Finding Infinity by Layne Harper Page A

truck. I lean back casually in the chair, and wait for him to respond. After a few minutes, he cracks a smile. “I despise you. If you were on fire, I wouldn’t piss on it to put it out. When you fuck up, I’ll be there to pick up the pieces, and I’ll never tell her ‘I told you so.’” He leans back in his over-stuffed leather chair sucks in a deep breath. I can see the wheels in his head turning. Finally, he says, “I’ll call her tomorrow and see if we can at least get on speaking terms again.”
    I stand up and look him in the eye. “That’s all I ask. I won’t tell her that I came to see you. I’ll let you be the good guy. Don’t worry about getting up. I’ll show myself out.”
    Carmen is nowhere to be seen as I let myself out their front door.
    Well, that went better than expected . I thought that I might have to make multiple trips to Houston to visit him. Guess not. Guess Jack was ready to bury the hatchet. He just needed a little push to do the right thing.
    Next on my to-do list is to meet with Charlie’s therapist, Doctor Benson. We’ve met together with her as a couple, and Charlie gave permission to Doctor Benson to speak openly with me.
    My girl’s not in a good place, but she’s better than she was. She’s at least running again in the mornings, and doesn’t live just in our bedroom. I’ve flown Doctor Benson up every week to speak with Charlie, but she just can’t seem to get out of her funk. It’s breaking my heart. I’m ready for her to be truly happy again, not the forced kind of happy that she pretends to be so I won’t worry.
    I’ve had nightmares about Charlie getting sick again. They started the day that I found the toilet seat raised. They’re always the same. She’s upset, running away from me, and I can’t get to her. I can’t comfort her and make her whole again. Her caramel-colored hair is flying behind her, and I can never see her face. My chest physically tightens while I’m having this dream, causing me to quit breathing, and I wake up drenched in sweat. Fortunately, I’ve been able to play off this nightmare as just getting too warm snuggled up against her, but I don’t know how many more times I can have it without her getting tipped off.
    I need some help understanding her illness.
    I knock on Doctor Benson’s front door, and wait patiently for her to answer. I’m a few minutes early, so I sit down on the front porch step and wait. There’s a gentle breeze blowing that helps make the oppressive heat more bearable. Doctor Benson has an amazing tree in her front yard. I’d have bought this house just for that tree. We don’t have a lot of mature trees like this in Dallas. I wonder if I plant some oak trees at our house if Charlie might like it better.
    While I wait, I whip out my phone and text Jenny.
    Me: Call a landscaper and get some large oak trees planted at the house .
    Jenny: What?
    Me: Trees. I want big, fucking, oak trees .
    Jenny: Aiden give the phone back to 8 .
    Me: It’s me. I’m not kidding. Find me big oak trees .
    Doctor Benson opens her front door, which ends my texting with Jenny. A Q-tip looking woman brushes past me as she walks down the front steps. God, is that what Charlie looked like when she was so sick? I hope that Doctor Benson can help this poor lady look human again.
    I have to clear my throat before I can say hello.
    Doctor Benson waits until the lady gets in her car before she greets me. “Afternoon, Colin. Please, come in.”
    I follow her into her office. She takes a seat, and motions for me to sit down on the couch. It’s really soft. It would make a great napping couch.
    She picks up her yellow legal tablet and takes the cap off of her Mont Blanc pen. The only reason that I know what they are is because Jenny steals them when they come in as gifts. Jenny only takes my good shit.
    “So, Colin. What brings you here today?” Doctor Benson asks, in her even, but pleasant, voice.
    “I need help, Doc. I’m really