Therapist's therapy

Strangers

"Full marks again Arianna! You are so smart it's hard to believe you are just three" Arianna's mother praised. Like Arianna she had raven black hair that fell to her back. She had brown skin and a round face. At that time she looked exactly how Arianna looked now. "With this brain you can be anything you want"
"Arianna is going to be a detective!" Arianna chirped. She had just learnt the word detective a few days ago and had made up her mind to be detective.
"This again?" Her mother complained "being a detective is a dangerous job. There would be bad guys and big guns"
"Arianna will catch bad guys. Arianna will protect mommy and daddy." She cried proudly. Her mother sighed defeated.
"Well I did say you could be anything as long as you are happy. Listen Arianna" her mother lifted her from the rug unto her lap. "everyone has a book written about them and every decision they make, so make sure you live a life that is full of happiness and has a happy ending"
"Arianna will be a detective!" Her mother laughed. Of course she didn't understand she was just three after all.

Arianna opened her eyes. She had fallen asleep in front of her grandmother's door. After leaving the cafe she rushed home scared of what Juliana would have done with her grandmother. She kept banging at her door but she wouldn't respond. She was still mad at Arianna and she was bringing more bad news, she could hardly blame her. When she was sure her grandmother was inside and just giving her the silent treatment, she sat there and eventually fell asleep. It's been a while she dreamt of her parent or of the past. She didn't like to remember. She made a promise and couldn't keep it. She was the reason her parent's story didn't have a happy ending, she tore out the pages and left it incomplete. She killed them and now she was doing it again she was choosing her own story over everyone else's. Choosing her happiness over others. She stood up and went to the roof of her complex over looking the city. It was sunset and the street was getting crowded with night walkers.
"Mother, what do I do? I'm just doing what you asked, I'm making my story a happy one by doing what makes me happy. So why does it hurt so much? Why is it so lonely? It's your advice so explain it to me, tell me it's alright!" She screamed at no one in particular. Her throat hurt, her eye stung as tears rolled out. She fell against the rail and wept she hadn't cried this much in a while and pent up pain found ways to escape. Nightfall came and Arianna couldn't lift herself from the floor. She had to check on her grandmother and make sure she was alright, to apologize to tell her, to tell her she was right, to tell her she was going to live a normal life, she was going to start over.
"It's hard to sleep with all the noise you are making, this is directly above my room you know" her grandmother scolded.
"Ma?" Her godmother was behind her. Her nightdress ruffling in the wind "You were right, I don't want to do this anymore, I thought I was smart but I'm just so stupid I said I was going to protect my parents but I couldn't do anything. I can't loose you too you are all I have. We should leave here and go somewhere else somewhere faraway some-"
"There won't be need for that"
"But you will be in danger and I can't protect you.."
"Who told you it's your job to protect me? Don't look down on me little girl. When your mother told me she let you be a detective I was so angry she knows how dangerous it is. And guess what that rebellious punk told me, she said 'it's exciting so why not?'. You see this story isn't just about you it's about your mother, your pa, their parent and so on. We each contribute something different. Your mother lived a normal boring life so it would be boring to see you walk down the part too we need to show people we can do amazing stuffs too. I'm sorry for how I acted I'm just a grandmother and I get worried so, Arianna don't make us look lame by crying on the roof top. What will my friends think?" her grandmother said with a scoff. Despite this Arianna cried harder. Her grandmother drew her closer to her and stroked her hair
"But I'm sure my mother would have done more if if"
"Your mother got her happy ending when she had you. Yours will end too when you fulfill your dream" Arianna cried harder than ever "enough of that now let's go find something to eat"

They had barely sat at her ground mother's coffee table when someone banged on the door. The banging was so firm the intruder definitely wasn't waiting to be let him but for the door to fall apart. Arianna signaled her grandmother not to make a sound as she stalked to the kitchen, grabbed a knife and made for the door. The banging stoped and was followed by silent mumbles, two men definitely. Arianna peeped through the key hole, a bulky man stood feet's away a smaller man in front of him his back to the door. Holding her breath, she listened hoping to get any information on who sent them. As if noticing her presence the smaller man turned around and looked back through the peep hole. Arianna let out a gasp and backed away bumping into her grandmother.
"Who is it?" Her grandmother inquired
"Someone who might be a pain depending on what he might have heard"
"It's nice to see you again as well Arianna. Now can you let me in? This hallway is suffocating."
"Ma, go into the toilet, shut the door and don't make any noise"
"Definitely not! I'm not leaving you with whoever that is" her grandmother opposed
"I'll be fine he isn't an enemy we just need to talk"
"Well I'm good at talking as well, some even say I'm great at it" Arianna knew her grandmother was stubborn but this definitely wasn't the time.
"I know you are worried but I want to assure you that I'm not putting my life in any danger but I don't want you more involved than you already are. Ma I really need you to trusts me. Please."
Her grandmother let out a puff of air and sighed "but I'm coming out at the sound of any danger" her grandmother went into the bathroom reluctantly. Arianna waited for the sound of the lock before returning to the door. Fingers tight around the knife, she let out a deep breath and opened the door.
In the door way stood Mr. Louis, his hefty bouncer no where to be seen. Without his unusual sneer, he looked like a kind old man. Complimented by his two piece navy suit and missing tie.
"Did your bouncer go to reload his amour?" Arianna asked giving no room for him to make his way into the apartment.
"With his tight grip I doubt he would be able to take a calculated shot. You on the other hand are fully armed." He replied eyeing the knife in her grip
"One has to be wary in this part of town especially of men in expensive suits and practiced lines"
"Now now that's not a very nice thing to say to your comrades or should I call us playmates?"
"I think I prefer strangers better"