Page 62 of The Last Session

“When I’m pursuing someone?” Mikki considered. “It feels… not good, exactly. More like I feel alive.”

Moon nodded.

“It’s ridiculous.” Mikki threw up her hands. “I’m way too old to act like this. And I could really fuck up my life.”

“What do you do again?”

“I’m a stylist.”

“So this could affect your career, your reputation.”

“Exactly.”

“When’s the last time you felt this way?”

The silence expanded, ballooning in the space.

“The last time…” Mikki cleared her throat. “Was an issue. But I don’t want to talk about it.”

Moon scooted closer to her. “Good. This is what we need to talk about.”

“Not like this.” Mikki motioned to us. “Like I’m telling a story on the fucking Moth.”

“This is the most important part,” Moon insisted. “Being witnessed. Trust me, Mikki. This will change everything.”

“No.” Mikki shook her head. “I haven’t even told my therapist.”

“Fuck your therapist.”

Mikki looked up in surprise.

“I mean, she couldn’t even get to the heart of it, right?” Moon tilted her head. “And we got there in… what, five minutes?”

Mikki smiled faintly.

“It’s time for it to come out,” Moon went on. “Itwantsto come out.”

Mikki shook her head. “I can’t. It’s too…”

“Break through the shame.” Moon’s voice rose. “It’s just shame. We all have it! There’s a reason you did what you did.”

“I know, but…” Tears glistened in her eyes. “It was unforgiveable.”

I shifted, shrugging off my jean jacket, feeling suddenly hot. A therapistwould never push a patient like this, much less someone they didn’t even know. Mikki seemed stable, but still. This was sensitive work. Forcing people to go places they weren’t comfortable with could have negative consequences, to say the least.

“So it was unforgiveable,” Moon prompted.

“Yeah. It was…” Mikki let out a deep, shuddering sigh. “Fine. It was my best friend’s husband. At their wedding.”

“What?” Dawne whispered.

Mikki looked over uncertainly, but Moon grabbed her hands. “Look at me.”

Mikki did, her eyes wide.

“You said it out loud,” Moon said. “The worst is over.”

“But it’s not.” Mikki lowered her head.

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