Bittersweet

Doctor's appointment

"So Mr Snow, I understand you've had a troubled childhood."
Dr Padelecki stated from across the table while scribbling something in his notebook.

Aaron stared at him with a blank look. The doctor cleared his throat and took off his glasses.

"I understand you've had sessions with several therapists in the past too, is that correct?"

"Yes," Aaron replied. His green eyes scanned the office subtly....it's been a while since his last session with a therapist.

Doctor Padelecki scribbled something into his note.

"You've been having reoccurring nightmares and you've been having trouble sleeping?"

"Yes." Another monotonous response.

"Would you like to talk about these nightmares?"

"No." He replied.

"Mr Snow you've been having sleepless nights. I think you sharing these nightmares might give us a kind of insight-"

"On what?" Aaron's steely eyes locked with the man sitting across the table from him, cold and unyielding.

"Well, insight into where the problem truly lies." The doctor said.

Aaron stared out the window. He was silent for a while then he started the dream he had two nights before, it was the same dream over and over again.

He hadn't been able to sleep and it all started that fateful night in his car as they were coming back from the orphanage.

When she had touched his hand, what he had felt had been indescribable and he knew that night something changed, he didn't really know what but something changed.

"What do you think may be the cause of this dream?" Doctor Padelecki asked.

"It was her," Aaron said absentmindedly.

"Her?" He looked up at the doctor.

"Who is this 'her'?" The doctor asked. Aaron didn't reply.

"Mr Sn-"

"I don't want to talk about it," Aaron stated.

"Why not?" He asked. Again Aaron didn't reply.

Dr Padelecki exhaled.

"Mr Snow, we're not making much progress here. You have to cooperate for this to work."

"I'm sorry, please proceed."

"First, who is this 'her'?" The doctor enquired.

A pause.

"Her name's Sarah." Aaron watched him as he scribbled something in his note.

"Okay. Who is Sarah to you?"

"She..." He faltered.

And that was the dilemma.

'Who was Sarah to him?'

He's never even called her by her first name before. So, apart from being his PA, who was Sarah Anderson really to him?

"She's my Personal Assistant." He replied.

"What is your relationship with her?" The doctor continued.

"Professional." He replied almost immediately.

"Well Mr Snow, that is a little hard to understand." The doctor uncrossed his legs.

"Why is that?" Aaron's eyes hardened.