Ask Me Something (The Something Series Book 2) by Aubrey Bondurant Read Free Book Online Page A

mom a
smile, trying not to feel guilty over the fact that it would be the longest few
days of my life. There was nothing she could do about the fact that I had
anxiety while being home. It was a part of my past I’d learned to reconcile. “I
know I don’t say it enough, but I miss you and Dad.”
    “We miss you,
too, but you know we’re not here to make you feel bad about coming home. You’ve
got your own life and we understand that.”
    I appreciated the
fact that my parents had never put that kind of pressure on me.
    “Now, then,
after you finish chopping apples, why don’t you go with your father into town?
He’s gonna pick up some pizza for tonight and lunch on the way home. I’ll
finish up in here. I only have the one more pie, and then I think we’re set.
We’ll see your sister and family tonight at church, then they’ll be over
tomorrow afternoon, giving them time to be in their PJ’s in the morning for
Santa.”
    I finished up my
task and made my break for it to accompany my father for the pizza pickup duty.
It would give me a chance to go by the store and get some good bottles of wine.
I loved my family, but alcohol wouldn’t be their top priority for tomorrow’s
menu. I’d need a few glasses to get through the day with my sister.
    ***
    After lunch with
my folks, I drove to a commercial business park on the outskirts of town and
took a deep breath upon parking in front of the familiar office. Not even my
family knew that I continued to see Dr. Marcia Evans when I was home.
    Even though it
had been months since my last visit, my therapist smiled warmly like we’d seen
one another only days ago. The older woman had always reminded me of Blanche
from the Golden Girls. She was sassy, Southern, and didn’t mince words. I’d
been seeing her since I was sixteen years old, so to say she knew me almost my
whole life wasn’t an exaggeration.
    Her office
hadn’t changed much. Maybe some new furniture over the years, but the
familiarity of things like her framed pictures on the walls and flower-printed
curtains set me at ease. Being a clinical psychologist specializing in anxiety,
you couldn’t go about remodeling your office without throwing your patients
into complete chaos, I imagined. The thought made me smile.
    “Sasha, you look
lovelier every time I see you. When did you get in?” she greeted.
    “This morning.
Thanks for agreeing to see me on Christmas Eve, Dr. Evans.”
    She looked at me
thoughtfully. “You know I always have time for you. And although I’d miss
seeing you, you do know that I wouldn’t be offended if you were to find someone
to talk to in New York.”
    It wouldn’t be a
session with Dr. Evans without her suggesting in a subtle way that she’d like
me to see someone more often then maybe twice a year. “I know and appreciate
it.” I acknowledged her suggestion as I did every time.
    “How was your
anxiety level this time coming home for the holidays?”
    Huh. It dawned
on me that I’d been so preoccupied with Brian and what had transpired last
night that I hadn’t experienced the apprehension I normally did when traveling
home. “I, uh, it was better this time.”
    Dr. Evans had the
super power of knowing when I was holding something back and immediately arched
a brow. She sat back with her interest obviously piqued. “What was different
this year?”
    I was hesitant
to make Brian part of this session. She’d heard about him a little over the
years as someone who I’d confided in about my social discomfort, but that was
about it. “I went out of my comfort zone last night by accompanying a friend to
a speed dating night. I can’t say that I’d ever do it again or particularly
enjoyed it, but it definitely tested my boundaries.”
    “That’s good.
But given that getting off the plane to drive home has always been a trigger
point for your anxiety, I’d like to know what was on your mind instead of the
usual in those moments.”
    There wasn’t a
non-awkward way of