Page 35 of Reflections of Peonies
That would be terrible.
Julian pulled me closer as Damen covered my hand with his own.
“It’s okay,” Julian whispered. “We can talk about it later.”
“Father is more than understanding,” Bryce said, waving off Dr. Reed’s concern. “But since you’ve asked. We live with my best mate, Damen Abernathy.” Bryce dramatically flourished a wave in Damen’s direction.
Damen’s hand twitched, but Bryce continued, “You see, he’s never had a keen eye for landscaping. He destroys everything he touches—he sucks the life right out of it. Therefore, he has requested my expertise. I’m his only hope.”
“I didn’t realize he planned on entering gardening competitions.” Dr. Reed narrowed her eyes before turning her attention to Damen. “Is it true, Damen? Are you friends again?”
“Oh, absolutely.” Damen’s voice was strange. “It’s my pleasure to have a live-in groundskeeper. You can never have too many servants.”
Julian covered his face with his hand while his mother sighed.
“Right,” she replied, not sounding like she believed them. Then she focused on me. “Bianca, are you sure?”
“Of course.” I breathed. I didn’t want to stay in this building for another second. “Why wouldn’t I want to be with my husband?”
She turned her eyes heavenward before she glanced pointedly at the three of us. “There’s the matter of this ménage. And while your husband is standing only three feet away. That’s bound to raise some eyebrows.”
Damen’s hand pulled away from mine while Julian gasped. “We’re offering her emotional support!” he said, cheeks darkening. “We’re best friends!”
While he was using my line, it really did sound ridiculous.
“Yes, son,” Dr. Reed said. She pulled a pen from the thick bun at the top of her head. “I’m sure that’spreciselywhat it is. Be sure to keep it in check. You’ve always been a horrendous actor.”
“I’ll get your discharge paperwork,” she continued as she wrote into her notes. “But I am recommending you stay on your medication. And Bianca—” She looked at me, and my breath caught. “—it iscrucialthat you go to Dr. Nam. I am recommending that you see him three times a week. He’s relocated his practice to the campus. You have no excuse.”
But… I pressed my fingers to my lips. “I don’t want to see Dr. Nam.”
“Why not?” she asked. “Has he done something? You’ve only been there a handful of times.”
“No, all he does is make tea,” I explained. “And it tastes awful. He doesn’t even have sugar! Then we sit around drinking it for an hour. It’s boring and useless.”
Dr. Reed rolled her eyes. “Regardless, you must see him. You should talk to him; that is what he’s there for.”
“Why?” I replied. “I’m fine.”
“Why don’t you just give it a try anyway?” she suggested. “You might like it.”
“I have nothing to talk about,” I told her. “He can go analyze someone who needs it. I’m fine.”
“Honey-bee…” Bryce stepped forward, interrupting our conversation. “We can discuss the details when we’re back home. But first, let’s leave, all right?”
Honey-bee?
The awful nickname overshadowed the conversation we werecertainto be having later. Julian’s hand lowered to his mouth, and he watched Bryce with an unreadable expression.
Meanwhile, Damen’s eyebrow began to twitch. I wasn’t sure what he was so bothered about—I’d kept my true feelings about psychologists under wraps so that I might not hurt his feelings.
“Yes…” I still had no idea what to call Bryce, but it was time to make a decision. I had to think of something fast. If we were married, there was no longer an excuse to avoid addressing him. “Daddy.”
Bryce lowered his hand, and the look he shot me was close to panic.
“No,” he hissed, his eyes flickering to Damen. “Don’t call me that. Anything but that.”
“Why not,Daddy?” I fake-pouted in response. I loved this. His upset reaction was bringing me great enjoyment during tenebrous times. I didn’t understand why he was complaining. From what I understood, it seemed common to address your significant other as such.
