You and Tequila

Chapter Forty-Four

Regina trudges her heavy feet toward Dr. Hopper's office for her first one-on-one session with her new psychiatrist. Her skin is crawling for the heavenly taste of a tiny pill, but of course, she's still detoxing. Ruth had showed up early that morning to offer her a small dose of Xanax to begin the process of weaning her off the highly addictive prescription. The nurse explained how every week the milligrams will decrease until her body doesn't feel the need for their use any longer.

Well...she's needing them right now, especially if she's being forced to open up and share her actual feelings.

"Regina," Archie smiles and motions for her to take a seat on the couch next to his desk. "How are you feeling today? Tell me about your morning," he overly enthuses like he's actually enthralled by the idea of her eating breakfast and using the restroom without assistance.

"Ruth barged in, offered three-quarters of a bar of Xanax, checked my mouth like a dog, then I ate breakfast, went to a meeting, cleaned the bathroom upstairs and then came here," she flatly replies, sounding as monotone as a human possibly can without causing suspicion on being an actual robot.

"And are you still feeling as positive about moving forward in the program as yesterday?"

"Of course," she scoffs at the implication and rolls her eyes just as she always does when she's irritated.

And it's not that she's agitated with Archie, because she's not, she genuinely likes the man. It's more that her nerves are working on overdrive and missing another dose of that sweet salvation of a bar.

"Wonderful. Where would you like to begin?"

"I-I don't know," she timidly answers, picking at her nail-beds as a way to distract her mind from the interrogation she knows is coming and will inevitably rip her heart right out of her chest.

"Alright. How about, why you are here? I know you explained the two people you care very deeply for, how about we discuss them?"

She shakes her head as her eyes instantly fill with tears and her heart fills with dread and regret from the damage she caused. "I'm...I don't think..."

"Is one of them your boyfriend, Robin, from that band, Outlaw?"

Regina groans, slapping both hands over her face as her head falls back against the couch. "No," comes out muffled against her palms, because fuck, she's so screwed up.

"Alright..." when she doesn't elaborate, Archie proceeds to help ease the tension radiating from her rigid body. "Would you like me to continue guessing or would you like a minute to gather your thoughts?" She simply groans again, her hands portraying a curtain to keep her securely hidden from her harsh reality. "I have no problem waiting for you," he kindly acknowledges and by his tone alone, she believes in his words.

Slowly, her hands slip away from her blushing cheeks and twiddle anxiously in her lap again. "I-uh...guess I need to confess..."

"I assure you, everything in here is confidential."

"Okay..." She exhales out all her fears and apprehension about the topic she usually skates around and never openly admits. "Robin isn't my boyfriend. He's just a friend, a very kind one who plays the part for my reputation," she reluctantly admits, tugging even harder on her knuckles as the anxiety of her true identity slowly creeps to the surface.