Read Online By Appointment Only by Janice Maynard - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Janice Maynard
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.” There was a brief pause as she gathered her thoughts. “Having a baby is real hard on a relationship. I’m tired all the time, and I think Timmy sometimes feels jealous of the baby. He’s a wonderful daddy. But now that there are three of us, it’s like we don’t know how to act . . .”
Dr. Pat, still standing, smiled at her. “That’s a very common scenario, my dear. You’re a perceptive young woman, and the fact that you see what’s happening is a good thing. It will help you address those issues.”
Shaun jumped in without waiting to be asked. “I remember the baby days,” he said, his deep voice sympathetic. “But I think what I’ve learned is that people change. It’s inevitable. And if you don’t allow your relationship to change as well, you’re in trouble.”
Danita put her hand on his knee. “I’ve learned that it’s not fair to expect someone else to make you happy. We’re all responsible for our own fulfillment in life.” She and her husband exchanged a smile that seemed to hold a wealth of lessons learned.
Timmy’s face was bright red, but he managed to speak up with a voice that was only slightly shaky. “I’ve learned that love means lots of things. When you’re a horny guy, you just want the sex. But now I’m feeling and seeing new stuff every day about what it means to love your wife or your kid. It’s awesome, man . . . really awesome.”
The six older adults in the room stared at him, visibly moved by his simple statement. Hannah had to blink back tears. How was she supposed to follow that? And why did she end up going last?
All eyes were on her now with expectation. And she was drawing a big fat zero when it came to finding something profound to say.
She twisted her hands in her lap, feeing sweat bead on her forehead. “Well, I . . .”
Dr. Sheila smiled at her encouragingly. “Take your time.”
Hannah groaned inwardly. Great. Now she felt like the not-so-bright student who had to be coaxed along by the teacher. What the hell. She sucked in a breath and let it out. “I’ve learned that loving people makes you vulnerable, and that you can get hurt in the process.”
An awkward silence greeted her blunt words, and she cursed inwardly. She hadn’t meant to say that at all, but the words just seemed to burst from her mouth. Shit. Now they were all looking at Morgan as if he were some kind of jerk who made her life a misery.
She backpedaled rapidly. “That doesn’t really have anything to do with my relationship to Morgan. I was going farther back, I think . . . for the life lessons I’ve learned in the past. Is that okay?”
Now both doctors were eyeing her like a particularly interesting case study. Dr. Pat actually came back to the circle and resumed his original seat. He leaned forward. “Would you say that this particular lesson governs your actions in the present?”
Before Hannah could answer, Rachelle frowned slightly and spoke. “I guess I always thought that was true of everyone. The people who can really get to us or make us feel bad are the closest ones to us in our lives. Like when my mom said she was disappointed in me for getting pregnant. I waited until I married Timmy to have sex with him. It’s not like I was an unwed mother. So it really hurt me a lot when she said that.”
Danita winced. “Moms make mistakes, honey. I’m sure she didn’t really mean that. Not when she had time to think about it.”
Dr. Pat leaned back now, his gaze filled with interest as he monitored the conversation. “Again, Rachelle, you’ve hit the nail on the head. So I’ll repeat my question to Hannah. Do you think you allow that lesson you’ve learned to govern your actions in the present?”
Hannah was no closer now to having a profound answer than she was two minutes ago. “Well . . . I think it’s possible that I do.” She was extremely aware of Morgan’s presence at her side. What was he thinking?
Dr. Sheila joined the interrogation. “Would
Dr. Pat, still standing, smiled at her. “That’s a very common scenario, my dear. You’re a perceptive young woman, and the fact that you see what’s happening is a good thing. It will help you address those issues.”
Shaun jumped in without waiting to be asked. “I remember the baby days,” he said, his deep voice sympathetic. “But I think what I’ve learned is that people change. It’s inevitable. And if you don’t allow your relationship to change as well, you’re in trouble.”
Danita put her hand on his knee. “I’ve learned that it’s not fair to expect someone else to make you happy. We’re all responsible for our own fulfillment in life.” She and her husband exchanged a smile that seemed to hold a wealth of lessons learned.
Timmy’s face was bright red, but he managed to speak up with a voice that was only slightly shaky. “I’ve learned that love means lots of things. When you’re a horny guy, you just want the sex. But now I’m feeling and seeing new stuff every day about what it means to love your wife or your kid. It’s awesome, man . . . really awesome.”
The six older adults in the room stared at him, visibly moved by his simple statement. Hannah had to blink back tears. How was she supposed to follow that? And why did she end up going last?
All eyes were on her now with expectation. And she was drawing a big fat zero when it came to finding something profound to say.
She twisted her hands in her lap, feeing sweat bead on her forehead. “Well, I . . .”
Dr. Sheila smiled at her encouragingly. “Take your time.”
Hannah groaned inwardly. Great. Now she felt like the not-so-bright student who had to be coaxed along by the teacher. What the hell. She sucked in a breath and let it out. “I’ve learned that loving people makes you vulnerable, and that you can get hurt in the process.”
An awkward silence greeted her blunt words, and she cursed inwardly. She hadn’t meant to say that at all, but the words just seemed to burst from her mouth. Shit. Now they were all looking at Morgan as if he were some kind of jerk who made her life a misery.
She backpedaled rapidly. “That doesn’t really have anything to do with my relationship to Morgan. I was going farther back, I think . . . for the life lessons I’ve learned in the past. Is that okay?”
Now both doctors were eyeing her like a particularly interesting case study. Dr. Pat actually came back to the circle and resumed his original seat. He leaned forward. “Would you say that this particular lesson governs your actions in the present?”
Before Hannah could answer, Rachelle frowned slightly and spoke. “I guess I always thought that was true of everyone. The people who can really get to us or make us feel bad are the closest ones to us in our lives. Like when my mom said she was disappointed in me for getting pregnant. I waited until I married Timmy to have sex with him. It’s not like I was an unwed mother. So it really hurt me a lot when she said that.”
Danita winced. “Moms make mistakes, honey. I’m sure she didn’t really mean that. Not when she had time to think about it.”
Dr. Pat leaned back now, his gaze filled with interest as he monitored the conversation. “Again, Rachelle, you’ve hit the nail on the head. So I’ll repeat my question to Hannah. Do you think you allow that lesson you’ve learned to govern your actions in the present?”
Hannah was no closer now to having a profound answer than she was two minutes ago. “Well . . . I think it’s possible that I do.” She was extremely aware of Morgan’s presence at her side. What was he thinking?
Dr. Sheila joined the interrogation. “Would
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