Therapist's therapy

Love at first embrace

Travis was sulking in his room and wouldn't even come out for dinner.
"Won't you go see him?" Mr. Benson asked Arianna who sat adjacent to him on the dining table depressingly stuffing her face.
"Can't give what you don't have" was her simple reply spiting out sprinkles of sauce. He just sighed and continued his meal. Arianna was about to go main course when Louis stormed in.
"While you sorry asses were wasting gas some of us got real work done" he barked chewing something as he always did. Arianna didn't raise her head meeting his eyes would destroy the remaining speck of integrity she had. He settled opposite her tossing a file at the only space between them that wasn't decorated with delicacies. Arianna scanned the file suspiciously she had a sense of dejavuu from earlier. Wiping her hand on the napkin, she drew the file to herself and pulled it open.
It was the will, the actual real deal, authentic and all. Arianna chocked on air "How did you get this?" Louis smirked dramatically stuffing his plate with all sorts of ingredients. "Stole a copy of it of course" he said matter of factly.
"Well we tried to do just that I failed woefully so how??"
"Well it takes years of experience but a little quiz for the youngling" Arianna straightened attentive "if you want to steal a large amount of money from a rich man where would you go?" Arianna didn't need to think "the bank of course" her eyes widened as she realized "you stole it from the lawyer!"
"Bingo! A million points" he praised. Arianna wasn't convinced. "But if Julianna was forging it then the lawyer wouldn't have had it" she challenged
"Well you could say I had a little faith in you kids"
"How do you even know..?" Arianna trailed. Louis signaled to Mr. Benson "he isn't only overprotective he is a creep" Mr. Benson didn't look offended so Arianna didn't press the matter.
"Anyways" Mr. Benson said cutting short the back and forth " aren't we interested in the content?"
"Yeah I've been holding myself back from reading it on the way here, won't be exciting" Ariana eyed the file, for some reason she couldn't bring herself to open it, it probably had something to do with the fact that everything relied on this. "I'll get Travis, it's only right we read it in his presence" they nodded in agreement and Arianna strolled upstairs walking as slow as possible. She had this nagging feeling that it's all going to end when they read the will. She didn't know if it was in their favor or not, she just couldn't come up with any motivation. She soft tapped on door expecting no response at least she would buy five minutes. She leaned against his door and closed her eyes.

Travis finally got out of bed after two hours of staring at the ceiling. Him sullying won't change the past and it certainly wasn't changing the future. He was still deep in mental soliloquy that he didn't hear the soft tap on the door. He pulled on his shirt and headed for the door, if he was paying attention he would have seen the shadow lurking at the foot of the door but with brave determination he pulled it open. He didn't see her until she fell softly on his chest. Caught off guard, he stumbled backwards falling with his bum on the rug Arianna on his chest between his legs. Was she asleep?
"Are you okay? What's wrong?" He raised her chin to look up at him when he noticed the tear trace and trembling lips "You're crying? Did something happen?" Travis was confused he didn't know what to do? Should he move or stay still? What was he to say? He had always seen Arianna as a strong but delicate lady but this vulnerability was beyond his imagination.
"I don't want it to end" she sobbed it took Travis great concentration to hear her.
"You don't want what to end? What's going on?" If this was the other way around Arianna would have been able to figure out what this was about but Travis just wasn't that smart. "Ariana please just tell me what going on?" It was the only thing he could think to say. She looked up at him tears speared on her face. "I don't want to have to leave. I don't want you to stop needing me" Travis' heart ached she looked so delicate and felt so small he wanted to embrace her forever but he felt that wasn't enough he wanted to kiss her but he felt scared that if he did he would lose her. He loved Arianna he always had but he didn't know how she felt about him. He knew she liked Jasper but maybe.. just maybe.
"I'll always need you Arianna now and forever. I can't even imagine living without you because I" soft lips stopped his thought. It was as though the kiss stopped his body from functioning he couldn't move, think or feel. Her lips her barely on his as though something was holding her back. Travis finally regained his senses and pulled her away" because I love you Arianna. Now and always" he cupped her head in his hands and kissed her. For now he wasn't going to let Arianna take the lead this one time he was going to help her.

The day of the will reading was like every other day dreadfully hot. Arianna was about to give up and go back home to surf for new apartment online rather than in person when she met someone she definitely didn't intend to see at least not on such as important day. Jasper stood few steps away from her looking stunning in the blazing sun Arianna found her heart beating so fast she thought she was going to get a heat stroke.
"Planing to move to this neighborhood?"
"Not anymore" he chuckled and closed the gap. Arianna opened it not cause she was on guard but because she couldn't trust herself so close to him.
"Today was the Will reading the fight is over shouldn't we call a truce?"
"Why are you here Jasper?"
"I know I deserve it but it still hurts when you look at me like that" Arianna's vengeful eyebrows didn't budge. "Look we are outsiders we should let this family squabble get to us so much. We were simple sub actors in that old man's cruel play" Arianna strolled to a nearby bench and sat down she was dehydrated and exhausted but she knew Jasper won't let her go until she heard what he had to say.
"What are you even talking about?" Jasper joined her on the bench  leaving a generous distance between them which Arianna appreciated his cologne would do nothing but damage her.
"Since I can't get you interested in anything I guess I'll tell you everything although it's no long story" when he say he had her attention he continued. "This whole thing was plabned by Travis' grandfather just to teach her a lesson. Well not planner per say but he just wrnt along with it. He knew about everything from julinanna's affair to Harry amd Julianna's plot to make him the heir. Hr didnt really have a problem with it because he though Harry was far more capable than travis" Jasper expected her ti give atleast a reaction but nothing happened she just stared ahead listening "what made him mad was the fact that she wanted to cut across him to do it. If she had asked him he would have named Harry heir immdiately but she chose to rebel and do things her way and he just happened to be a proud and pettly person so he let her for her to see no matter what shr did he still held the abundant power"
"So he chose his pride over putting his company in good hands. There is indeed a thin line between pride and foolishness" Arianna finally said. All this was indeed surprising but Arianna didn't feel anything anymore "I'm not one to talk though he sure had me fooled. We wouldn't have won without him"
Jasper sighed "I wonder about that, bringing Mr. Benson back from the dead was definitely a move I can't see Julianna countering"
"Well all this doesn't matter he still got what he wanted trick or no trick he got a hit on Julianna and still has someone competent to run his company" Arianna replied
"Yeah I guess. Travis' announcement refusing to take over as heir was a nasty surprise" Arianna smiled the events of that night in Travis' room replaying in her mind.
"He sure is full of surprises" Arianna's phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled it out fiancé flashed the screen Jasper saw it and smiled.
"Well, you better get back to house hunting he isn't very patient when he is excited" Jasper said getting up "I trust you made the right decision" he smiled and walked away. The Igbo decision? Arianna thought there wasn't such a thing. Arianna was a smart lady she never followed her heart but always made the logical choice. How selfish she thought.