THE WOMAN BEFORE

Chapter 21

I S L A

     DR. FLYNN LOOKS solemnly at me when I tell him I couldn’t do the assignment. I know the assignment is crucial to my recovery, but with what happened yesterday, I was left with no time to write down the questions. He doesn’t believe me. If he did, he wouldn’t look at me like that.

     “You have to understand I had a lot going on.”

     “You missed the assignment, Isla,” he says tartly.

     “I know. I promise I’ll bring it along during our next session.”

     “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

     I pretend I didn’t hear that. I will do the assignment. I just don’t know what to write when my mind is full of the hate I have for Rosina.

     “I saw him today,” I say.

     “Evans?”

     I bob my head.

     “Did you talk?”

     “No. We argued as usual.”

     “About?”

     I glance at him, then look away. “I did a terrible thing, and he came to confront me. I ruined Rosina’s wedding gown.”

     His face puckers into a frown. “When was that?”

     “Don’t worry. It was before I started therapy. I made a mistake, but you probably won’t believe me.”

     “I will if you tell me why you ruined her dress.” He brings a notepad from the drawer, taking a pen from his styrofoam cup.

     I fiddle with my bag, trying to act stupid. If he is smart as Parker claims, then he will be able to see through my lies, but I know he can’t. I have an uncanny way of manipulating people, even someone as seasoned as him.

     “Trust me, Doc, I didn’t want to do it, but I succumbed and did it. I regret it now.”

     He just looks at me, his face devoid of any emotion. Is he studying me? Trying to decipher if I’m lying? I still maintain my stance. I won’t let him intimidate me into telling him the truth.

     He moves away from the table and drops the pen in the book. “Why are you here, Isla? Tell me the truth.”

     My heart thumps. I must admit I wasn’t expecting this question. Is he beginning to suspect me? No, I don’t think so.

     Feigning shock, I say, “I don’t understand.”

     “Of course, you do. You’re keeping something from me.”

     “I seriously have no idea what you’re talking about, Doc.”

     He falls silent, as though mulling over something. Then he says, “Back to our previous conversation. Why did you ruin Rosina’s dress?”

     I shrug. “I had a compulsion to do it.”

     “I know you hate her, but I’m sure something triggered the compulsion. Why did you choose to do it on that particular day?”

     He’s smart, I will give him that. I was angry when Evans came to my house the other time to find out if I was following Rosina. That’s what triggered the compulsion. I tell Dr. Flynn about it, and he notes something down.

     He glances up at me with a smile.  “How ’bout you take a trip to a place of your choosing?”

     I say sharply, “No, Doc. I won’t do that in a million years.”

     “I figured.” He reclines on the sofa. “Which leads me to believe you’re not telling me everything, and you’ve been lying to me on why you’re truly here from day one.”

     I place my bag on the empty sofa next to me. I thought I could easily manipulate him, but I was too full of myself then. He’s a therapist after all. I can’t tell him the real reason I’m here, which is very diabolic. I know we’re bound by confidentiality, but I’m one hundred percent sure he will report me to the police if he suspects I pose a threat to somebody.

     I giggle. “You got me, Doc. I decided to see you not to get better. I’m doing this for Parker. He recommended you, and he means a lot to me. I’m here because Parker asked me to.”

     He sighs. “Thanks for being honest with me. I understand you’ve been through a lot, but you have to let go and find purpose in your life. You still have a whole life ahead of you. You shouldn’t be here because Parker asked you to. You should be here because you want to get better, and I’m going to help you.”

     “Okay, Doc. I’m sorry I lied.”

     “All right. For this to work, you should be completely honest with me, and I mean it.”

     I bob my head. He has no idea the kind of lies I’ve been telling him since we started. But he won’t know, because I will be very meticulous during our sessions. My plan can’t backfire. I will see to it that it’s perfectly executed.