Dog Fight

Dog(the puppy)

I watch as Stephen romps about with his new puppy. The smile on his face makes me happy.

I hear a knock on the door and I go over to answer it. I open the door and see Ethan standing there, his arms filled with grocery sacks.

"Where's the puppy."he demands.

I chuckle as I step aside. He shuffles past me to where Stephen and dog were playing.

"I brought you some things."he chuckles before sitting on the ground with Stephen.

.....

"How is your anger, Stephen?"

Stephen looks up from the puppy snoozing in his lap to his therapist.

"Anger?"he questions.

"Yes. Do you feel angry, often?"she asks.

"I don't think I get angry often."Stephen shrugs.

"I'm not asking is you get angry, I'm asking if you feel angry."she says.

Stephen remains silent.

"I'm going to take that as a yes. Do you feel angry all the time?"she asks, jotting down something on her notebook.

"Not all the time."he says.

"When do you feel most angry?"

He shrugs.

"I remember when I would fight, and I'd be so tired, but I had to keep fighting. And Jord would just-"

His therapist instinctively notices his right fist begin to clench in anger.

"He would just call me awful things. Told me to use my anger. I should've used it on him."he says, making her smile a bit.

"Are you angry and resentful towards Jord for keeping you in a cage all those years? Or, are you angry at yourself for not breaking out sooner?"

The question seems to have stumped Stephen.

"...i don't know."he says.

She smiles as she shifts in her seat.

"Sweetie, what do you do when you feel angry?"she asks.

"I just, talk to Jane. She makes me..not angry."he says.

"Okay, so what if Jane isn't there?"she asks.

"Then I think about talking to Jane."he says.

She huffs.

"Sweetie, you need to find a better outlet. You have a punching bag, yes? Why don't you take it to that thing?"she asks.

"Yeah, Ethan and I work out sometimes."Stephen says.

"Perfect. You really do seem like a sweet boy Stephen, but I can sense the anger in you. It's all bottled up, and eventually that bottle is going to burst."she says.

"I understand."Stephen says as the puppy yawns and stretches out in Stephen's lap.

"And Dog is just precious."

"Isn't she."Stephen smiles.