In the bustling city of Melbourne, Cassalia and Blake are excited to embark on a new chapter of their lives, hoping to have a smooth and delightful first year at Melbourne University, where every moment will be beautiful and unforgettable.
However...
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Mandy's gentle voice fills the room as our online therapy session draws to a close. "I will see you in our next session," she says, her words carrying a sense of comfort.
"Thank you," I reply with a slight nod before ending the virtual session. As I sit there, lost in my thoughts, my girl enters the room, a cup of coffee in hand, her presence a comforting balm to my spirit.
Her eyes search mine and she mouths "Are you guys done?" With a curt nod, I confirm that we're done, pulling her onto my lap after she hands me the cup. "How was it?" Her eyes search mine, her gaze filled with worry.
"Less intense compared to the in-person session I had on Monday," I begin, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Sharing recent events and revisiting my past was what made the session hard, but I'm finding it easier to open up to her now."
There's a fleeting expression in her eyes, one that I catch before she can conceal it. "Have you thought of seeing her again?" I gently ask, "I'm not pushing that you do," I reassure her, "I just wanted to find out your state of mind right now and if you are okay?"
She shifts her gaze away from me, her eyes clouded with the weight of her thoughts. "The session that I had with Mandy wasn't easy for me," she confesses, her voice barely above a whisper. "I won't really mention the second one since I rushed out the second I saw you. The first was worse because I was forced to go back to that space, and I think the worst part of it all is that I don't remember anything about that night. I can only recall some of the person's words, and that's just moments when he was undressing me. After that, I don't remember anything."
A tear slides down her cheek, and I feel a pang in my chest at her pain. Setting the coffee on the bedside table, I pull her into a comforting embrace. "Do you want to see her again?" I gently wipe her tears. "It doesn't have to be in person if you don't feel comfortable. You can try the virtual one. The nice thing about the virtual one is that you can just shut the laptop if you don't feel like you're not up for it," I add, hoping to bring a smile to her face.
A small, tentative smile curves her lips, breaking through the tears. "Isn't that a bit harsh?" her voice tinges with amusement.
"Not even. I'm pretty sure she's used to it," I respond, returning her smile. As she leans down, our foreheads meet, and we stay silent for a moment.
