The therapist secret

Chapter 9

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Bella was at her kitchen table, the morning sun filtering through the blinds and casting soft patterns on the floor. She had her laptop open, going over notes for the day's sessions, but her mind kept drifting back to Layla. Last night, Bella had tossed and turned, the lingering weight of her feelings for Layla pressing against her chest, tighter than ever.

A soft vibration buzzed on the table, pulling her from her thoughts. It was a call from Layla.

Her heart skipped—first with concern, then with an unbidden thrill. She took a breath, trying to steady herself before she answered. "Hey, Layla. Everything okay?"

There was a small pause, and Bella could hear the gentle hum of city life in the background. "Yeah, everything's fine," Layla said, her voice bright but tinged with something heavier. "Actually... I wanted to tell you about something. Something weird happened yesterday."

Bella straightened in her chair, her pulse quickening. "What happened?"

"Well, I got a job!" Layla announced, her excitement bubbling through the line.

A smile spread across Bella's face, a rush of pride warming her chest. "That's amazing, Layla! Where?"

Layla laughed, a light sound that made Bella's heart do a somersault. "It's this cozy little book and vinyl shop. The second I walked in, I fell in love with the place. The owner, Margaret, hired me on the spot. Can you believe it?"

Bella chuckled, picturing Layla's excitement. "I can. It sounds perfect for you. You must be over the moon."

"I really am," Layla admitted, a soft breath of joy spilling into the silence. "It feels good, you know? Like maybe things are starting to fall into place."

Bella closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself absorb Layla's happiness. It was contagious, wrapping around her like a warm blanket, and Bella could feel the sharp edges of her own worries dulling just by hearing it. But there was something else in Layla's voice, a slight tremor that made Bella's fingers tighten around the phone.

"But... something else happened, didn't it?" Bella asked softly, her voice dropping into that therapist's tone—steady, calming.

Layla hesitated on the other end, her excitement dimming. "Yeah... someone came into the shop yesterday. Someone I wasn't expecting."

Bella's stomach twisted. "Who?"

"It was him." Layla's voice was quieter now, more guarded. "The guy from my past. The one we talked about. I didn't even know he was still around, but there he was, walking into the store like nothing had happened."

Bella's blood ran cold. She knew about this man—she knew what he had done to Layla, how he had twisted her thoughts, made her question her reality, leaving scars that still hadn't fully healed. The thought of him being back, in Layla's space, sent a surge of protectiveness through her that almost startled her with its intensity.

"Layla," Bella said, her voice sharper than she intended. "Did he do anything? Did he say anything to you?"

Layla sighed. "No, not really. He was just... there. I don't think he was trying to hurt me. But still, seeing him after all this time—it threw me off. I thought I was past it, you know? But when he looked at me, I just felt... small again."

Bella's heart clenched. The urge to reach through the phone and hold Layla, to wrap her up in her arms and tell her it was going to be okay, was almost unbearable. But that wasn't her place, was it? At least, not as her therapist.

"Layla," Bella began, trying to keep her voice steady. "You're not that girl anymore. He can't take anything from you, not now. You've built so much strength, so much resilience."

"I know," Layla said softly. "It's just... hard. But I don't want to give him that power again. I refuse to."

Pride swelled in Bella's chest, and she felt a rush of admiration so deep it was hard to contain. "You're incredible," Bella said before she could stop herself, the words slipping out with more weight than she had intended.

Layla paused. "What?"

Bella's breath caught in her throat, her pulse thrumming wildly. She hadn't meant to say it like that, hadn't meant to let the truth of her feelings leak into the conversation. But it was too late now. "I just mean... you've come so far, Layla. You should be proud of yourself. I know I am."

Silence stretched between them, and Bella felt her heart race. She hoped Layla couldn't hear the tremor in her voice, the depth of what she wasn't saying.

"Thanks, Bella," Layla said after a beat, her voice softer now, more thoughtful. "I wouldn't have made it this far without you. I really mean that."

Bella swallowed hard, the weight of those words hitting her in a place she hadn't expected. "I'm just glad I could help," she managed, though the truth was so much more than that.

There was another pause, and Bella could almost imagine Layla tilting her head, her eyes narrowing as if she were trying to figure something out. "You sound different," Layla said suddenly, her voice teasing but curious. "Are you okay?"

Bella's heart skipped. "I'm fine," she said quickly, too quickly. "Just... a lot on my mind, I guess."

"Hmm." Layla didn't press, but Bella could feel her lingering in that space, sensing something more. "Well, I won't keep you long. I just wanted to share the good news and talk about... you know."

"I'm glad you did," Bella said, her voice softening again, unable to hide the affection bleeding through. "And if you need to talk more about... him, I'm here."

"I know," Layla replied, her voice warm with gratitude. "Thanks, Bella. You're always there."

The words landed softly, but they struck something deep inside Bella. *You're always there*. It was true, she was. And not just because it was her job. Not just because she cared about Layla's well-being as her therapist. It was because she cared, period.

"Always," Bella whispered, and the promise hung in the air between them, more real than ever.

As they said their goodbyes, Bella sat there, her phone still in her hand, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew the line between therapist and patient had blurred in ways she hadn't intended, ways she couldn't ignore anymore.

She was falling for Layla—deeply, irrevocably—and there was no denying it now. The question was, how long could she keep pretending otherwise?