was outside.
The only figure in the area was a biker, pedaling uphill. When the officer questioned the rider, he said he hadn’t seen anyone. Maggie asked him if there were signs of a break in.
He replied no. “This may have been just a fluke, it has happened before.”
Maggie gulped. She stared at the house, “right,” she said sheepishly. She immediately thought of Ben. She needed him. She was not staying in the house alone. And she wanted confirmation that Jack was still in prison.
Doctor Gibbons welcomed Maggie and shut the office door. The room had been rearranged since her last visit. She’d been managing on her own, tracking her dreams, keeping her mind off Jack and what led her to Colorado. Then something like last night happens and it starts up all over again.
Maggie signed in, and sat down in a chair. She was uneasy in the oversized armchair and preferred to sit at the conference table on the other side of the room.
“How are you?”
“A bit shaken,” Maggie admitted, on the verge of tears.
“Why?”
She assumed the doctor had been prepped on the situation last night. It was part of her protocol. Whether she knew or not, the doc would give Maggie a chance to put the situation in her own words. That was a crucial step to therapy.
“My dog was not in position last night to tell me the house was clear. I overreacted and went to the police station.”
“Why do you say you over reacted?” The doctor asked as she motioned Maggie to answer.
Her agitation rose. Maggie played with her nails, “Because it was nothing, just a dumb bird. He flew in through the chimney.”
“Maggie, with everything you’ve through. Did you expect to react differently?”
She knew the answer. “Well, no. But it was still embarrassing.”
“Embarrassing you can live with. Your reaction could have saved your life.”
“But my life wasn’t in jeopardy.”
“Perhaps not. But Jack will be out of prison soon. And these thought patterns will emerge. You either trust yourself to stay safe, or you don’t.”
She didn’t want to talk about Jack getting out. She knew he was months away from his release. And she knew he would track her down.
“We are going to check your levels this visit. Now answer as honest as you can, don’t over analyze your response.” Maggie shook her head indicating she was ready.
“O.K. Maggie, how are you doing with your response to danger?”
“Seven,” she replied.
“How are you doing with memory association?”
“A six,” she answered.
“And how would you rate your current state of anxiety?”
“An eight, at least.”
She marked the answers on a chart. “And how is your flinching and scaring?”
“It’s about a five.”
Doctor Gibbons looked up. “These are high levels. What do you attribute that too?”
She exhaled again and spoke slowly, “Everything. Jack, the holidays, last night. And, I met someone.”
Doctor Gibbons showed some interest. “Oh. Well that’s a positive. Where did you meet?”
“Actually, at my house.” Her shoulders curled up like a little girl.
“Great. Can we talk more about this new person?”
Maggie happily switched gears. “His name is Ben Hall. He lives down the street from me, with his aunt. He’s an engineer and works in Denver.”
“Why the long commute?”
“I haven’t asked him yet.”
“I see. What else can you tell me about him?”
“Eli seems to like him.”
“That’s good. Was Eli at home when you met him?”
“Yes. We came home with a giant Christmas tree, tied to the car. Ben happened to see us drive by and came up the driveway to ask if we needed help unloading.”
“And you accepted?”
“Yes. I didn’t feel threatened or even nervous. It was dark out when we got home. That usually sets me off.”
“Have you had any negative thoughts?”
“Of course, but my intrigue over the whole thing outweighs them.”
“That’s good Maggie. I think you
The only figure in the area was a biker, pedaling uphill. When the officer questioned the rider, he said he hadn’t seen anyone. Maggie asked him if there were signs of a break in.
He replied no. “This may have been just a fluke, it has happened before.”
Maggie gulped. She stared at the house, “right,” she said sheepishly. She immediately thought of Ben. She needed him. She was not staying in the house alone. And she wanted confirmation that Jack was still in prison.
Doctor Gibbons welcomed Maggie and shut the office door. The room had been rearranged since her last visit. She’d been managing on her own, tracking her dreams, keeping her mind off Jack and what led her to Colorado. Then something like last night happens and it starts up all over again.
Maggie signed in, and sat down in a chair. She was uneasy in the oversized armchair and preferred to sit at the conference table on the other side of the room.
“How are you?”
“A bit shaken,” Maggie admitted, on the verge of tears.
“Why?”
She assumed the doctor had been prepped on the situation last night. It was part of her protocol. Whether she knew or not, the doc would give Maggie a chance to put the situation in her own words. That was a crucial step to therapy.
“My dog was not in position last night to tell me the house was clear. I overreacted and went to the police station.”
“Why do you say you over reacted?” The doctor asked as she motioned Maggie to answer.
Her agitation rose. Maggie played with her nails, “Because it was nothing, just a dumb bird. He flew in through the chimney.”
“Maggie, with everything you’ve through. Did you expect to react differently?”
She knew the answer. “Well, no. But it was still embarrassing.”
“Embarrassing you can live with. Your reaction could have saved your life.”
“But my life wasn’t in jeopardy.”
“Perhaps not. But Jack will be out of prison soon. And these thought patterns will emerge. You either trust yourself to stay safe, or you don’t.”
She didn’t want to talk about Jack getting out. She knew he was months away from his release. And she knew he would track her down.
“We are going to check your levels this visit. Now answer as honest as you can, don’t over analyze your response.” Maggie shook her head indicating she was ready.
“O.K. Maggie, how are you doing with your response to danger?”
“Seven,” she replied.
“How are you doing with memory association?”
“A six,” she answered.
“And how would you rate your current state of anxiety?”
“An eight, at least.”
She marked the answers on a chart. “And how is your flinching and scaring?”
“It’s about a five.”
Doctor Gibbons looked up. “These are high levels. What do you attribute that too?”
She exhaled again and spoke slowly, “Everything. Jack, the holidays, last night. And, I met someone.”
Doctor Gibbons showed some interest. “Oh. Well that’s a positive. Where did you meet?”
“Actually, at my house.” Her shoulders curled up like a little girl.
“Great. Can we talk more about this new person?”
Maggie happily switched gears. “His name is Ben Hall. He lives down the street from me, with his aunt. He’s an engineer and works in Denver.”
“Why the long commute?”
“I haven’t asked him yet.”
“I see. What else can you tell me about him?”
“Eli seems to like him.”
“That’s good. Was Eli at home when you met him?”
“Yes. We came home with a giant Christmas tree, tied to the car. Ben happened to see us drive by and came up the driveway to ask if we needed help unloading.”
“And you accepted?”
“Yes. I didn’t feel threatened or even nervous. It was dark out when we got home. That usually sets me off.”
“Have you had any negative thoughts?”
“Of course, but my intrigue over the whole thing outweighs them.”
“That’s good Maggie. I think you
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