STALKED AND STOLEN

Chapter 19

I sat across from my dad in the waiting room, eyeing him up. He'd went from on the verge of a nervous breakdown, to sitting like a king in his usual suit and tie. His shoes shined so much I could see my reflection in them. He sat reading a flyer he'd just picked up off the rack on the wall.

The lines in his forehead crinkled every so often, then he put I back and picked up another. Dad had always been tough, he was known for being a tough man, professional, and a brick wall. I knew him more as the man who had the strongest and best arms for hugs. He did the best aeroplanes and was somebody I trusted with my life.

"Zoe," a woman said from the doorway. I looked up to see a middle aged woman smiling at me. White curly hair hung down to her shoulders, and a crystal dangled from her neck. Her yellow blouse was too bright to look at.

I looked back to my dad, I wanted him to save me from this. I wanted him to take me home.

"You can do it. I'll be right here if you need me," he said. He put the flyer on the little white table next him and gave my hand a squeeze.

I stand up, wiping my sweaty hands on my jeans, and I follow the woman through the waiting room and into her office.

"Please take a seat, Zoe.' She gestured to two fabric covered sofas that faces each other. I noticed immediately how calming the room felt with its cream walls, white shutters and shelves of green plants. Everything was neutral, the only colour coking from her top.

"I'm Dr Henshaw, you can call me Margaret," she said. She sat down and I copied. She picked up a clipboard from the table next to her and placed it on her knee, a silver pen resting in her hand. "So, we can start however you like. Do you want to tell me a little bit about yourself?" her voice sounded light and calm, like one of those hypnotherapists.

I shrugged my shoulder and my eyeballs rolled around as I thought hard about the question.

"Would you like me to start?"

I nodded and played with the zip on my open jacket.

"Alrigth. Well, I'm Margaret, I have a dog named Misty. I have four children who are all grown up now. I've been married twenty five years. I like cooking. I love cooking actually."

"I'm Zoe, I guess I like reading and watching movies." I shrugged. My whole life could be explained in just one sentence. It was depressing. "Oh, I like animals too."

"Oh, what's your favourite animal?" she said, smiling at me. I couldn't help but think she was easing me into something else. This was small tall, she really didn't care if I adored rats or lions.

"I know why I'm here. My dad made me come, bit I know I don't need therapy," I said.

"And why do you think your dad would send you here?"

"Because of what happened to me."

"And what happened to you?"

And there it was. Oh, she was good.

"Well, I think we both know what happened. I was kidnapped." I laughed and rolled my eyes.

"And how does that make you feel? How are you dealing with what happened to you?" she sat forward, crossing her arm across the other one and giving me a sympathetic smile.

"Is what I say in this place private?" I said, looking around the room for a camera or an extra person.

"Whatever is said in here will be kept between us. The only reason I would disclose what we spoke about is if I thought you, or anyone else was in danger."

I nodded and sat back. I couldn't trust her. I didn't know who I could trust and it was frustrating.

"Being kidnapped wasn't that bad. I mean, it was horrible and scary, and there was moments I wished never happened. But, I dunno..." I said, staring off into the distance. "Something else happened while I was there. It's like I saw another side to life. I've spent so much time locked up, ive never really met any ordinary people before, especially not people like him."