Chapter 28: Unexpected Questions

December 12, 1981

I settled into ‘my’ chair at Dr. Stanton’s office. She smiled at me.

“So, how have things been in general?”

“Good, thank you. All around. Debate continues to be going well; so well, in fact, that we’re adding a tournament next year as something of a reward.”

“Oh?”

“Normally we stick to tournaments in Texas because that’s the way to qualify for State. Right now, we have nineteen of the twenty-two who compete already qualified. Given that, we’re heading to a tournament in New Orleans in early February. Angie and I, and Gene, and Cammie are definitely going, and I’m pretty sure Jasmine will be going too. Plus, many of the people whose names you know will be going.”

“That sounds nice. Road trip with the girlfriend. And how is that going?”

“Also, really well. We’ve reached the three-little-words stage.” She smiled. I bit my lip, realizing she was way out of date on some aspects of that relationship. “I should probably let you know that it’s a ... well... unusual relationship.”

“Oh? How so?”

“It’s essentially an open relationship. No messing around with people we know the other wouldn’t like, but outside that, go for it. There are nuances, but we’ve talked about it quite a lot and are on the same page.”

“Her idea, I am guessing?”

“I’ve been asked that before. She proposed it, but please don’t get the impression that I’m compromising or doing it ‘for her’, Dr. Stanton. It’s something I’m interested in trying, and not just from a ‘horny teenage boy’ standpoint. There are a lot of things that appeal to me about it.”

“Just be careful. That can be a recipe for severely bruised feelings.”

“It can. We’ll be careful. We’re going in with eyes open wide, at least. Also, I should be clear — we discussed the parameters of the relationship well before we got to the three little words. And definitely before we did anything physically intimate.”

“Good. I was wondering. Either of those might have made it a bit more ... well, not coercive, but just ... problematic.”

I nodded. “I agree. This has been my slowest-developing relationship yet, and we put all the steps in the right order.” A true statement both for this life and the first go-round.

“A very good thing for you, I think. Even if it wound up somewhere very unexpected. And, relative to that unexpected part, any ... plans ... there?”

I laughed. “If you’re asking me if I’m going after any other girls myself, no, not yet. Jasmine has made it clear she’s not going to Sadie Hawkins with me, so, that? Which might not require an open relationship, who knows? Sadie Hawkins itself — as a dance — is implicitly ‘not cheating’ by the usual high school rules. On the other hand, Jasmine has indicated she might be inviting company in the near future.”

“For herself? Or both of you?”

“Both of us.”

“So, she’s bisexual?”

“Decidedly.”

She laughed. “Never a dull moment, is there? Interesting.”

“While we’re on the subject of Jasmine, there’s something else to bring up.”

“Oh?”

“As you know, Jasmine and Candice were good friends for a while in junior high, before Candice’s issues caused her to pull away. I spoke to Candice after you and I talked, and she wanted to re-establish a friendship and gave me limits on what I could say. Then a random traffic stop ... well, OK, so, we drive after curfew regularly; it’s legally excused due to it being school-related, but the police have to check, of course. Or they have to hassle teenagers. Or both. Anyway, I was stopped with Jasmine in the car and the officer turned out to be the one that reported to Candice’s house. Two and two was put together, and he said some things that made Jasmine even more curious. So, Jasmine and I, along with Angie, are having dinner with Candice and Sherry tonight.”

“That’s very interesting. I think it could be a positive for Candice. If you see any signs that it’s not, though, use my emergency number.”

“I will.”

“And again, never a dull moment. Anything else with Jasmine? Or Candice?”

“Not really. My other news is that we will be on vacation to California from the 19^th to the 31^st. Back in time for New Year’s, gone after the study group party. Jasmine will be at New Year’s but not the study group party, so I suppose it relates to her a tiny bit.”

“Same rooming arrangements?” She smirked a tiny bit.

“As far as I know, yes. I can’t imagine they’d change.”

“And?”

“Nothing to report and no changes to the promise to report.”

“Good. I thought — silly me — that your having a girlfriend would be a check on that, since you’re not inclined to be a cheater, it doesn’t seem like. But of course, in this case ... unless, I suppose, Jasmine has Angie on her list of people she doesn’t approve of.”

“Actually, I’m fairly sure she’d be supportive, honestly.”

She put her hand to her face for a second. “Of course, she would be, and, of course, the subject has come up. How silly of me.”

I laughed. “And, yet, I’m still saying nothing to report and no changes to the promise.”

“Yes, you are, and I don’t think Jasmine could push you that way if you weren’t where you’d make that decision, anyway.”

“I feel the same way.”

“Any other news?”

“Not really. That’s enough.”

She nodded, then shifted back a bit. I watched her curiously; this felt... new.

“I have something for you. A few somethings. A long while back, you pushed on confidentiality and how much I would report to your parents. Rightfully, too, and I’m not changing that, so don’t worry. However, thinking about it, this is an awkward relationship. I’m primarily Angie’s therapist, then yours. And, of course, Candice’s. There’s not much of a conflict between you and Angie, so far. And we’ve managed Candice’s issues just fine. And, I don’t see things changing that much, even with your parents being the ones paying, I remain her therapist and then yours. However...” She paused, tapped her pen.

“This is awkward, I suppose. Angie’s issues are ... nebulous. She does have them; you know what they are. She doesn’t need as much therapy as she’s getting, honestly. And yours are more nebulous still. Yes, you had some impact from the situation with Max, both rebuilding trust with Angie and getting over the violence. However, you’ve clearly done that. On the other hand ... on the other hand, if I drop you, your mother will lose her connection to the information I do share, and that you’ve agreed that I can share. I can’t predict her reaction, but I don’t expect it to be positive.”

I nodded. “That makes sense. So, do we back off to fewer sessions but not stop?”

“That’s the straightforward answer, and in the absence of anything else we’ll do that. However...” Tap. Tap tap. Tap tap tap. She looked nervous. Definitely something new. “However, I observe people. That’s what I do, obviously. All the time. I’m good at it. You and Angie are two of the most interesting patients I have ever had, and that’s despite having almost nothing to hang a true need for therapy on. You simply attract ... drama. Interesting people, interesting events. But that’s not really where I’m going.”

She tap-tapped her pen again. Nodded to herself. “Fine, I’ll just say it. I think you and Angie do have ... something. You always have. You want to talk. You want a therapist’s input. That’s, frankly, a bit unusual for teenagers. Angie was more reluctant at first, but opened up considerably, particularly after Max left the picture. But something shifted there, too. Honestly ... well, being blunt, I think you and Angie have something that you’re not telling me that you actually could use a therapist for. And given how open you both are, I can only conjecture that it’s a ‘big deal.’ Normally I’d jump right to the elephant in the room with a brother and sister, except we’ve been there in detail and I firmly believe that you’re not lying to me. I’ve considered alternatives. Abuse, that sort of thing. But nothing about those fits at all, especially with you having only lived in the same house nine months or so before we met, and Angie coming out of an abusive environment. She couldn’t possibly have embraced that. Or be covering for it, in that much time, coming from her background.”