Snakes and Splinters [PUBLISHED]

9

© Jojo B 2018

All rights including those in copyright in the content of this story are owned by Jojo B. It's Illegal to steal and/or copy.

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Snakes and Splinters

9

Before I knew it, it was Saturday and I was up and ready for my counselling session with Pandora. I kissed Walter goodbye as he lay in the bed and left the house after a light breakfast. I put on my coat and took the tube to my destination. Pandora Andris called me into her office after a few minutes and I got up and joined her inside with a wide smile.

She asked me how I was as I sat in the sofa and she took her place in her armchair.

"I'm good thanks," I answered. "And yourself?"

"Very well thank you. So how has this past week been for you?" Pandora asked me, sliding her sleek dark hair out of her face with one of her bright red nails.

"It's been...eventful," I said after a thought.

She raised her eyebrows in interest, "Would you like to share?"

I nodded, thinking of where to begin.

"Well I had a nightmare this week actually," I remembered the feeling of panic and then Walter soothing me.

"How did that come about?" a cloud of concern fell across her face.

"I'm sure it was triggered by someone else's anger," I said vaguely, recalling Phoenix's shouting. "I'm not sure. There was some shouting. Walter's brothers were probably fighting. You know, boys being boys."

She mirrored my smiled and nodded, "That's to be expected of them, yes. What you just described to me though was your sub consciousness reacting to outer factors...strong emotions that are emitted from others near you. Rage, for example. During your abuse were you subject to that?"

I nodded, the truth being: somewhat yes.

Pandora continued with a sympathetic expression, "It's a natural reaction, but as time goes on you will learn to move past it," she said to me.

"Yeah," I said. "Like you did."

She smiled, "Yes. The nightmare you had, did it hinder any progress with your self confidence? With Walter maybe? Sometimes past memories can cause people to go backwards with the improvements they have made."

I understood what she was saying. Ultimately I didn't want to freak out each time I got intimate with Walter and recently that hadn't been the case actually. It was rather the opposite. A small blush coloured my cheeks as I sent her a smile.

"It didn't actually," I answered Pandora. "I've actually made a little more progress."

She raised her eyebrows and smiled in pleasant surprise, "That's good. And there were no feelings of panic and fear? Quite like the ones you had described to me in the beginning?"

I shook my head, "No. Walter was careful as usual and I don't know...I just went along with it."

I could tell Pandora was happy for me and she grinned, making me blush even more as I remembered the moment Walter and I had shared in his car on that impulsive, yet wonderful date we had had.

I smiled a little, "I think...I think I'm finally getting over this problem of mine."

***

I arrived at work soon after and raised my brows in surprise when I saw the leaders of both the Simpson Snakes and the Santiago Splinters already together seated inside.