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DAVID: I know.
PAIGE: You know what might help?
DAVID: What?
PAIGE: Brinner.
DAVID: Brinner?
PAIGE: Breakfast for dinner.
DAVID: Of course. I should have known.
PAIGE: So, what do you say? Brinner at my place on Friday, around 6 p.m.?
DAVID: Sure. We’ll be there.
Chapter 52
As David and Jacob walked down the hall to Paige’s apartment on Friday, a little after 6 p.m., David realized that for the first time, he wasn’t in the least bit concerned about being seen by Mrs. Harte. His mind was otherwise occupied with what he’d witnessed during Jacob’s session with Lauren a few hours earlier.
There had been periods of talking, interspersed with periods of silent drawing. And while Lauren’s expression had remained mostly gentle and caring, Jacob’s had been anxious, unhappy, and sometimes ashamed.
For David, that was the worst—seeing his son talking about something which made him feel ashamed, something David still didn’t know about. To his disappointment, Lauren hadn’t been overly generous with the details when he’d asked how the session went once Jacob had gone to use the bathroom.
“It went well,” she’d replied vaguely.
“It didn’t look that way,” he’d countered.
“Maybe not to you, but I assure you, the session went well. We made a lot of progress today.”
He hadn’t been able to hide his frustration. “Okay.”
She’d cleared her throat, then asked, “David, do you trust me?”
“Yes,” he’d answered after a slight pause, the question having caught him off guard.
“Then trust me.”
“I do, but it’s so hard to watch him … struggle.”
“I know it is, but unfortunately, that’s part of his process right now. The only way to get through something is to go through it, and that’s what he’s doing, with my help.”
“So, there is something there?”
“Yes, but you knew that already, otherwise you wouldn’t have called me.”
David had nodded.
“I promise to go over everything with you and answer all your questions after a few more sessions,” she’d said. “But until then, have faith that I know what I’m doing, and everything I’m doing is to help Jacob.”
He’d released a sigh. “All right. I will.”
“And have faith that Jacob can do this because he can. He is. And be proud of how brave and strong he’s being, while he’s doing all this hard work.”
At that point, Jacob had returned, ending the conversation. Lauren exchanged a noisy fist bump with him, before wishing both of them a good weekend and telling them goodbye.
Now, as he knocked on Paige’s door, David glanced down at Jacob, who looked slightly bored, but otherwise … fine. He didn’t seem to be dwelling on his therapy session like David was, and he told himself that was a good sign, and he should try and do the same. As much as he could, anyway, at least for the next few hours.
