Page 95 of The Last Man on Earth
She stares blankly. She’s good at that.”
“She’s having my baby, so I guess you could say we’re together.”
“What wouldyousay?”
I chuckle at that. Don’t nothin’ get past this lady. “I would say I love her.”
She smiles, but quickly forces her face back to blank again. Must be in the psychologist handbook that you can’t react to shit.
“You mentioned that you’re engaged. How do you think that relationship will change after this experience?”
I shake my head. “I haven’t thought that far ahead yet.”
“I see. Have you had any nightmares? Flashbacks?”
“Every now and then. Mostly sounds. Sometimes the explosion. Screaming. I’ve woken up before thinking I smelled smoke.”
She notes that, too. “And physically. Any pain? Fatigue? Dizziness?”
“I’m tired, yeah. And hungry.”
Dr. Souza leans back in her chair. “Mr. Newcastle, what you’ve described is consistent with acute stress response. Very common after a traumatic event. I’d like to schedule a follow-up session or two with you before you leave. Once you’re back home, I would like you to find someone who can see you on a weekly basis, at least until you’re feeling settled.”
“Yeah. That’ll work.”
This wasn’t so bad. I didn’t mind talking to her. Would do it again.
She closes her notebook and gives me a gentle smile. “You survived something extraordinary. It may take some time for you to feel like yourself again.”
“They won’t let me see her.”
“Yes.” She nods. “That’s just for today.”
“Isn’t it better for my mental health if I see her? I’m worried about her.”
“I think it’s better right now for us to assess you independently.” She says this next part slowly, like she’s explaining herself to a child. “It’s normal to attach to someone who was your anchor in a survival situation, but we don’t want to encourage codependency.”
I nod, but she might as well have said that shit in German. All I can think about is Ari. She’s around her somewhere, alone and probably scared as hell.
As soon as Dr. Souza leaves, I sink into the mattress. I feel wrung out. My body feels weaker than it did yesterday on the island. I feel like I should feel better now. I should be improving.
But I just feel worse.
Chapter 48
Ari
My growling stomach wakesme up.
I don’t know what time it is. I don’t even know where I am. The white walls, the bright lights, the antiseptic smell…it’s all so foreign to me. Then I remember. I’m in a hospital room.
I fumble around until I find the call button, telling the nurse I’m hungry.
She brings me a tray of soup, crackers, and a cup of applesauce. I eat as slowly as I can. Tomato soup and dry crackers never tasted so good.
I drift in and out of sleep until a woman enters my room and pulls up a chair to sit beside my bed. She introduces herself as Dr. Souza. She’s a psychologist.
I hit a button to lift the top half of the bed. Once I’m upright, we get down to business.
