Page 36 of Fight or Flight
She poured him coffee without first asking if he wanted any. He took the cup from her with a “Thanks.” He took a sip, shaking his head from left to right. “That’s wrong. Your parents, I mean. I’m sorry. All kids need an animal to love, to care for. I think it’s good for kids. It gives them a sense of responsibility. I suggest to some of my younger patients that they would do well with an animal. The ones that followed the advice are fine now and don’t need to see me anymore.”
“You think the animals helped with their treatment?” Katherine asked, now more than just a little curious about his life as a doctor.
“I do.”
“These two keep me on track most of the time,” Katherine told him. “I need to be able to go outside with them, see where they go when I can’t hear them from the house.” She explained what had occurred the night before.
“It could have been a wild animal,” Tyler agreed when she was done. “It’s certainly not unheard of in this area, though I agree it’s a good idea for you to learn their stomping grounds.”
She nodded. “Can you really help me with this . . . disorder?” she asked.
“Of course I can. I’ve had many patients with agoraphobia. Maybe not as severe as yours, but to answer your question—yes, it’s treatable. If you were my patient, I would suggest you try to recall when or if you suffered a traumatic event right before your behavior changed.”
Unsure if she should tell him what drove her to lock herself inside, she decided she couldn’t. It was too soon, and tonight wasn’t the time. Later, when she knew him a bit better, she would tell him. “I see.”
“I assume you aren’t ready to talk about your experiences?”
She finished her coffee, got up, and refilled her cup. “You need another cup?”
“No, I’m good,” he said. “Am I right? You’re not ready to talk about the event that caused your change in behavior?”
Katherine thought he was very, very good at his profession. “No, not yet. Maybe in the future.”
“I’m going to put my doctor hat on and tell you the longer you put this off, the worse it will get. You don’t want to spend the rest of your life inside.”
He was right. But his comment put her on the defensive. “I went outside earlier. I brought my groceries inside,” she told him. “That’s the first time since I moved in here. Pathetic, I know.”
“No, that’s remarkable, especially since you tried it alone. It’s more progress than you realize.”
“I hope so.” She wanted to talk about something other than her mental illness. “Why don’t I give you a tour of the house before it gets too late?” She didn’t really care about the time, but it was all she could come up with for now. The idea that she would let him “medically treat” her after dinner had been ludicrous, but then again, she thought—why not? She couldn’t decide. Not wanting to disappoint him or Doc, she had an instant change of heart. “Then we can talk about me,” she said, before she could change her mind again, “and my issues.” She would keep her word to Doc.
“If you’re sure?” Tyler reiterated.
“As you said, putting it off isn’t in my best interest.”
“You’re already making progress acknowledging this and going out alone. You might not think it’s a big deal, but it is.” Tyler stood, putting his empty cup in the sink.
“I appreciate those words. I’m so used to living this way, and it’s become very comfortable. But it’s not normal, and I know that. I’ve always known it,” she added.
“I have no doubt. Now, why don’t you show me around this massive place? Ever since this house was built, I’ve always been curious about the inside.”
She nodded. “Then let’s get started.”
Katherine walked Tyler through the rooms on the first floor. He admired several of the paintings in her living room. She told him most of the art in her house was from local artists. She wanted to give back to her community, even though she’d never really been a part of the day-to-day life in Blowing Rock.
She led him upstairs to the top of the landing, where the windows were floor-to-ceiling like those in the dining room.
“Stunning,” Tyler remarked. “You’re lucky to have these views.”
There wasn’t much to show upstairs except all the empty bedrooms and bathrooms. She quickly opened each door, letting him peer into the empty rooms. Two of the bedrooms still had beds left over from the previous owner, but otherwise, there wasn’t much to see. After debating whether or not to open the door to her bedroom, she did. Her earlier thoughts of them together in her room for the night were just that. Thoughts. Tyler had given no indication he expected anything more than dinner.
As soon as she opened her bedroom door, she could feel a sense of foreboding, as if something bad was about to happen.
Chapter Eleven
Duckie was gone. She’d placed her against the pillows that morning when she’d made up her bed.
“I think someone has been in my room,” Katherine said, glad for Tyler’s presence. “I’m sure of it.” She scanned the room, her gaze resting on her nightstand. “Damn!”
