A Neat Mess

17.The Therapist's Notebook

It was Ben's first visit with an actual psychiatrist; Because of Sam's traumatic visit to a mantel clinic, she was sitting this as many as possible out, unless there was an absolute necessity. All Ben wanted was to get over and done with it and get back at home and enjoy a cold one or six.

He still could not understand the reason why, Ms "Doctor" from the school recommended a specialist instead of a normal therapist, when Sam called her and asked for help, she just was ready to recommend this particular practice right away.

The door creaked open, and Doctor Blake Cooper strode in, filling the room with his imposing presence. Standing over 6.5 feet tall, he seemed to be a mountain of a man, his substantial round belly accentuated by a well-worn, navy suit that barely contained him. His thinning silver hair was neatly combed back, and deep lines etched into his face spoke of years of experience.

"Please, make yourself comfortable," he said, his voice rich and soothing, betraying the years of expertise that lay beneath his calm exterior. Then he faced Jenna and acknowledged her quickly, "I am so glad for finally meeting you Jenna, I have heard about you so much. You are a little smart cockie aren't yah?"

Jenna gave him a sweet smile, the kind that little girls have no difficulty manufacturing them and steal everyone's heart.

Doctor continued "Let's start with a game, I want you to follow my finger tip with your eyes" and he stated to move his index finger to right and left parallel Jenna's pupil. Then he asked her to hold each of his hands and squeeze them as hard as she could and let go.

"Do you get many headaches Jenna?" Blake asked Jenna but expected Ben to answer.

Ben shook his head as no, and he continued, "She gives some! Just joking, but she very rarely gets sick."

The phrase "Just a joke" triggered the doctor's first red flag. Many parents unknowingly undermine their child's confidence with such remarks, unaware of the potential harm. Dr. Cooper had a discreet system for noting his observations, using coded language that only he could decipher. Abusive parents, often skilled at deception, can easily conceal their harmful behaviour. The doctor knew that subtle Freudian slips might be his only clue to uncover the truth.

Blake got up and kneeled in front of Jenna "Ok Jenna, now we need to play another game with you, while your daddy and I are having a little chat, my friend will take you to other room to start another game. Is it ok with you?"

Jenna did not seem very confident about the offer; she made quick eye contact with her father looking for rescue, Ben just nodded.

Blake picked up his phone and dialled a number "Hey Pip, we are ready."

As Pip walked in, her radiant smile and soothing voice instantly created a sense of calm. She engaged with the children effortlessly, her playful demeanour and genuine curiosity making them feel immediately at ease. It was clear that, in addition to her excellent training, she possessed a rare gift for connecting with them on a deeper level.

When the door was closed behind them, Black explained, "Pip will be running come cognitive tests in the next room, it is standard process and we can have some catching up together in the meantime."

Ben explained, "Sam got stock at work last minute and we decided not to postpone this meeting in any circumstance. Since this is only a catching up session, I guess my presence will be sufficient, I am sure Sam will be available in the next session, if there is any."

Blake shuffled through the papers on his desk, finally pulling out a pink folder from the stack. He didn't come across as the most organized person. Opening the folder, he met Ben's eyes with a reassuring look.

"Judy—Ms. Pavlov, as you might know her from school—has been observing Jenna's behaviour over the past few months, she's provided us with insights into Jenna's body language, interactions with other kids, her drawings, and some incidents at school. That's why you're meeting with me today instead of a psychologist. Pip, who is one of the best child psychologists on our team, will be involved as well. Judy's observations have given us a good starting point."

Ben's feelings crystallized into a mix of embarrassment and outrage. It was one thing to know that the school kept an eye on students, but the realization that they had been under a microscope left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"We've been trying our best to find the reason, we got her a full-time sitter who's like an older sister to her, we control her diet, what media she is exposed to and now we are thinking it might be her genetics. Is there any kind of test that could do?"

Blake's eyebrows lifted. "Not an actual lab test, no. But many behaviours can indeed be hereditary. One area we examine closely is family history. Since you mentioned it right away, is there any history of mental illness on either side of the family? Conditions like schizophrenia, paranoia, addiction?"

Ben seized the opportunity to deliver the response he had rehearsed. "Well, that's where we might run into some issues. On my side, there's a cleanish history—nothing significant. We do have a couple of alcoholics and depression, but who doesn't, right?"

"And Sam's side is not very clear?"

Ben clarified. "Sam isn't Jenna's biological mother. Her reproductive system was partially removed due to an illness when she was younger, having kids wasn't my priority abut she wanted to be a mother so we got an egg-donor and surrogate. So technically, Jenna has three mothers. Only you, us, and doctors involved know about this," he added with a touch of pride.

"What about her parents?" Blake inquired.

"That's another touchy subject," Ben admitted. "Her father left when she was very young, and she hasn't spoken to her mother in years. We never met."

Blake nodded, jotting down a quick note. "Do these issues have anything to do with her not being here today?"

Ben nodded in response. "When we first met, she was broken and devastated. She had just survived a life-threatening disease and was heartbroken because her previous partner left her due to her illness. I don't know all the details, not because I didn't care, but because I didn't push her to share more than she was wanted. She was sick, heartbroken, and had lost faith in love. I just wanted to make her happy. We've built this happy family... well, we're facing some challenges now, but who isn't?"

Blake made a quick mental note: clichés— either he's is in denial or hiding something.

An awkward silence filled the room, heightening Ben's irritation. Perhaps it was because even he didn't fully believe what he had just said. Needing to break the tension, Ben asked, "Where is Jenna, by the way?"

Blake picked up the phone on his desk and waited, as if the person on the other end knew exactly why he was calling. "Okay then, come over when you're finished," he said simply before hanging up.

"There are a few standard tests," Blake explained. "IQ, emotional and behavioural Scales, Neuropsychological assessments, developmental and achievement tests, some role-playing games to see if they're scared of anything or hiding something based on their body language. Kids are so pure, which makes working with them fun." He kept his explanation brief, but he knew that Pip, in the other room, was trained to uncover whatever Jenna and her parents might be hiding.

There was a knock at the door, Pip and Jenna hand in hand walked in like they had the best time in their lives. Pip then handed Blake an iPad with a graph visible on the top screen. The session concluded, and another appointment was scheduled for two weeks later.