Chapter 04 - Therapy

As I lay in bed that night, I thought about it. I was already facing some issues with the boys, but someone else coming into my life was too much. Dealing with EVE and all her issues, which were almost completely opposite to mine, was tricky.

The building was tall. Every week, it seemed to get bigger, as if I were seeing it for the first time. In fact, I couldn't even remember when I'd started therapy. It had been a long time—that much I knew.

"How were things this week?" the therapist asked me. It was such a common and boring question to answer that, if it were any other time, I would have huffed and puffed like a teenager and answered something idiotic, or I would have been very vague and direct, as I always was. The problem was that this time, the week hadn't been the same as the others.

"They were intense, I'd say," I replied. Of all the therapists I'd been to, he was the only one who managed to please EVE and me. In a way, the level of medication and crazy guidelines of the others made me think I was crazy. "Amelie," I said, finishing. He had instructed me to always let him know exactly who I was talking to. I often forgot to tell him, as if I could completely mask EVE's existence. I didn't hate her by any means, but I didn't relish the idea of having a different version of me who acted differently. Because of EVE's existence, I felt many things other than normal. She and I really were one when it came to the physical.

"Right, Amelie," he said, making a note on the chart. I had several cards. Red for Amelie, and blue for EVE. Strangely well-balanced. "Has anything happened this week?" he wanted to know.

"I had a relapse about the incident," I said. At the time everything happened, therapy had been a great help. "I messed things up with a very important client. I didn't want to remember, in fact, EVE didn't want me to remember. You know, I don't do it, she does it, so it was her, not me," I said, trying to express everything I could. I always feared that people would confuse us.

"Have you noticed that EVE often tries to protect you?" he asked me. "Maybe she's like an older sister. Think of her as a twin," he said, trying to make me think. It wasn't the first time he'd mentioned something like that.

"Would it be like one of those cases where one brother eats the other?" I asked. It wasn't that, but adding a spice of humor was good. Dr. Hans didn't usually laugh, but you could see his delight in-jokes in the look in his eyes. For some reason, I could understand him very well.

"Anyway, Amelie. I think the incident still plays a strong role for you. Of course, you won't get over anything very quickly, but it's clear that you have a problem there," he said. Then I didn't say anything, and the atmosphere became a dramatic pause of pure silence. "There's something else bothering you. I know that," he said, with such conviction that if there wasn't, I'd make it so.

"A different client came in this time. He's very important, and he's very interested in me," I said, now remaining serious because this matter would go on for a while as long as I didn't resolve it.

"Did you mean EVE?" he asked, ready to write whatever was in my file. "When you say the client wants someone, is that her?" he asked.

"That's the question here," I started to say. "He wants both of us," I told him. He seemed surprised by what I'd said. "This has never happened before, I mean, I know that Dorian and Axel know about everything, but I know exactly what they think about it," I blurted out. I had to admit a few times that I wasn't happy with the idea of not being accepted, but if I stopped to think about it, I would realize that, in fact, the likelihood of it all making sense was very low.

I stayed in the office and talked for a while longer. Then, after an hour, I finally left. On the first floor, Dorian was already waiting for me.

"I thought I was going to have a double session. I've been waiting for a while," he said. Dorian didn't like waiting. It was one of the reasons I'd chosen him to be the cashier. To build patience. On the other hand, at night, he did everything quickly and efficiently, throwing the progress of patients in the garbage can.

"I need therapy, Dorian. You know that," I said as I opened the car door and sat down beside him. "The sessions are good for me," I said, as I sighed at having completed one of the day's plans.

"If EVE didn't exist, I wouldn't need this," he commented as he started the car. I knew Dorian. "My God, Amelie. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that, I just…" he tried to say.

"I know you, Dorian," I said. "That's why I'm getting out of the car," I said as I opened the door. He tried to stop me, but just as I knew him, he knew there was no point in insisting. As soon as I got out of the car, I could see him hitting the steering wheel, as if punishing himself. I knew he didn't mean it, at least not out loud. I watched the car drive away as I walked to the available cab.

I got into the cab, sighing. Fighting with Dorian wasn't good for me. I really liked him, but something was holding me back. EVE was holding me back. No, maybe it wasn't her fault.

"Where do you want to go, Miss Amelie?" the driver asked me. Startled, I asked him if he knew my name. He didn't answer immediately, so I looked at the car, seeing the doors were locked. I shouted for him to let me out while I tried to open the door. "I can't let you go, Amelie. My boss told me to take you to him. We're going," he said, turning on the car and driving off.

"Boss? What the fuck kind of boss?" I shouted, asking. Then my cell phone rang, displaying an unknown number. Still scared and seeing an opportunity to call for help, I answered immediately, but before I could say anything, he spoke first.

"Hello, ladies," he said. Carbon. It was Carbon Moz.