Dog Days

Chapter 67

I finally fell asleep after the storm passed. The sun was rising around that time, and I finally felt comfortable enough to rest.

I woke up at 4pm. The first thing I did was go to the bathroom. Through the bathroom door, I hear Hela in the kitchen "What do you mean you're not coming?"

I listen to her in a hungover grog, as she sighs "Doctor Banner, he needs you here! I don't want to lose him, because of this!"

I hear complete silence, before she states "He trusts you!"

Hela is silent for a moment, before she sighs "So you won't see him unless it's at your office, or he calls you?"

As I grab my meds, as I hear silence in the next room. Finally, she sighs "Yeah, tomorrow."

I take my anxiety meds and a couple ibuprofen, before I hear Hela clear her throat "Thank you."

I hear her sit her phone down, before I wash my face and brush my teeth. After grabbing my glasses, I walk out of my bedroom, only to find Hela and Mom in the kitchen.

They pause their conversation as they look at me with a look of concern. As I step forward, I find both of them are chopping vegetables. I furrow my brow and ask "What are we making?"

Hela gives me a tired smile "I'm making ratatouille, with roasted brussel sprouts, potatoes, and carrots."

I give her a short nod, before stepping around her and grabbing a cutting board and a knife. As I look down at the vegetables in front of me, I ask "What do you need, first?"

She takes a deep breath and states "I need a few bell peppers diced up, if you want to do that? Mom's cutting the onion. I'm cutting the tomatoes."

I give a short nod and grab a few yellow bell peppers. As I begin cleaning out the seeds, Frigga asks "How'd you sleep, dear?"

I furrow my brow as I never let my focus move from the bell peppers "I don't feel like I got any sleep."

Hela speaks up "Well, hopefully you're meds will help you sleep, tonight."

I hum, before I begin to dice the bell pepper. I ask "Were you on the phone with Banner?"

They both stop cutting their vegetables as Hela speaks, timidly "I was wondering if he would come here, to be with you, tonight."

I clear my throat as I toss the diced bell pepper into a bowl "He wouldn't do that. It's a boundary issue."

Hela furrows her brow and states "That's what he said."

I hum, before continuing to dice more "We have to meet at neutral ground. It's the only way a therapist and patient keep a functional relationship. If he comes here, it's breaking our trust. I have to be willing to get help, not receive it. If I receive it when I don't want it, it could cause more aggression."

Hela clears her throat "That's exactly what he said."

I smile weakly down at the cutting board "He's a smart man. Arrogant, at times, but smart."

She looks me over, before asking "Are you mad?"

I shake my head, before looking up at her with a tired smile "I'm ashamed."

I look down as I continue chopping "Nothing I say can make up for what happened. We all know what happened." I sigh with a shrug "I'm sorry, but even then, it's like a drop of rain in a desert. There's nothing I can do to make it better."

As I finish dicing the second pepper, Hela speaks, softly "I know you would never intentionally hurt me, Thor."

I furrow my brow and remind "I already have, Hela. I haven't treated you fairly since I got home."