Short Story: Therapy

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Therapy
by Gary Anderson

"So where do you think things went wrong?"

I am silent as I ponder her question. I sit on the couch, legs propped up on the coffee table. My head is tilted back, fingers interlocked behind me, my eyes closed.

Eyes still closed, I begin to speak. "I wonder that a lot myself. I mean when we first met we were great together, and I don't mean just sexually. At least not JUST sexually. I really loved her. I loved everything about her, but now ..."

"Now..."

I sigh, "I don't know. You listen to rap music?"

She seems startled by my question, by the way she stammers. "Um..I uh..well, not really."

I open my eyes and look at her.

"I listen to everything, you know, but when I was younger there was a song by Will Smith, you know who that is right?"

She nods.

"Well, he did a song that I can't remember the title of, but he basically was talking about how his relationship fell apart and one of the reasons was, and I'm paraphrasing here, that he worked 9 to 5 and she worked 5 to 9."

There is silence for a few moments.

"I think that's how things happened to fuck up between us. We just sort of drifted apart. We were fine at the beginning, but she's working all the time, I'm working all the time, we don't even have time for sex anymore."

"Well, you know that there is an old proverb that basically says that there is more to a marriage than sex. Something about bare legs in a bed, or something to that effect."

"Yeah, I know that. I just think we made better friends than lovers."

"Well, you wouldn't be the first couple to make THAT mistake."

"What about your former relationship?" I ask, knowing I shouldn't.

She's silent for a moment before saying, "what do you mean?"

"Why did your marriage end? Weren't you in love?"

"Of course I was."

"Well, then why did you and him get divorced? You often quote the Bible to me and tell me how we're supposed to stick it out, but doesn't the Bible tell us not to get divorced unless you were cheated on?"

"You know, this is really inappropriate. We're here to discuss your marital problems, not mine. You're paying for this session, and I think -- "

"That's right, I'm paying here. Just answer the question and I'll shut up. I just need something to compare my situation to. Were you that unhappy in the relationship that you were unable to work it out? Or were you just unwilling to work it out?"

"Fuck you Dave, you know that's so unfair."

I stare at her biting my lip knowing I crossed the line.

"Look I --"

"Don't give me any of your bullshit excuses. You knew what you were doing when you walked in here today. You just have to drag up my past history to make yourself seem better. Well you know what? It probably IS your fault. You no doubt fucked up your relationship with Karen, just like you fucked it up with me. It wasn't sexual, it wasn't you being a work-a-holic, or me working all the time, it was just you weren't that good of a husband."

I stare at her unable to speak.

"Happy? Is that what you wanted to hear?" She stands up and sighs, rubbing her temples. "What the hell are you doing here? I told you in the beginning, this wasn't smart to counsel you, but you insisted, saying that there wouldn't be any conflicts or problems. Well there is."

She looks at her watch. "Wow, look at that, times up."

She walks to the door and opens it. She pauses and looks back.

"Don't ever call me again. You have no idea what you've done to me. How could you bring this shit back up again? You know how long it took me to get over what happened.

"Debra, I -- "

The door slams and I sit there, eyes closed, wishing I were somewhere else.