Chapter 33

Everyone that lived in Logan's house had very little sleep, thanks to Jessica. Ashley was the most agitated because some few hours ago she had struggled to find sleep and as soon as she started to drift slowly into the sleeping realm, Jessica stomped into Ashley's room urging her to wake up.



After vigorous tapping and shaking, Ashley decided to give in.

"Can I please just sleep for five minutes," she pleaded.



"No, you can't, my love," Jessica answered as she dragged the blue duvet off Ashley's body.



"Remember you never gave me a chance in this whole situation. You never gave me a reason to voice out my worries and many more."



"That is the reason why I am offering therapy, babes," Jessica sat down next to her best friend on the bed and began to stroke Ashley's hair.



"Isn't therapy a means of knowing what is troubling you and then finding a possible solution to your problem?" Jessica was a little bit reluctant in answering her best friend because she knew Ashley could be as slimy as a snake.



"It is one of the many reasons why we go for therapy," Jessica finally answered.



"Okay." Ashley tilted and faced Jessica

"What if I already know my problem and I have started to work towards

healing myself; do I truly need therapy?"



"Yes, girl. You need therapy because you have been traumatized by that incident and as it stands right now, you will have to heal properly. I miss my best friend, the whole office misses you. We need you back. Most importantly, I need you back."



"Okay, I will go for your sake. But..."



"But what, baby girl?" Jessica asked.



"I don't trust anybody close to Logan right now." Jessica was speechless at that very moment Ashley spoke, she faked a smile.



"We will discuss it better in the therapy session," Jessica leaned and kissed Ashley's forehead, stood up, and said "I want you all dressed up when I get back," and she walked out of the room.





***





The therapist was a man in his mid-sixties, he had curly dark hair with round spectacles like that of Harry Potter, the room was neatly arranged as it had a lot of books perfectly packed on the bookshelves.



"You are welcome," the man pointed towards the chair for both Ashley and Logan to sit on the purple couch in the office.



"Thank you very much," Ashley answered as both she and Logan sat down. The man came along with a jug of water and two ceramic cups and placed them on the glass table that was in between his chair and that of his patients. The man decided to sit down on the one-seater that was opposite Logan and Ashley.



"How are you doing today Mr. Reeves?" He asked.



"I am fine," Logan answered in his husky voice.



"I love your outfit, Mrs. Reeves," he said directing his gaze towards Ashley. Ashley was baffled at the comment as she looked at her hoodie and track trousers.



"We are not married" Ashely pouted her lips out.



"Oh," the man looked surprised. "Is that the reason why you are here?" He smiled, Logan and Ashley turned to look at each other and then looked back at the man.



"The aim of this all is for you both to look at each other and thank goodness it has been achieved. Either way, I am Dr. Smith by name and I will be your therapist."



"For only today?" Ashley asked



"Why are you in a hurry to leave here?" Dr. Smith asked.



"Because I already hate the fact that I am here. I am fed up." Ashley had begun.



"Can you just keep calm and hear the man out for once?" Logan felt infuriated.



"You are the reason why we are here," Ashley looked at Logan.



"Am I?" Logan tried to maintain his calm.



"Of cause you are!"



"Hey! hey! let's stop the blame game," Dr smith chipped in "We are here because we want to get better and not to blame each other for our dilemma."



"Okay. What do you suggest we do?" Logan asked.



"Ashley, are you happy?" Dr. Smith asked.



"I am surviving."



"Before we dive into anything, I would like us to build a form of trust between ourselves. The best way I see us achieving this is for us to know each better. I want us to have that relationship as friends and not as a therapist and patients. Do you both think we can achieve this?" Dr. Smith asked as he adjusted his glasses.



"I guess we could," Logan answered in a calm voice.



"Thank you, Mr. Reeves," Logan nodded his head.



"Ashley, how was your life before the kidnap?" Ashley moved closer and poured herself a glass of water.



"Huh?" Ashley feigned ignorance to the question.



"How was your life before the kidnap?" The therapist asked again.



"It was fine."



"Are you sure, fine is what we should use to describe it?"



"Yes. I think fine is what we should use to describe it," Logan shook his head in disbelief.



"Why don't you agree, Mr. Reeves?" Dr. Smith directed his glance toward Logan as he crossed his leg.



"I believe it was far from everything being fine, it was marvelous and epic, and it was the best days of our lives."



"Can't we just put all those words under one umbrella as fine?"



"Okay." Logan felt defeated.



"What about you Mr. Logan, how is life between the two of you right now?"



"To be honest, It is terrible."



"And whose fault do you think it is?" Ashley asked.



"I thought we were done with the blame game?" Dr. Smith asked Ashley. Ashley threw a stern look toward Logan.



"Ashley, Why do you think it is Logan's fault?" The therapist asked.



"Because he was not honest from on-set, he hid his true identity, I believe he was the main reason why I was kidnapped. To be honest at this present time I don't feel safe around him and everyone close to him," Ashley continued. "Trust is like a piece of paper, once squeezed, it can never be straightened again. So I don't see myself trusting Logan as I used to before."



"Have you heard of a perfect relationship?"



"I thought my relationship was until the truth became visible to me."



"So your relationship wasn't perfect then?" The therapist asked.



"Sadly."



"There is nothing like a perfect relationship. The fun part is that we are all terrible to live with, we have our flaws but the ability for us to see past the flaws of our partners and love them unconditionally is what determines a perfect relationship or not," Dr. Smith paused and looked towards Logan, "Why did you withhold that information from her?"



"To protect her."



"Now that she has found out, does she feel protected Or betrayed?"



"Betrayed," Logan answered with his head bowed down.



"Exactly!" Dr. Smith turned and looked towards Ashley "Ashley, if there is a wand in your hands, you could turn everything to the way you want it. What will you do?"



Ashley paused for a while and said "I want my life back, I want the memory of the kidnapping incident out of my memory, I want to be able to smile again, I want to be able to sleep and not feel traumatized, to stop having the nightmares and a long list of endless wants." Logan looked at her and smiled, but the uninviting gaze that Ashley threw back at him made Logan's smile disappear immediately.



"What is stopping you then?" Dr. Smith asked.



"I don't know," Ashley shrugged.



"Do you believe that your mind they say is very powerful, It could make or destroy you. It is the only part of your body that is hindering you from reaching the peak of success?"



"I guess I do."



"It's a yes or no question, Ms. Ashley."



"Yes, I believe the statement."



"It's a step-by-step process and we will surely get there together," Dr. Smith said.



"Together?" Logan asked



"Yes, together. Don't worry Mr. Reaves. We will be seeing a lot of my face now."



"Fuck!" Logan cursed under his breath as he placed his back on the chair and stretched out his legs