Page 75 of Even in the Dark

Dylan:[No response]

Dr. Morley:Dylan?

Dylan:What?

Dr. Morley:Okay, first of all, just take a breath. Alright? Just… breathe.

Dylan:I am fucking breathing.

Dr. Morley:[Chuckles] Good. Had to check. You pass out on me and I’ll probably be held responsible. Have to charge you extra… Alright, so hear me out. There is absolutely no reason foryou to be ashamed or mad about the way you’re feeling. About anything you just said.

Dylan:[No response]

Dr. Morley:All this stuff you’re feeling and these thoughts you’re having… none of it is weird or wrong or the kind of thing you should beat yourself up over. It’s frustrating as heck, I’m sure, trying to work through all these emotions. But there’s no test. There’s no timeline here… Remember that. You can work through all of this at your own pace. So give yourself some room to breathe.

Dylan:That your two-hundred-and-fifty dollar advice? To fuckingbreathe?

Dr. Morley:[Laughs] It’s part of it, yes.

Dylan:Then I’ll just take the burger and fries.

Dr. Morley:Wait now. You’re forgetting I said I wouldn’t charge for the phone calls. So technically, this is free advice.

Dylan:I’m getting your bargain basement advice, then. Fucking stellar… And by the way, I’ve kind of been doing the whole breathing thing without you for seventeen years now… So thanks for nothing.

Dr. Morley:I meant you need to take a moment to stop and just breatheintentionally.Inhale… hold… exhale.

Dylan:You serious with this shit? Now you’re literally gonna explain to me how breathingworks?

Dr. Morley:[Sighs] Okay. Forget the breathing, then. Just—

Dylan:I forget to breathe, I die. That’s how breathing works. Maybe brush up next time before you try explaining it.

Dr. Morley:I feel like you’re trying to side-track me here.

Dylan:I feel like you’re trying to shrink-talk me with this breathing bullshit.

Dr. Morley:Okay. So let’s move on from the breathing. Let’s go back to what you were saying before that. About how Eli perhaps influenced some of the feelings you have about women and—

Dylan:I shouldn’t have said that.

Dr. Morley:Why’s that?

Dylan:[No response]

Dr. Morley:You still with me?

Dylan:Not like I have anywhere to go. Yeah, I’m still fucking here.

Dr. Morley:Why shouldn’t you have said that?

Dylan:Because I… I just… I…

Dr. Morley:You just what?

Dylan:Nothing. I don’t feel like getting into that shit right now.

Dr. Morley:Okay… But it’s obviously on your mind. It’s affecting how—

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