Mistress Therapy

Six - Art Gallery

"Hello, Mr. Calvin, please have a seat," I invited him, and he walked over and settled into the chair. We started the session, and he seemed more at ease compared to last week.

"Are you still hearing those voices?" I inquired, noticing a bead of sweat on his forehead.

"They’re coming," he whispered, his voice trembling with fear. "I can’t fight them," he added, his hands visibly shaking.

"Open your eyes, Mr. Calvin," I said, but he remained in a trance. "Mr. Calvin?" I called again, but he continued to shake in fear. In a moment of urgency, I shouted his name and placed my hand on his shoulder. He suddenly grabbed my arm, pulling me close, so that we were inches apart.

His eyes flew open, and he was panting heavily, fear dominant in them. "Are you okay?" I asked, noticing the proximity. As he realised our closeness, he quickly released my arm, and I stood up.

"I'm so sorry, I don’t know what came over me," he said, clearly embarrassed.

"Don’t worry about it," I reassured him. "Let’s move to the desk," I suggested, taking my seat. "We’ll focus more on meditation, psychotherapy, and hypnotherapy. We should start seeing results in a few weeks."

He scratched his head, looking unsure. "Is something wrong?" I asked.
"No, I just really appreciate the way you speak," he said with a smile. "You have a way with words."

"Thank you," I replied, blushing.

"And thank you too, for the warm therapy." He hesitated before asking, "Could I invite you to an art gallery this Sunday? I noticed you have a lot of paintings in your office."

"An art gallery?" I asked cautiously. "Is this like a date?" He grinned.

"If you put it that way," he said. "You’re a nice person, and I really like you a lot. If you’d be my friend, I think it would help me sleep better."

"That’s a lot to process," I admitted. "But I guess an art gallery wouldn't hurt, I mean, I do love art actually. Nice observation," I said to him, and he smiled.

"So, is that a yes?" He asked.

"Probably.”

"Okay, I'll send you the details, if you give me your number though," he whispered, and I laughed softly.

"You have my business card, Mr. Calvin," I teased, before he gave me his phone.

"It's not the same as you giving it to me," he added.

"Here's mine," he said after he called my number.

"Alright, I'll see you soon, I guess.”

"I’ll see you soon, Heidi," he whispered, making me blush as he left.

When I got home, Leanna, who was preparing dinner, noticed my bright mood. "Did you win the lottery?" she asked after we finished eating.

"Maybe," I said with a grin. "Calvin asked me out on a date!" I squealed, and Leanna's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"Seriously? When? Where? How?" Her questions came tumbling out, and I chuckled at her excitement.

"Leanna, calm down. It’s an art gallery date. He sent me the details, and it’s at this really popular gallery that just got renovated."

I showed her the invite list on my phone. "Look, only top stars and billionaires were invited."

"And Calvin invited you? Oh my God. He must be rich-rich!" she exclaimed.

"Maybe," I replied. "I’m just not sure what to wear."

"Go with a pastel colour!" she suggested. "It’ll match the gallery's colours."

"Pastel, huh? Then I know just what to wear," I said, feeling excited and reassured.

"Wow, Heidi, you look stunning!" Leanna said as she finished styling my light blue dress and silver heels.

"Let's just fix your hair," she added, brushing and loosely braiding it with a hairpin. "Calvin is definitely going to fall for you."

I laughed at her enthusiasm. "I need to go; I’m taking an Uber."

When I arrived at the gallery, it was bustling with affluent guests. At first, I almost wasn’t allowed in, but after presenting Calvin’s invitation, I was granted entry.

Once inside, I noticed my phone had no signal, and Calvin was nowhere in sight. I felt a bit out of place among the well-dressed crowd. I wandered around, admiring the stunning art pieces and taking photos to show Leanna.

After some time, I found myself in front of a nude portrait of a man and a woman, resembling Greek gods. The man held the woman tenderly, with wings and an arrow protruding from her chest—a  depiction of love and sorrow. They looked sad, but you could see the love in their eyes.

"Eros and Psyche," I read the sign beside the painting.
"Love, Passion, Disobedience, and Lust."

"Their love was toxic," a male voice said from behind me. I turned to find Nate standing there, equally surprised.

"Nate?" I asked, surprised to see him.

"Dr. Heidi! I didn’t expect to see you here. You look different—no lab coat or glasses," he said with a grin.

I chuckled nervously. "Are you here with your wife?" I asked, glancing around at the many couples. "It seems like everyone has a partner."

He laughed softly. "No, I'm here alone. My wife isn’t into art, but I am."

"By the way, I noticed you have quite a few paintings in your office. Do you like art?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I think I do," I replied with a smile. "Why do you think their love is toxic?" I asked, turning back to the portrait.