Read Online And Then Came A Lion (Lions and Lambs Book 1) by Cecilia Marie Pulliam - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cecilia Marie Pulliam
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doctor.
His assistant answered. “Dr. Baum is with a patient, but I’ll ask him for a referral and call you back.”
“Thanks.” Susannah ended the call and laid her phone on the counter.
The garage door opened. Buddy barreled into Mark. He set his brief case and a brown sack on the counter, bent down, and patted Buddy.
Susannah sniffed the air. “Wow. That smells good.”
“I didn’t think you’d have dinner ready this early, so I stopped and grabbed some chicken and salad.”
“How come you’re home so early?”
“I was caught up enough I didn’t feel I needed to stay.”
He grabbed her and nuzzled her ear. Susannah giggled and squirmed away.
Mark went over to the pantry and looked in. “Do we still have that bottle of wine?”
“I believe so.” She walked over and gently shoved him aside. “Go change. I’ll find the wine and set everything up.”
“Are you sure you’re feeling well enough?” He touched her face near the scar, now hidden beneath her hair.
“I’m fine. Okay, better.”
“Have you decided what you’re going to do about a therapist?”
“Yes, I’ve called Dr. Baum and asked for a referral.”
“Not going to use the one that the last one offered?”
She shook her head. “No. I want a counselor, not a physic scientist.”
“Okay, then why the glum look?”
“The last one didn’t work out too well. How do I know another will?”
Mark gathered her into his arms. “Honey, I know Dr. Baum will know of someone that will be a good fit.” He kissed her hair. “I know this is hard for you, but don’t you realize seeking help is a very brave thing? It takes a lot of courage. Don’t let others’ perceived opinions ruin your chance to heal.”
She nodded and mumbled a halfhearted agreement.
***
Susannah leaned her elbows on the table and watched Rachel take a tray of cookies from the oven and set it on the counter. “Can I help?”
“Pour coffee?”
Susannah nodded, walked over, and pulled mugs down from the cupboard. She filled two mugs and carried them to the table.
Rachel set cookies on two plates. One plate she laid on a tray with two glasses of milk and carried it into the family room. A few minutes later, she was back with the empty tray. She picked up the second plate and set it on the table in front of Susannah.
She sat opposite. “That should keep the cherubs quiet for a few minutes, that and one of their favorite movies. How they can watch the same one over and over is beyond me.”
Susannah laughed and then said. “I don’t know either, but I remember we did the same thing at their age. Drove our parents nuts.”
Rachel smiled. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Susannah took a cookie and bit into it. “Oh wow, Rachel. These are good.”
“The recipe sounded good.” Rachel took one, took a bite, and nodded. “Yeah, I think this one is a do-again.”
“Dr. Baum called with his referral.”
“And?”
“A psychiatrist specializing in victims of abuse.”
“Sounds like a good match.”
“I wasn’t abused, Rachel. I was assaulted.”
“You don’t think abuse victims suffer assaults?”
“Well, I guess you’re right.”
“So, when is your first appointment?”
“This afternoon.”
“I see. Want someone to go with you?”
“I’d love that. Mark offered too. But I’d better just go myself. I am sure I won’t be very good company afterward.”
“No one expects that, Susannah. We just want to help.”
Susannah reached over the table and patted Rachel’s hand. “I know that, and I do appreciate it, but I may need some alone time afterward.”
Rachel nodded. “That I do understand.”
***
Susannah twisted her hands and looked around the small waiting room. It was too small. There wasn’t enough air, not enough light. Was it too late to back out?
The inner office door opened. “Susannah, come in.”
Dr. Sekelsky was younger than she anticipated, somewhere in his early forties, she’d guess. Light brown, tightly
His assistant answered. “Dr. Baum is with a patient, but I’ll ask him for a referral and call you back.”
“Thanks.” Susannah ended the call and laid her phone on the counter.
The garage door opened. Buddy barreled into Mark. He set his brief case and a brown sack on the counter, bent down, and patted Buddy.
Susannah sniffed the air. “Wow. That smells good.”
“I didn’t think you’d have dinner ready this early, so I stopped and grabbed some chicken and salad.”
“How come you’re home so early?”
“I was caught up enough I didn’t feel I needed to stay.”
He grabbed her and nuzzled her ear. Susannah giggled and squirmed away.
Mark went over to the pantry and looked in. “Do we still have that bottle of wine?”
“I believe so.” She walked over and gently shoved him aside. “Go change. I’ll find the wine and set everything up.”
“Are you sure you’re feeling well enough?” He touched her face near the scar, now hidden beneath her hair.
“I’m fine. Okay, better.”
“Have you decided what you’re going to do about a therapist?”
“Yes, I’ve called Dr. Baum and asked for a referral.”
“Not going to use the one that the last one offered?”
She shook her head. “No. I want a counselor, not a physic scientist.”
“Okay, then why the glum look?”
“The last one didn’t work out too well. How do I know another will?”
Mark gathered her into his arms. “Honey, I know Dr. Baum will know of someone that will be a good fit.” He kissed her hair. “I know this is hard for you, but don’t you realize seeking help is a very brave thing? It takes a lot of courage. Don’t let others’ perceived opinions ruin your chance to heal.”
She nodded and mumbled a halfhearted agreement.
***
Susannah leaned her elbows on the table and watched Rachel take a tray of cookies from the oven and set it on the counter. “Can I help?”
“Pour coffee?”
Susannah nodded, walked over, and pulled mugs down from the cupboard. She filled two mugs and carried them to the table.
Rachel set cookies on two plates. One plate she laid on a tray with two glasses of milk and carried it into the family room. A few minutes later, she was back with the empty tray. She picked up the second plate and set it on the table in front of Susannah.
She sat opposite. “That should keep the cherubs quiet for a few minutes, that and one of their favorite movies. How they can watch the same one over and over is beyond me.”
Susannah laughed and then said. “I don’t know either, but I remember we did the same thing at their age. Drove our parents nuts.”
Rachel smiled. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Susannah took a cookie and bit into it. “Oh wow, Rachel. These are good.”
“The recipe sounded good.” Rachel took one, took a bite, and nodded. “Yeah, I think this one is a do-again.”
“Dr. Baum called with his referral.”
“And?”
“A psychiatrist specializing in victims of abuse.”
“Sounds like a good match.”
“I wasn’t abused, Rachel. I was assaulted.”
“You don’t think abuse victims suffer assaults?”
“Well, I guess you’re right.”
“So, when is your first appointment?”
“This afternoon.”
“I see. Want someone to go with you?”
“I’d love that. Mark offered too. But I’d better just go myself. I am sure I won’t be very good company afterward.”
“No one expects that, Susannah. We just want to help.”
Susannah reached over the table and patted Rachel’s hand. “I know that, and I do appreciate it, but I may need some alone time afterward.”
Rachel nodded. “That I do understand.”
***
Susannah twisted her hands and looked around the small waiting room. It was too small. There wasn’t enough air, not enough light. Was it too late to back out?
The inner office door opened. “Susannah, come in.”
Dr. Sekelsky was younger than she anticipated, somewhere in his early forties, she’d guess. Light brown, tightly
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