Lockjaw (Joshler)

8. Secrets

***Trigger warning for mentions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.***

Start the song. It's Vacation by Florist.

As terrible as Tyler felt about it, he kept glancing at the clock on the wall during sessions. It was still only fifteen minutes to five, but he wasn't sure if an hour was going to fly past the moment he looked away. He wasn't going to be late getting home tonight. He knew it was important to Jenna, and honestly, it was important to him too.

This was Tyler's last session of the evening, so he really should stop worrying. He'd get off work well before seven. This was an easy client too. She only ever really needed someone to vent to for thirty minutes before she was in good shape. He always made sure to give her some tips on coping skills and to help her process things, but that was all she ever really needed from him. Her session flew by just as quickly as the others had, and he was walking her out in no time.

"Thanks Dr. Joseph! Have a nice night," she told him with a smile as she left.

"You too," he replied cheerfully, mostly because he was so relieved to be done for the day.

He went back into his office, determined to finish his paperwork as quickly as possible. It looked like he'd be able to finish it up and still be home on time. Just the thought of coming home to Jenna was enough to give him the energy to work more quickly and efficiently than he ever had before.

Barely ten minutes had passed by before the receptionist, Hayley, poked her head into his office. "Hey, Tyler. Do you have time for one more session? If you don't have time, I can call in Dr. Stump or someone, but she's technically one of your clients right now."

Tyler looked at the clock. It was 5:30. He'd still be done by 6:30 if he did one more session, and he could take his paperwork home with him. He could still make it on time.

Smiling a bit tiredly at Hayley, he replied, "Yeah, of course."

She smiled back cheerfully. "Perfect. Um," she looked down at the sticky note in her hand. "Abigail Dun's mom is bringing her and her brother in. She said it's not an emergency that Abigail speaks to you, but that she really thinks Abigail needs to talk to someone right now. Her brother is coming with her. Mrs. Dun sounded really flustered."

Tyler nodded, instantly standing and going to his supply cupboard. He opened it before unloading all of the art supplies he had in it: coloured pencils, watercolour paints, clay, markers, crayons, paper, paint brushes, glitter, etc. Hayley watched him for a moment before disappearing back out of his office.

It only took Tyler a second to fix the cushions on his couch and to arrange the art supplies on the worn coffee table in front of it. He tried to make the room as comfortable for Abbie as possible given how difficult it was to get her to talk. She's opened up earlier in the week when she'd been able to draw, so he'd make sure she had access to that.

Hayley poked her head in again. "They're here."

"Thank you," he told her as he followed her back out of his office and through the door that led to the waiting room.

Abbie and her brother, who looked just a bit older, were both staring into space. They were holding hands, but they weren't speaking to each other. Whatever was going on that had called for both of them to come in, it was affecting them both equally.

"Hi, guys. You wanna come on back?" Tyler asked them warmly.

Abbie didn't stand up instantly, her gaze remaining locked on some part of the carpet. Her brother stood though, tugging her up with him. She kept her head down as she allowed her brother to lead her through the building behind Tyler to his office. He made sure Abbie sat down before he did while Tyler closed the door. Neither of the kids said a word as Tyler sat down on his chair.