The Morning Show: Reset the game

Chapter Thirteen

Today it's been 22 days since I got here and in therapy it's time to talk about Bradley. And it was difficult, extremely difficult. The psychologist said it would hurt to take it out and it hurt, it hurt too much. The first time I couldn't, the second a little and the third I got rid of all that pain and now my heart is light, that tightness I felt in my chest no longer exists. I opened "the memory box" as we call it in therapy, took the pain out of it, and finally got rid of it. Now I know I can forgive Bradley and face him: no fear, no pain, no hurt and no resentment. My book is advancing, I've been writing a lot these days, I even showed it to my psychologist and she said it's very good and that I was really born for what I do.
I'm here in my usual place, in my garden, but I changed tables today so I can look at the pond with the ducklings and I'm writing. I had my back to everything and I felt someone approaching, there was a wind as if someone was walking and I saw a shadow on the table and that person covered my eyes, I touched their hands and smiled at the time. These hands, I know these hands.
- Robert is you, my love !!
He took his hands away from my eyes, hugged me by the shoulders and kissed my cheek and neck several times. Then he bent down beside me and gave me lots of pecks.
- How I missed you, petit. Forgive me for not coming sooner...
- I missed you so much too! Don't ask me for forgiveness, I know why you didn't come before... I'm so glad you're here!!!
Robert took the other chair, placed it where he was crouched, and sat down.
- I have something to show you.
He took the cell phone, turned the screen, put it in my hand and told me to ring and I played.
"Marie, look at me. Do you know who daddy is going to see tomorrow?"
"No, who?"
I took a break from the video, I was crying because I missed my little girl so much. She has braids and a little pink dress I gave her. I looked at Robert and he was smiling and told me to continue the video and I played it again.
"For Alex!"
"Really? And are you going to take me with you?"
"Baby I wanted so much but I can't. You're too small."
She made a face so sad that my heart squeezed, I wanted to be there by her side, but soon I know I'll be.
"So…can you take a picture of me so she doesn't feel lonely?"
"Of course I can!"
"Why don't you say hi? She's in here watching you.
"But she can't fit in there!"
Robert laughed in the video and I laughed watching it.
"Yes, it fits! Say she sees it."
"Hi Aunt Alex, I'm missing you so much. It's okay so you can come home and play with me, ok? I love you so, so, so, the size of the world!"
She blew a kiss and waved her hand and I couldn't get the smile and tears off my face.
- Thanks for that, honey.
Robert reached into his pocket and pulled out a photo and handed it to me. It's the photo Marie asked him to give me. I kissed the photo and Robert asked me to take my picture to give to her and obviously I left it. I smiled, loosened my hair that was in a ponytail and held my hand to my face for him to take the picture. He took the picture and showed it to me, it had been a long time since I took a picture.
- You are the most beautiful woman there is!
- Why do you always have to be so cute?
- Because I love you petit and because it's true!

                            ☼☼☼

The news I didn't want to hear arrived. The Morning Show has come to an end.
"We have nothing else to do, I've tried everything. 15 years on the air, the TV show saturates", Chloé told me. She showed me a spreadsheet with the UBA loss last month because of The Morning Show. Really, there is no solution anymore and now I and all TMS members are unemployed, except Robert who is CEO. Speaking of which, I've been coming to his house 2 or 3 times a week to help with Marie. I was the one who volunteered for Robert to have someone to share the tasks with.
- Thank you so much Bradley, for dedicating your time to my daughter!
- No problem, friend is for these things!
Marie is carrying a photo of Alex that Robert took at the clinic and doesn't let go for anything. And every day I am more shocked by the similarity of the two.
- Robert, has Marie ever seen her mother?
- No, why?
- You should show her a picture of Greta, she's good to know.
- Yes, you're right! Hope I'll be right back.
He left and came back with several photos in hand and was thrilled.
- This is Greta, my late wife. This one is at her graduation, this one on a trip we took to Holland.
- She was beautiful Robert, blonde and with almost green eyes. Where did those blue eyes of Marie come from?
- My mom has blue eyes, it came from her. Marie, come here with daddy.
Marie came and sat on Robert's lap.
- I want you to see these photos.
She took it in her hand, looked at each one and handed it back to Robert.
- Who is she?
-This is Greta, her mother.
Marie made a face I can't tell what it was, but it wasn't a good one.
- That's not my mommy!!!
- Daughter, this is your mother. How not?
-No, she is not. My mom is Alex!
Robert and I looked at each other, Marie showed the photo of Alex to Robert.
- This is my mommy and nobody else!!!
Robert kissed his daughter's head and decided not to pursue the matter any further. Marie hugged Alex's photo and kissed a few times. It's strange that their bond is so strong, they barely know each other. Something has, I just don't know what it is.