“You’re up a bit early, Babe. Are you feeling a bit anxious about the appointment?” I felt hands gently come to rest on my shoulders as Julia spoke the first words I heard today.
Her voice was soft, warm, and carried a touch of concern in it. Her hands felt good on my shoulders as I sat at my desk typing at 4:30 AM, too.
I said, “Maybe just a little. Is it even ethical for a colleague of yours to see me? Isn’t that like a conflict of interests for the Therapist who’s friends with another therapist to see their husband as a client?”
Julia said slyly, “Oh… Did I use the word colleague? I might have misspoke there. She’s more of a sort of acquaintance from long ago.”
Julia then leaned down and nuzzled my neck for a moment before saying softly yet firmly, “This will go well. I promise you, all will work out well for you here.”
“Where’s her office, anyway? I’m going to need directions before you head to work so I know where I’m going,” I said.
Julia replied, “She’s here in Newton. You’ll find out the arrangement soon enough. I’m driving you so you don’t have to worry about the location just yet.”
When she felt me stiffen she simply whispered, “Sshh… It’s going to be fine. You’ll be in good hands.”
I stopped typing at that point and closed out the account on my machine. I simply sat for a long while, leaning back in my desk chair while Julia stood behind me stroking my hair and shoulders.
After a time, she gently indicated with her hands that she wanted me to move over to the couch behind us. So… I did and once there, she indicated I should stretch out upon it. After I did that, “Everything was a pleasant haze.”
I was only wearing a bathrobe and Julia had only hers on as well. So, there wasn’t much in the way to prevent her from doing what she wanted with me. And… It was sensuous. It was soothing yet hot in a way, too. “The girl’s got incredible skill!”
I think I might have fallen asleep at one point because… Well… I was missing time. When I heard the 7:00 AM alarm go off I found Julia laying astride me and could sense her smiling down at me as she spoke warmly saying, “You’re appointment is at 9:00 AM. Coffee is on in the kitchen and I’d be honored if you’d be so kind as to join me in the shower.”
“You smell so clean already though,” I said. Julia giggled and kissed me deeply before saying playfully, “You’re sweet. But… I really do need one and love the way you wash my body. So… Please come shower with a pretty girl? I promise I’ll be very good.”
“You’re always good,” I said sluggishly. “Better than I deserve these days.”
Julia laughed and gently pulled me up and off the couch, leading the way to the bathroom with my arm in hers. And… The shower was a beautiful thing in a few different ways. But I could feel my anxiety building again as it got closer to the time for us to leave.
“It’s going to be fine,” Julia said softly as she fired up the RAM. “You’ll see.”
Once we hit the parking lot for the office I knew something was up. “Uh… Julia?” Julia chuckled gently and said, “It’s ok. We’re just meeting with a few people in the building.”
She then got out of the truck and came around to my side and opened my door. “Come on you,” she said brightly.
Then I heard a familiar voice saying, “Yeah… Coffee and doughnuts await.” Then a second voice I knew well commenting playfully, “You might even recognize the therapist that is waiting to see you, too.”
I looked at Julia and shook my head laughing as I climbed out. “I should have known the second you pulled into the parking lot these two jokers had a hand in this. Good morning. Kelly… Tom… How ever can I help the FBI today?” I said.
They laughed before Tom said quietly, “It’s actually us who thought we might help you. Come inside and we’ll explain.”
Julia and Kelly both slipped their arms around my waste. “Come on,” Julia giggled.
“Have I died and gone to heaven?” I asked trying to sound playful. I could tell the two women were exchanging smiles as they each gave me a gentle squeeze, one on either side as we followed Tom to what I thought was one of our vacant offices around the back.
“No,” Julia replied playfully. “You’ve just one the lottery.” And… With that… Kelly and Julia burst into laughter.
“Wow,” I commented as we entered the office. “I’m one of the landlords and I didn’t even notice anyone had moved in. Where’ve I been lately.” Tom said, “Maybe just a little out of touch with the times,” as he walked across the reception area and led us all into the office in back.
“Brian this is Shannon,” Kelly said. “She’ll be your therapist for as long as you need,” Kelly finished.
Shannon said hello and I simply stared at her. I could feel all eyes on me as I stood in silence for a long while just gazing at her before I slowly and cautiously said, “Are you sure you should be doing this? I mean… Don’t you have Amazon Prime packages to be delivering? After all, you are my most recent Amazon Prime Driver aren’t you?”
Shannon stepped forward and took both my hands in hers and said quietly with unmistakable warmth in her voice, “I happily gave that job up when they told me about this assignment. While I am a field agent, this is actually my specialty.”
“Am I going to be interrogated? When you say this is your specialty… You are working for the FBI so… Doesn’t that mean…” Shannon and everyone else laughed when I finished. But Shannon said playfully, “Only with Julia present and her permission.”
“So how long have you been surveilling us?” I asked quietly. Tom, Kelly and Shannon all seemed to look at each other before Tom said, “Pretty much from the beginning. You’re a valuable asset Brian and we’d like to keep you around. After what happened with the car jackers, we stepped up the watch a bit. But… It’s been going on for a while.”
Kelly then said, “After the incident being connected with Julia’s couples counseling client and the property you guys own, we talked to Julia and have been working with her, too.” Shannon said suddenly, guiding me towards a couch, “Let’s sit down before you fall down.”
I felt Julia move close to me as I sat and she put an arm around me saying softly, “Relax. You’re in good hands.” She then lightly kissed me on the cheek.
Kelly then said, “You’re wife is a dead shot. Definitely a natural when it comes to handling firearms. She’s just finished qualifying to carry a concealed weapon and I have the pleasure of presenting her with her permit, today.”
I felt like I was going to pass out at that point and Julia said softly, “Can you forgive a pretty girl for telling a few tall tails about working late at the office? I didn’t…” She broke off as Tom cut in saying, “We asked her not to tell you right away. We know you’re a hands and knives kind of guy and don’t really approve of guns in your house. We know you are more than capable and don’t want you to feel in any way that this is a reflection on you.”
Tom then stepped a little closer and said quietly, “That’s why Julia doesn’t have a gun yet either. But… Given the event that took place back in January… With you’re permission we’d like her to have this.”
Tom then handed me a weapon I immediately recognized as a 357 revolver. “She’s licensed to carry that where ever she goes in the United States curtesy of us. She doesn’t have to but… Well… You both are like family and…”
Tom stopped talking as I nodded and took the gun back from me and passed it along with the permit to Julia. “Thank you,” I said quietly to the group at large. Then I turned to Julia and kissed her lightly on the lips before whispering, “Thank you.”
She gave me a gentle squeeze and said playfully, “Does this mean I’m forgiven?” When I nodded she said warmly, “I’ll be outside when you’re ready to leave.”
Tom, Kelly and Julia exited the room leaving me sitting dazed on the couch and Shannon to close the door before sitting down behind her desk facing me. “You’re head is clearly spinning right now,” she said quietly. “So, take a minute to relax and think about where you want to start. You probably already know I’ve read your file. But maybe it would help get the ball rolling if you gave me a little background, yourself.” Shannon then added playfully, “You never know, they might need to update your file. So… Start wherever you like.”
“So, they’ll know everything I tell you?” I asked a little shakily. Shannon said quietly, “They won’t know anything unless there are clear signs to me that you are a danger to yourself and or others. Like the last time you were in therapy, nothing you say here gets reported other than that.”
I gave her a long searching look before taking a deep breath saying, “Ok then. Here we go.”
An hour later I walked out into the waiting area to find Julia and Kelly sitting together chatting away. When Julia saw me come out of Shannon’s office she pulled me into a hug saying, “You look tired. Let’s grab a light early coffee and snack in lieu of lunch and then get you home.”
So… After thanking Kelly and locking up the building, that’s what we did. Julia was quiet on the ride home. She insisted on walking into the house with me, too, even though I thought she’d have to meet with clients this afternoon.
And… As it turned out… She did meet with clients, “After she insured I would sleep.”