overtime | clark & martin

forty-seven.

Jessica had reached a new low to rival the one she had experienced while in Turkey, so she had finally done the thing she desperately needed to.

She got a therapist.

Jessica found that she had a lot of problems and that these problems may be becoming too much for her. In truth, she should have gotten the therapist a long time ago when she had started getting panic attacks, but she was getting one now, so everything was going to be fine!

Plus, Jessica was a certified yapper. Her therapist would have no issue getting information out of her.

Her therapist was a woman named Maggie. She was old with grey hair and years of experience. When they had their first trial session, Jessica loved her. She reminded her of her grandmother who was dead but had been a lovely lady who was kind and gentle.

"I've never really had an identity crisis," Jessica says thoughtfully as she sits on the couch in Maggie's office, "Like when I got to elementary school, I learned that I was mixed but it was never like 'I'm not black enough' or 'I'm not white enough' like I was vibing."

"Vibing?" Maggie asks.

"Oh, you know I was chilling," Jessica says, and Maggie raises a brow, "Uh I simply existed?"

"So, you never felt that being the daughter of a black woman and a white man had an impact on you growing up? People didn't look at you weird?"

"I mean of course they looked at me weird, but I think it was more so of how my parents were than the fact that they were an interracial couple. My dad was this real southern man, and my mom was the opposite of that aesthetic."

"Why did you idolize your parents' relationship so much?" Maggie asks.

"I don't know," Jessica answers honestly, "Maybe I liked the fact that two people who were so different could fall in love with each other. Maybe it's because I fell in love with love at a young age."

"And what is love to you? How would you describe it?"

"How would you describe it?" Jessica flips the question back on Maggie.

Maggie shrugs, "I think love is being comfortable. I think it's where you feel the safest. That can be with a romantic partner or a friend."

Jessica smiles at the words and nods her head, "I think every time I've experienced love it's been different. If I had to describe love I would say that it's just being able to look at someone and know that your life is better simply because they exist. It's the little things like hearing them laugh or just being able to sit with them and feel at peace. There's no conditions or expectations it's just innocent and pure and it is steadfast and it endures the sands of time."

"That's a beautiful outlook on love," Maggie says.

"Like I said, I love love," Jessica says with a small smile.

"How many relationships have you been in?"

"Officially? Three," Jessica answers.

"All with women?" Maggie asks and Jessica nods, "What was it like coming out to your parents if you don't mind me asking."

"Uh, I don't think I ever really had a moment where I came out. It was kind of like I just started telling them whenever I found a girl attractive, and they just rolled with it."

Maggie smiles as she nods her head, "Tell me about your first relationship."

Jessica shifts in her seat, "Uh well I was kind of a late bloomer, so I didn't get into my first relationship until I went to college."