| Chapter 3 |
�How did it go?� Lance asked over the phone, bright and early the next morning. Chrissy sighed. �Not well, I�m afraid.� Lance moaned. �Why not?� �He said he didn�t need help, didn�t want help and was fine on his own.� �Do you mind if we tried one more time?� Chrissy smiled. �Of course not. That�s what I�m here for.� �Are you free today at 4 again?� �Yup, that sounds good to me.� �No Lance.� �Please? Please? Please?� �Why am I doing this?� JC thought outloud. �Fine. BUT NO MORE!� �Thank you,� Lance said. �You are supposed to be there at four.� JC hung up the phone and rubbed his throbbing temples. He noticed it was 3:45, so he got into his car and headed out. �Hi there,� Chrissy said as she saw JC approach the open door. �Come on in.� JC walked into the room and shut the door behind him. He looked at Chrissy, and once again got that overwhelming feeling he knew her from somewhere. A smile found its way to JC�s lips as he stared at Chrissy�s natural beauty. Her hair was pulled back only a little, letting most of it hang down the back. She was wearing glasses as she typed on the computer, but that stopped as JC took a seat in front of her desk. �Who�s that?� JC asked, pointing to a framed picture that sat on her desk. �That�s Zack, my son. That picture was taken a few months ago at his fourth birthday party.� �I don�t see a wedding ring. Where�s Zack�s father?� �We aren�t married.� �Oh, I see. Is he a good man?� Chrissy was startled by his forward question. She just stared at him, but then a smile spread across her lips. �Mr. Chasez, we are here to talk about you, not me.� JC leaned forward in his seat, so that he was staring right at her. �Call me JC, Miss. Smith, and I told you,� he leaned back in the seat. �I don�t need any help.� �Okay, Mr�.ugh, JC. If you don�t need any help, then why haven�t you been sleeping well?� �I don�t know,� he said, pretending to be interested in the picture on the floor that Chrissy had yet to hang on the wall. In reality, he was trying not to look at her, for fear of falling in love again. �You know what?� Chrissy said. She said it in such a voice that made JC look right at her. �I didn�t ask you to come here. Your friends asked me to talk to you because they are worried about you. You don�t have to talk to me, but your friends are paying for an hour long session, so we have to sit here for an hour, whether you talk or not!� JC was surprised at the tone of Chrissy�s voice, and for a second didn�t know how to respond. Finally, Chrissy put her glasses on, and went back to typing on her computer. �If I talk to you, will you keep it a secret?� Chrissy looked at the frightened man sitting in front of her. He looked back at her with innocent, blue eyes. He reminded her of a child, about to be punished for something he didn�t do. �Everything you say in here, remains between me and you.� JC nodded, but didn�t say anything. After a minute, Chrissy went back to typing. �I haven�t been sleeping well because I�m scared.� Chrissy took off her glasses and looked at JC as he began to speak. �I�m scared because I don�t know how I am going to raise my daughter alone.� �Is there anyone to help you with her? Like your friends, or parents, or�� �Well, I have a maid. She has been with us since before Zoe was born. She has become Zoe�s mother every since Julie died.� Tears were forming in his eyes, and he blinked them back, not wanting to cry in front of Chrissy. �But I need a permanent mother for her. Marie, the maid, might be moving to England to be closer to her family. Zoe will miss her, and I will miss her help. But I need a real mother for Zoe, someone who will be as good a mother as Julie was. I don�t know the first thing about raising a four-year old girl.� JC looked up at Chrissy, still holding back the tears. She was about to speak, when her secretary, Jane, buzzed her. �Chrissy, Ethan is on line one. I told him you were with a patient, but he said it�s important.� Chrissy hit the button. �Thanks Jane.� She turned to JC. �I�m sorry. I really have to take this call. It will be just a second, I promise.� �Oh, no problem! Go right ahead.� Chrissy picked up the phone and hit the button for line one. �Hello?� �You better get home right now before I kill this child,� Ethan�s gruff voice came over the phone. She could hear Zack screaming for mommy in the background. �I�ll be right there,� she said, slamming the phone down. She saved what was on her computer, and grabbed her bag, preparing to run out. �Is everything okay?� JC asked, standing up. �What�s wrong?� �Um�Zack is�sick,� she lied. �I need to go get some�Motrin. I�m sorry, can we finish this session tomorrow? I really want to keep talking with you.� �Of course. Four �o clock?� �Great. Don�t worry, I won�t charge you for tomorrow because we had to cut today short.� �That�s okay. I hope your son feels better. Good luck!� JC shouted behind her as she ran out of the office. |