer a hands-on approach.
Being a SEAL pup, Laurie had a few extra insights on the warrior mentality and additional tricks up her sleeve on how to handle one. She felt certain she could make a difference in Jack’s life. As long as he was game, she would give it her all. Though she wasn’t sure if she would able to keep him from infiltrating her heart. That part made her a little nervous. For her, keeping her emotions solely on the friendship level would be the first and biggest hurdle. Her healer’s spirit drove her to make a positive difference in any wounded individual’s life, but with Jack… He was already pinging her stability.
“L-L-Laurie,” Clarissa, the young teenager who had come to her for a jaw and neck problem, stuttered. “Do you l-l-like him?”
“Who?” Laurie asked. She was suddenly jarred out of her mental wanderings by her client’s question.
Silently, she chastised herself for letting her mind wander while being in a session with a client. Clarissa was one of her cherished favorites, and the teenager’s success had been extraordinary, especially over the past few months. “I’m sorry. I owe you an apology.”
“N-n-no. It is o-o-okay. I felt that way about a boy o-o-once. His family moved away and I never g-g-got to tell him.” She half smiled and then started speaking rapidly. “I-i-it’s th-th-the m-m-m-man I s-s-saw th-th-the o-o-other d-d-day.”
“Remember to slow down your speech pattern, especially when you get excited. Pace the words. Count silently in your head, if it helps. I, one-two-three-four, like, one-two-three-four, you, one-two-three-four.” Laurie gave the comment gently, so it wouldn’t sound like a criticism, and then she grinned. “Yeah, it’s him. How did you know?” Reaching across, she laid her hands on the teen’s jaw and slowly worked her fingers over the muscles. It was hard to be serious when the girl was grinning at her.
As she moved her fingers into the teenager’s hairline, Clarissa said, “He’s a hunk! V-v-very. Handsome. If I were old enough, I w-w-would date him, too.”
“Clarissa!”
The teenager pushed Laurie’s hands away. There was only so much interaction a teen was willing to bear. “I’m d-d-done. C-c-can we c-c-call it q-q-quits, p-p-please?”
“Show me your exercises first.”
The teen demonstrated the simple jaw, mouth, and tongue exercises, and then moved into the complicated ones. Laurie was proud of her. Clarissa did them with ease.
“Great job, Clarissa! I’m really proud of all the progress you’ve been making. You are obviously staying loose.” Her compliment made the teenager beam. Laurie wanted her to feel good about herself. She was concerned that this was the only place where positive reinforcement was given. “How do you feel? Is it helping your overall jaw movement as well as your stutter?”
“Yes. It helps a lot. I’m delightfully delicious and decidedly delighted.” Clarissa had spoken each word perfectly, and both she and Laurie clapped at the well-done pronouncement and the excellent jaw movement.
“Glad to hear it. Well done, Clarissa! Let’s call this the wrap-up for today. I hope you have a terrific night.” Laurie watched the teenager gather her schoolbooks and purse. “See you next week.”
“Okay. Don’t be t-t-too s-s-smitten,” she teased.
“Oh, goodness. I’ll try. Hey, if you need me before our next appointment, you have my cell number.” Down deep, Laurie worried that smitten was the last word the girl would speak for the whole week. Kids could be pretty competitive and very cruel.
Clarissa’s school guidance counselor was a friend who had asked Laurie to take the case pro bono. Laurie would do anything to help a kid in need and was pleased that the hard work had paid off. Clarissa was finally speaking to her. She had worked with kids who stuttered
Being a SEAL pup, Laurie had a few extra insights on the warrior mentality and additional tricks up her sleeve on how to handle one. She felt certain she could make a difference in Jack’s life. As long as he was game, she would give it her all. Though she wasn’t sure if she would able to keep him from infiltrating her heart. That part made her a little nervous. For her, keeping her emotions solely on the friendship level would be the first and biggest hurdle. Her healer’s spirit drove her to make a positive difference in any wounded individual’s life, but with Jack… He was already pinging her stability.
“L-L-Laurie,” Clarissa, the young teenager who had come to her for a jaw and neck problem, stuttered. “Do you l-l-like him?”
“Who?” Laurie asked. She was suddenly jarred out of her mental wanderings by her client’s question.
Silently, she chastised herself for letting her mind wander while being in a session with a client. Clarissa was one of her cherished favorites, and the teenager’s success had been extraordinary, especially over the past few months. “I’m sorry. I owe you an apology.”
“N-n-no. It is o-o-okay. I felt that way about a boy o-o-once. His family moved away and I never g-g-got to tell him.” She half smiled and then started speaking rapidly. “I-i-it’s th-th-the m-m-m-man I s-s-saw th-th-the o-o-other d-d-day.”
“Remember to slow down your speech pattern, especially when you get excited. Pace the words. Count silently in your head, if it helps. I, one-two-three-four, like, one-two-three-four, you, one-two-three-four.” Laurie gave the comment gently, so it wouldn’t sound like a criticism, and then she grinned. “Yeah, it’s him. How did you know?” Reaching across, she laid her hands on the teen’s jaw and slowly worked her fingers over the muscles. It was hard to be serious when the girl was grinning at her.
As she moved her fingers into the teenager’s hairline, Clarissa said, “He’s a hunk! V-v-very. Handsome. If I were old enough, I w-w-would date him, too.”
“Clarissa!”
The teenager pushed Laurie’s hands away. There was only so much interaction a teen was willing to bear. “I’m d-d-done. C-c-can we c-c-call it q-q-quits, p-p-please?”
“Show me your exercises first.”
The teen demonstrated the simple jaw, mouth, and tongue exercises, and then moved into the complicated ones. Laurie was proud of her. Clarissa did them with ease.
“Great job, Clarissa! I’m really proud of all the progress you’ve been making. You are obviously staying loose.” Her compliment made the teenager beam. Laurie wanted her to feel good about herself. She was concerned that this was the only place where positive reinforcement was given. “How do you feel? Is it helping your overall jaw movement as well as your stutter?”
“Yes. It helps a lot. I’m delightfully delicious and decidedly delighted.” Clarissa had spoken each word perfectly, and both she and Laurie clapped at the well-done pronouncement and the excellent jaw movement.
“Glad to hear it. Well done, Clarissa! Let’s call this the wrap-up for today. I hope you have a terrific night.” Laurie watched the teenager gather her schoolbooks and purse. “See you next week.”
“Okay. Don’t be t-t-too s-s-smitten,” she teased.
“Oh, goodness. I’ll try. Hey, if you need me before our next appointment, you have my cell number.” Down deep, Laurie worried that smitten was the last word the girl would speak for the whole week. Kids could be pretty competitive and very cruel.
Clarissa’s school guidance counselor was a friend who had asked Laurie to take the case pro bono. Laurie would do anything to help a kid in need and was pleased that the hard work had paid off. Clarissa was finally speaking to her. She had worked with kids who stuttered
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