No Holding Back

Ch 4

Ben made an virtual appointment with a family therapist and they sat in the living room quietly waiting for the session to start. Miranda, Ben and William were sitting on the couch while the boys were sitting behind the couch on bar stools.

"Hello everyone! I am Dr.Maxine Foster and I will be your family therapist for the next four sessions.

"So I can easily assume that the couple holding hands is Dr. Warren and Dr. Bailey," Dr. Foster said.

"Oh yes and this is Miranda's father William Bailey and these are our sons Tuck and Joey," Ben explained.

"Nice to meet you all so why are we here today?" Dr. Foster asked.

Ben was about to speak but Miranda touched his thigh and spoke.

"We are here because this pandemic has taken a toll on our family. I have spent over 3 months away from home working and living in the hospital taking care of Covid patients. My husband has to come in close contact to rescue people.

"And....and my mom just recently died from Covid 19 after I moved her and my dad from Baltimore,Maryland so that they could be closer to me.  The facility allowed someone with Covid 19 to move in causing an outbreak," Miranda explained teary eyed.

Ben held her hand, "We just want to talk through it and be given some tools on how to deal with the losses and readjust to life efficiently," Ben shared.

Dr.Foster started with Tuck and Joey asking them how they felt about the pandemic. They expressed how they never thought they'd miss school and the routine of it so much. They were glad that their mom finally decided to come home.

"Okay doctors, tell me how you have felt about everything that has been going on and how it has affected your marriage?" Dr. Foster asked.

"Well this last week and a half is the first time me and Miranda have stayed together since the pandemic started. It has been hard being without her because she is the love of my life and best friend but we made it work," Ben shared.

"And our marriage is good I'm just happy that we get to be back under the same roof again," Ben expressed as he kissed her cheek and she smiled at him.

"It has been hard not being able to be a surgeon. Once the pandemic started all of the hospitals resources went into treating Covid patients. And I felt useless watching people die despite my doctors and I best efforts," Miranda explained.

"Then on top of losing patients, trying to keep my anxiety and OCD under control, having to be strong and run the hospital.... then one of my doctors who I taught was murdered along with me watching my mother die from Covid 19," Miranda shared getting choked up.

"Okay Dr. Bailey, I will give you sometime to feel your emotions," Dr.Foster said.

"Okay Mr.Bailey, how are you feeling about everything?" Dr.Foster asked.

William sat there quiet for a moment, "Ummm I recently loss wife Elaine after 45 years of marriage. She was my everything and now I don't feel like I know what to do," he shared.

William then looked over at his daughter with tears in his eyes. "And I know that our baby girl was just trying to be a good daughter and take care of us by making us move closer to her especially since my wife suffered with Alzheimers."

"But my once fairly healthy wife got infected with this virus and is now dead and a part of me can't help but think that if we had stayed at home in Baltimore she would still be here and I wouldn't be so alone," William said breaking down and getting up to leave.

Ben saw Miranda's body language change and she grabbed her fingers and squeezed them hard and Ben wrapped his arms around her and put his hands over hers. Miranda tried to hold it in but she couldn't and she let out a scream as she cried and fell into Ben's chest.