Dog Days

Chapter 71

When I finally get to Doctor Banner's office, I take a seat next to Hela and Odin and wait in complete silence.

After about ten minutes of waiting, the door opens and he leans a patient out with a calming voice "Remember, Denice. Turn off your television before seven, tonight. If you watch it, you're opening yourself up to the trauma we've worked so hard to overcome."

I sigh as Hela and Odin look at me with sad smiles. As soon as the crying patient leaves the building. He looks to me with a strong smile "Come on, Thor. This will be interesting."

I stand up as Banner looks over Hela's neck "He really did a number on you, didn't he?"

I scratch my forehead as everyone in the waiting room stares me down. Hela explains "He was having a nightmare. The power was out due to the storm."

Banner gives her a soft smile "Are you alright?"

She gives him a gentle smile "I'm actually doing good. I could kinda tell that he wasn't there, so it was pretty easy to get over."

I shield my face in embarrassment, before looking to Banner. He makes eye contact with me and I can see he knows that I'm on the verge of losing my shit.

He smiles at me and asks "Ready to head back?"

I give a short nod, and he leads me to the door. As we walk back, he asks "Where do we want to start?"

I furrow my brow and ask "Has the videos caused other people to have episodes of PTSD?"

As we step into his office, he declares "Most of my patients have reported increased anxiety since last Friday. The same day you called me."

I take a deep breath as the feeling begins to burn in my chest, again "I told you, I had a feeling. Less than three hours later, the first video was released."

As I take a seat on the couch, he asks "How have you been managing your emotions over this?"

I take a deep breath as I look down at the coffee table. I can't seem to hold it in anymore. I just begin to sob.

I hide my face in embarrassment as I desperately try to catch my breath, only to let out a broken sob.

As I weep, he speaks, softly "I'm guessing you haven't felt safe enough to process your emotions."

I cry out "My boyfriend was raped on national television! I almost killed my sister! How am I supposed to feel?"

He gives me a tired smile "You're supposed to feel like this. Your supposed to cry and feel everything that you're feeling. I honestly have no idea how you kept it in this long."

I rest my head back and just cry into the soft void of the dimmed office. As my body rakes through the emotion and stress, I tremble out "He was holding onto him like he actually enjoyed the pain he was causing. He mocked the sounds he made. He threw him to the men when he was done with him."

Banner takes in a deep breath "I know." I look to him and he gives me a sad smile "My patients are having full blown psychotic episodes because of these videos. The best way to help them is to understand what's troubling them."

I set my jaw as I cry "So this is all you hear about?"

He gives me a sad smile "Yes, but you are the only patient of mine with something real at stake. He's your boyfriend, and he has been missing for almost three months. You had regrettable sex with your best friend, only for him to be plastered on television and tortured. You had a dangerous night terror and your sister got hurt, and then you watched your boyfriend being unwilling touched and used by other men. You are the only person in my life that actually needs to talk about this."