Salt And Pepper

His: Session #1

As I stood there in the hallway looking at my own pieces that adorned it, two things played on my mind. One was how Bryce had sniffed this mystery shrink out, someone who knew Amanda, and the other was if I should actually give it a shot. Anyone even remotely related to Amanda was someone I wanted to be close to. I've been known to visit her dentist for checkups that were a little too regular, asking about a specific patient of his, what her treatments were, if she ever seemed scared of the drill. I would smile on the dentist's accounts, completely ignoring his reactions.

So why not the shrink who knew her. Maybe I don't even need to talk about myself. Or maybe I could and finally someone would understand what was actually up with me instead of telling me to meditate everyday. Probably I could even convince her to write REAL prescriptions for Xanax but that seemed like too long a shot.

I heard a pair of heels coming towards me and I quickly turned around to be greeted by a half hearted smile.

"Where has this guy dug you out from? You don't really look like a New Yorker," I say.

"Hell. Let's just get started?" she says.

"Wow they made YOU a psychologist?" I say, taken aback. I turn to Bryce and say "Well this was nice. Ciao!"

"You're not stepping out of the building. Miss Hansen..." Bryce speaks for the first time in a while.

"Pepper," the lady interrupts.

"Yes, Pepper here has come from Nebraska to help you. And there's a specific reason I've summoned her especially and you both very well know what that is," Bryce exclaims, sternly. "Pepper, I suggest you start right away and once again, welcome to the Big Apple," he says and walks off.

"You've brought me away from my family, I can help you if you let me" Pepper says.

"Umm.. no I haven't and I seriously doubt the latter. Now tell me how you knew Amanda and please just leave me alone."

"We went to Nebraska State together. Roomies, actually. She took Pol Science while I studied psychology. And believe me, I hate me being here more than you do," she said, leading the way to a room, with the words "Pepper Hansen" already on its door.

"Aren't you temporary?" I ask

"I guess you need a lot of fixing. Enough to keep me here for a while," came the reply.

"Though seriously who gave you a degree? Aren't shrinks supposed to be all comforting and supportive?"

"That's not how I roll"

"How you roll? This isn't the 90's, you know?" I mumble as the door slams shut.

"SO. Mr Salt, after that lovely introduction, why don't we start anew? Hi, I'm Pepper Hansen, I'm here from Nebraska to help you cope through whatever you are going through. Any questions?" She asks.

"Where exactly in Nebraska?" I ask. I like pissing people off. One of the few things that still gives me pleasure, honestly.

"Does it matter?" she asks, already red.

"Well, no but you asked me to ask you questions and well since I don't trust you a bit to help me pick up a brush again, how about we go for dinner tonight?" I say.

"I would ignore all of that and everything you say except why and how you're in the state you are right now and as for the last bit, in your wildest dreams," she says.

"My girlfriend was shot within 20 feet of me. It's really that simple," I speak, putting on a douche-smile and the best brave face I could.

"Well she was also a really close friend of mine. Now how do you propose we proceed with all of this?"

"Unless you have someone who can resurrect the dead, I propose we don't. Write me a prescription and we can both be free."

"Tell me the first word that comes to your mind when I say the following- Life"

"-Over"

"Love"

"-Lost"

"Colour"

"-Vermillion"

"Um are you really that negative or are you that desperate to get me out of here."

"I can't help with either of the two," I say cheekily.

"Well. I need some time off to think what could be done with you. That is it for today."

"Seriously? 10 minutes? Hell, I might start liking you"

"I pray with all my might that never happens, Mr Salt. Good day," she walks off, leaving me alone with my thought.

Was I really that negative?