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Graham disappears out the door without waiting for a response, which Holly wasn’t about to provide anyway.
Moments later, Aaron appears in a house robe and slippers. “Did I miss Graham?”
Lucky you. “He had to run to work.”
“Ah. Glad to hear he’s prioritizing appropriately.”
“Why didn’t you mention he was listening in on our phone call?”
“Our call?” Aaron frowns. “Oh! When you first called to tell me about the overdose?”
“Yes!” Holly takes a slow breath to keep her voice in check. “When I shared highly confidential client information with you. Only because you’re my colleague.”
“I was driving Graham to work. And you sounded so distraught. I didn’t want to make you wait.”
“No one else was supposed to hear that.”
Aaron taps his chest. “Honestly, I didn’t even think Graham was listening. He had his headphones on.”
“You should’ve told me.”
“No, of course.” He hangs his head. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
Holly only nods, realizing there’s nothing to be done about it now.
“Graham’s a different person these days,” Aaron says. “Between the change in medications and the new job, I think he’s finally maturing. For real this time, Holly.”
She bites her tongue. Aaron has a huge blind spot when it comes to his son. He never accepted Graham’s diagnosis of a borderline personality disorder. Instead, he has always excused his son’s manipulative behavior as either the symptoms of a mood disorder or a reflection of his sensitive nature. But Holly is convinced that Graham does have serious personality issues. And his dad is Graham’s ultimate enabler, going so far as to insert himself into his son’s psychiatric care.
The moment Holly met Graham, she recognized him as a deeply wounded child. One who was still mourning his parents’ divorce while feeling trapped in the shadow of his far more gifted twin brother. She felt genuine pity for Graham. And despite the boy’s challenging nature and tendency to lash out, she tried, with varying degrees of success, to take the higher road: to show him nothing but love, support, and patience.
Until the trolling began.
Six years ago, a friend and colleague of hers called Holly to alert her that her scores on the most popular rate-your-therapist website had plummeted. Soon after, the negative and hurtful reviews began to pile up.
Like the two-star review which read: Dr. Danvers is nice enough, but she is distant and uninterested. She stared at the wall behind me the whole session.
Another one-star review followed. Me and the missus went to her for couples’ therapy. The doc tried to hit on me. We’re divorced now. Thanks for nothing, “Doctor” Danvers!
Hate to say it, because she’s smart and all, but the woman needs a shower. Two stars.
I urge you to look elsewhere to have your mental health treated. I’m no better after seeing her for five years. One star.
Then came the review that pushed Holly over the edge. It didn’t even have a star rating, only a text narrative. Wish I could give zero stars here. But nothing will bring Dad back. If his depression was cured, Dr. Danvers, how do you explain the shotgun blast?
Holly, who already had her suspicions, turned to a cyber investigator. He tracked the IP address of the troll to Graham’s high school. When she confronted Graham, the then fifteen-year-old not only denied any involvement but tried to frame his own brother. As always, Aaron attempted to smooth things over. The incident led to their first separation. Even after Aaron and Holly reconciled, her relationship with his son was permanently fractured.
She shakes off the unpleasant memory as Aaron steps closer. “I missed you, Holl,” he says. “Six months is too long to wait for a night like that.”
“Agreed.”
He kisses her cheek. “How’d you sleep?”
“Pretty well. I’ve being missing that comforter.”
“There’s an easy fix for that.”
“You don’t mind if I take it back to my place?”
