Custody War

Chapter 48

Essence

2 months later

Sitting here waiting for another therapy session to begin.

  Dr. Odam enters the room taken her respective seat. Looking at me with a smile on her face.

“How are you, Essence?”

“I am doing okay, still having nightmares and night terrors.”

Nodding her head while writing something down in her notepad.

“I would like to pick back up where we left off last week for just a little. Before we get into Lucas, I need to ask you a few things.”

“Yes ma’am”

Dr. Odam’s face is etched with concern, making me uneasy.

“Have you ever dated or been with a man?”

“I talk to one before I moved here. I meet him while I was here visiting Kendric before.”

“Did you feel safe around him?”

Deep in thought as the question weighs heavily on my mind.

“Essence,” Dr. Odam says my name again.

“I suppose it is a yes and no answer to that question.”

“I’ll take that answer because you are being honest, tell me you didn’t feel safe.”

“I didn’t and I still don’t know him. I didn’t know if he would make me feel the way he did.”

“He, as in your attacker?” She questions then continues, “let’s talk about that, try to tell me how it made you feel.”

Feeling warm tears stream down my face as the memories resurface in my mind.

“I- it felt like fire. When his hands would roam my body or when his fingertips dragged up and down me it felt like fire.”

Glancing up at Dr. Odam through my teary eyes as I continue.

“His unwanted touches felt like fire. Each time it would burn me more than the last. When he would spill himself into me it was like a budded flower of fire that burst into me. Each time he did it, I could feel my soul being burned away. Even when he would drag his fingertips up and down my arms or arms it was like scolding lava burning into my skin.”