Painted Hearts | ✔️

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CHAPTER 10

  "Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I'm not living."
 -Jonathan Safran Foer

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The wooden blue cuckoo bird fell forward and hit the mini wooden clock and then swung back in to place. It repeated the action, making the ticking noise of a clock in this awkward silence.

"Tell me about your week, Scarlett." Dr. Decker says, finally breaking his silent state.

"My week was good. I felt a little down, but then I hung out with Zoey and felt much better afterwards." I fumbled with my hands.

"That is good to hear, I like that you took my advice of what to do when you feel down." He readjusted his black rimmed glasses, then folded his hands on top of his giant wooden desk. "How are you feeling with your parents' anniversary coming up soon?"

"I'm still sad, but not depressed I guess. I'm still allowed to be sad aren't I?"

"Of course dear, a loss such as yours can bring much pain to one, but you can not stop living."

"I'm living." I'm breathing, I'm smiling, I'm existing yet I feel like I'm not living. And I couldn't tell anyone that, they wouldn't understand.

"How about getting over your past?" He asked.

"Yeah I guess, I mean I've started talking to my old friend I lost last year. Alex." I said a little awkwardly.

Dr. Decker smiled, "wonderful, and what did you and Alex talk about."

"A lot of things, we went out for ice cream."

"So you're socializing again, accepting people in your life. And most importantly your forgiving. Your letting go of your past."

"Yeah... or I'm just starting with a clean slate."

♡♡♡

Bree instructed me to come down at seven for dinner, she felt we hadn't eaten together in a long time. She felt that we should do more activities together, to build relations.

I think she had a talk with Dr. Decker too.

I walked down to the kitchen ten minutes before seven and saw Bree stirring some gravy, a few strands of her hair falling loose out of her bun. Bree didn't always cook, being busy with work, but when she did, she always had the most exquisite meals prepared.

I remember mom's cooking, everyday the mouth watering aroma of her food would float around the house, and she'd always hum or tap her foot along to a song while she'd cook. After a while, Logan started hanging around the kitchen and watched her cook, he'd even help her, making him the second best chef in the world.

"Whatchya cookin' up?" I asked walking in to take a look in the pot.

Bree looked up, "Scarlett, dear, I didn't even see you walk in. I'm cooking mushroom and bell pepper gravy, with a side of baked Tandoori chicken, you'll love it."

"I'll set the table." I suggested, picking up cutlery and plates. I walked to the dining table and put down three plates and spoon sets, and Bree brought out the food.

"Aah, smells delicious hon." Dave joined us on the table soon enough. He was still in his work attire, loosening his tie, he started serving himself.

"How was work?" Bree asked, picking up her glass of wine.

Dave grunted, "the usual, some of the partners are tryna sell some people out of the company." He says, waving his fork at us. "Well, I'm not goin' anywhere, they can take their plans and shove it up-"