Journey of a Lifetime

Crystal Ball Debut

"So, let's dive into these relationships of yours" the doctor says, opening up her notebook and crossing her legs

I lay there on the lounge, cringing at the thought. The ceiling is still filthy. She's right though, it does give me something to look at.

"Zoe, where would you like to begin? Shall we talk about your current one?"

Oh god. I need to talk. "Sure, I'm with Adam. He's great, he's caring and I'm very grateful to have him. He's been there for me through a lot. If we lived in Vegas, we'd be married already"

"When did that happen?"

"A few years back now I guess. The years have blurred. But we are getting officially married later this year"

"Must be exciting"

"It is"

"How'd you meet?"

"On the flight when I left Australia, he struck up a conversation and the rest is history"

"So, you left where you grew up, to somewhere you knew nothing about, nor no one. You attached yourself to the first person that showed attention"

"If I wanted that, I would've stayed in the UK"

"You have family there, people that know you already. It's plain that you wanted a fresh start"

"Ok, maybe I was scared. But it wasn't the first time I had ran away from my issues. This was just the furthest I had. This time, there was no turning back"

"And the issues followed"

"Yeah, they followed. But it was different. I was nice in Canada, I had my shit together"

"You don't think you are nice anymore?"

"Gosh no. I'm mean. I don't know why people hang around, I don't think they should"

"Janet doesn't think they should"

"No, I don't think they should. Janet simply agrees"

She purses her lips.

"People. Friends, told me Adam was good for me. They aren't completely wrong"

"You think it was something else"

"I think it was Canada"

"How about the other times you ran? Were those places good for you?"

I fall silent. Janet is screaming.

"Zoe, what's going on?"

"I ran for drugs, into darkness. I didn't touch the stuff up there. Not because it was hard to find, but because I didn't want to"

"Do you think you replaced it?"

The muscle twitches in my jaw. "I don't think so"

She writes more in the notebook.

"What are you writing?"

"Don't worry about that"

I frown. I can feel the creases in my brow.

"Now, how about the other relationships? You've mentioned..." she says then flips through her notebook, "Jay, what was that one like?"

Laying back down, I swallow the lump in my throat.

"He triggers something, doesn't he?"

That makes me laugh. "You could say that again"

Oh he triggers us alright