Time To Live

Chapter 15: Psychiatry

Doctor Walters was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees as he spoke in his gentle blend of comfort and confidence. "Please understand, Jenna, that this is not a couple's therapy appointment. You are not my client and my concern is for Christopher's mental health and well-being. You are here because he wishes for you to be present, but I am not an intermediary in this relationship. Therefore, I must repeat: this is not a couple's therapy session."

Jenna nodded and seemed to respect his candor. "I understand, doctor. However, there is no relationship between your patient and I, so there's no need for preservation. He is simply the father of my child, and that's it. I came today at Chris' request out of respect for my son – not Chris."

Chris' expression fell and his face paled, but he sat motionless on the sofa beside his ex-girlfriend and said not a word.

At his normally talkative client's silence, Dr. Walters turned his attention toward Chris and tried to catch his avoidant gaze. "Alright, let's discuss why we are here then. Christopher informs me that you wish to legally change your son's surname to your family's name?"

"Yes," Jenna nodded. "I do not want Christian to be stuck with the name Cerulli."

Chris looked stung, but Dr. Walters didn't flinch. "Why would having the name Cerulli leave your child, as you say, stuck?"

Jenna's forehead wrinkled at this question and she seemed to slow her roll to consider his words. Ultimately, she shrugged it all off. "Maybe a better choice of words would have been that I don't want my son to have the surname of a man who is nothing more than a sperm donor. That is all Chris has ever been to Christian, and there's no need for Christian to bear his name."

Dr. Walters gestured toward his patient. "What do you have to say to this, Christopher?"

Chris sat stone sill beside his ex, refusing to meet her eyes and instead focusing all of his energy on his psychiatrist. "I would very much like a relationship with my son," he squeaked out, "or at least a chance at one."

Dr. Walters nodded slowly, looking pensive. "Miss Jenna, what do you say to this?"

"He is a little too late for that," Jenna frowned. She too refused to look at the man seated right beside her, and instead focused her bitter gaze on the doctor. "This is all too little, much too late."

Dr. Walters glanced first to his client and then to the young woman. It had already been discussed in their last session that Jenna's response was likely to be exactly this, and Chris had given the psychiatrist express consent to discuss his therapy with his ex-girlfriend. And so, the doctor dug deeper. "Jenna, my client has been attending our counseling sessions for nearly four months now, twice a week. This is a particularly intensive approach to individual therapy, but Christopher felt that it was necessary to go all-in in order to face his personal demons."

"Good for him," Jenna smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.