bChapter /bb216 /b

Chapter 10b: /bDr. bEvelyn /bWoods.

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Josie arrived at the therapist’s boffice /bat exactly 9:30am. With a half hour to spare, she decided to call Marlon.

i“/iiHey/i! iEverything /iiokay/ib???/bb” /b

i“/iiYeah /iieverything /iiis /iigreat/ii! /iiI /iijust /iileft /iimy /iPO’s ioffice/ii, /iiand /ishe iagreed /ifor me to iswitch /iimy /iiaddress/ib!!/b”

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Marlon could hardly believe his earsb! /bFinally his cousin coulde and stay with him. Since learning the truth, he had been paranoid about Josie staying on that estate. Afraid they may decide to lock her back up or worse in order to keep their secret.

“Josie ithat’s /iigreat/ii!!! /iiDo /iiyou /iiwant /iito /igo iback /iito /iithe /icondo iand /iiwait /iifor /ime to get ioff work /iito /iiget /iyour ithings/ibi?/i/bbi” /i/b

Josie pondered that for a moment before deciding against it.

“Noi…/ibiI /i/bwant ito /iiget /iiout /iof ithere /iASAP. iAfter /iiI /iileave /iimy /iisession/ii, /iiI’m /iigoing /ito ipack /iimy /iithings /iiand /iihead /ito the condo.”

Marlon paused for a moment. He wasn’t thrilled at the idea of her going alone, but he understood her need to leave soon. After a deep sigh, he agreed.

“iOkay/ii…/iijust /iplease bc-/bb” /b

i“/iiI /iknowi…/iicall /iiyou /iiif /iithere’s /iiany /iiissues/ii./ib” /b

After hanging up with Marlon, Josie was called into the office of her new therapist Dr. Evelyn Woods. Slightly nervousb, /bshe made her way into the room.

i“/iGood imorning /iiMs. /iiTaylor/ii, /iiI’m /iDr. iEvelyn /iwoodsi, /iiand /iI’m igoing /iito /iibe /iiyour /iitherapist /ifor the next ithree /imonthsi. /iOf course, bif /bionce /ibyour /biprobation /iis overi…/iiif /iiyou /iiwould /iilike /iito /iicontinue /ithat’s ialso /ian ioption/i.”

Josie thought about that for a moment. Therapy…considering everything she’s been throughb; /bit wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Too bad she wasn’t an alcoholic.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you iDr. /iWoods; and ithank /iiyou/i.”

As Josie sat down, Evelyn tried her best to read Josie’s expression. Everything about her was nk. It was as if she was making sure she said everything correctly.Josie looked around the office, it wasfortable enough. Probably how she was able to get people to open up to her. After a few minutes bof /bsilence, Dr. Evelyn spoke first.

i“/iiSo/i, is this your first time in therapyi?/i”

Josie looked around the office once more before answering.

17:58 Thu, bSep /bb25 /bfnb163 This text is hosted at find·novel/fnb163

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i“/iiYes/i, as a matter iof /iifact /iit is. iSo /ibiI /i/bdon’t ireally /iiknow /iihow /iithis /iworksi./ii” /i

Evelyn smiled, that was a line she’d heard plenty of times.”

Well, it works however you like. We can take things slow. You can about what you’refortable with.”

Josie’s brows furrowed. Therapy or not, she knew the primary reason for all of this was her supposed drinking

problems.

i“/iiYeah /iibut /iieventually /iyou’ll iwant /ito iabout /iimy /ii‘/iidrinking/ii…/iiright/ii?/ii” /i

“iEventually/ii; /iibut /iiagain/i, iit’s /iiwhen /iiyou’re /iiready/i.”

Josie chuckled; it was hard to talk about something that wasn’t true. Evelyn pressed on.

“iWhy /iidon’t /iiwe /iistart /iiwith /iisomething /iieasy/i…tell me iabout /iiyour /iihome /iilife/i.i” /i

Josieughed hysterically. Her home life was anything but ‘i‘/ibieasy/i/bb‘/bb. /b

i“/iiI/ii…/iiI’m /iijust /inot ifortable /iiwith /iitalking /iiabout /iithat /iiright /iinow/ii./ii” /i

i“/iiOkay/i…iyou /iiwere /iiin /iiprison /iifor /iifour /iiyears/i…I’m isure /iithat /iihard /iifor /iiyou/i. iDo /iiyou /iiwant-/ii” /i

i“/iiI don’t /iiwant /ito italk /iiabout /iithat /iieither/i.”

b51 /b

Josie immediately shut down that line of questioning. She wasn’t ready to discuss the horrors of that prison just yet. Nodding in agreement, Evenly smiled.

“That’s okayi. /iWe can italk /iiabout /iithose /iithings /iiwhen /iiyou’re /iiready/ii. /iiSo /iiwhat /iiwould /iiyou /iilike /ito italk /iiabout /iinow/ii?/ii” /i

Josie pondered that question; she honestly wasn’t sure. Suddenly, she remembered the words from her PO this morning.

“I have a question.i” /i

i“/iGo ion/ii./ii” /i

“iMy /iiPO /itold ime /iithat /iiwhatever /iI discuss iwith /iyou iis /iconfidential. iIs /ithat true?”

Evelyn looked at Josie with a puzzled expression.

b“/bbiYes/i/bbi, /i/bof icourse/ii. /iiYou’ll /iihave /idoctor/patient iprivilege/i.i” /i

“Even ithough /ithis bis /bcourt orderedi?/ii” /i

b17:58 /bbThu/bb, /bbSep /bb25 /b

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bi“/i/bbiYes/i/b. iFor /iithe /imost ipart/ii; /ibiI /i/bwon’t ibe /iiable /ito idisclose /ianything we discussbi./i/bb” /b

Josie raised a brow. So there WAS a provision. Understanding her expressionb, /bEvelyn exined furtherb. /b

bi“/i/biAs /ilong ias /iiyou /idon’t iexpress /iany idesires /iof ihurting /iiyourself /iiand/ii//ior iothers/ib; /bnothing we discuss iwill /ibe disclosed ito /iianyone/i. iNot even /iiyour /iiPO/i.”

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Josie nodded her head as if to show she understood. The rest of the session was just small talk. Before she knew it; 45 minutes had passed by.

b“/biWell/i, ilooks /iilike /iour itime /iiis /iiup/ii. /iiMaybe /iinext /iiweek /iiwe /iitalk /ia ilittle /iibit /iiabout /iiwhy /iiyou’re /iihere/ibi?/i/bbi” /i/b

Josie smiled halfheartedly; she knew she would have to think of something regarding her supposed drinking.

i“/iiAbsolutely/i.b” /b

Once Josie left the office, Evelyn called Georgia to provide her with an update regarding their first appointment.

i“/iiHey/ib, /bso ihow’d /iiit /iigo/ii?/ib” /b

Georgia and Evelyn were actually long–time best friends. The two women had known each other since college. When

Georgia was first assigned to Josie, after reading her file she felt therapy would be beneficial.

“Ummi…/iishe /iiwas /ia ilittle /iireluctant /iito /iitalk /iibut /iithat’s /iito /iibe /iiexpected /iiconsidering /iiwhat /iishe’s /iibeen /iithrough/i.b” /b

Although they didn’t have all the facts, thedies each read Josie’s medical report and general report from the prison. They were both aware she suffered a great deal during her four years, that was part of the reason Georgia suggested therapy.

i“/iiWithout /iitelling /iime /ithe idetails/ii, /iidid /iiyou /iiguys /iitalk /iiabout /iiher /iialcoholism/ii?/ii” /i

i“/iWithout breaking iprivilege/i…no. iBut /iit’s ialso /iithe /iifirst /iiday/ib./bb” /b

“Ha….”

“iWhat/ibi?/i/bbi” /i/b

Georgia paused for a moment before answering. Something about Josie’s case had been bothering her, and after meeting with her this morning, her confusion only increased.

“It could be nothing buti…/iiI /iidon’t /iknow…It’s isomething /iabout this girl that seems unusual…as ifar /iher case goes. I think biI’m /i/bigoing /ito ido /isome digging.”

“It icouldn’t /iihurt/ibi; /i/biespecially /iif it might help iher /iiwith /iitherapy/ii./i”

Georgia agreed, there bwas /bdefinitely something going on with Josie…she just wasn’t sure it was alcoholism.

17:58 bThu/bb, /bbSep /bb25 /b

“iHey/i…iis /iiyour /iinephew /iiback /iiin /iitown/i?”

bi“/i/biYeah/i, iwhy/i?”

i“/iiJust /iiin /icase she imay /ineed ia /iiwyer /iiter /iion/ii./i”

“iUnderstood/i. I’ll ireach /iiout /iito /ihim iand /iihive /iihim /ia iheads /iiup/i.

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51)

After having lunch, Josie took a rideshare back to the Taylor estate. This time, she would just go straight to her room and pack. After walking in the mansion, she didn’t notice anyone in the grand room or foyer. Good! I can go straight to my room without any issues.‘

Making a b–line straight to her room, Josie moved swiftly and quietly so that no one would know she was home. bAs /bsoon bas /bshe made it to her destination, she immediately pulled out her old suitcase from when she first arrived and began packing.While packing her belongings, she came across a picture of her and her grandmother. It was taken on her 11th birthday right after one of her friends smashed cake in her face.

Josie stared at the picture as if she were looking at a stranger. The girl in the photo looked so happy and full of life, who would have known her life would take the horrible turn it took.Tears started to fall down her cheeks…she missed her nana so much. Wiping her eyes, Josie continued to pack, just then…Laura knocked on the door.

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