Audra by Delaney Diamond

Author:Delaney Diamond [Diamond, Delaney]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Garden Avenue Press

Chapter Seventeen

Week number two.

Audra sat stiffly on the cream sofa in the therapist’s office, fingers threaded together on her lap.

In the first meeting, the doctor had introduced herself and her methodology. She’d been empathetic with a soothing voice. She had, however, asked a question at the end which continued to gnaw at Audra.

“If you could marry each other again today, would you? Don’t answer but think about it. Not every couple should stay together. If your answer is no right now, my job is to find out if that answer could become a yes.”

Audra’s answer was no and doubted it could become a yes. What was Damon’s answer? No as well, no doubt.

The first session had done nothing to bridge the chasm between them. In fact, the hole appeared wider and harder to cross. He sat in silence beside her, staring straight ahead. They had barely spoken since their arrival for the appointment and rode in separate cars on the way there. She didn’t mind because riding together would have been scream-inducing.

Audra glanced at the door and rubbed her hands together.

Where is Dr. Lewis? she thought.

“Did you work out today?” she asked, to fill the lack of sound in the room.

Damon shifted on the seat. “Yeah.”

The bass in his voice sent a tremor through her. One single word had such a profound effect.

“How was it?”

To encourage communication, the therapist had advised them to ask follow-up questions.

“Good. Did you work on the blog today?” He glanced at her.

She hated the way he looked through her instead of at her.

“Yes.”

“How was it?”

“Good,” she answered, swallowing past the thickness in her throat. That seemed to be their favorite word nowadays. A meaningless, hollow, empty word. “I got a lot done this morning after you and the kids left.”

He slowly nodded his head, but she doubted he cared one way or the other about her morning. They no longer hung on each other’s every word.

Out of ideas to initiate conversation, Audra glanced at the door, twisting her wedding rings on her finger as she impatiently waited for their counselor to enter. If forced to endure much more of this uncomfortable situation, she would end up losing her mind.

The door burst open, and Dr. Lewis rushed in. “Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said in a breathless voice.

A Black woman with wheat-colored skin, she wore a violet pantsuit cinched to one side of her slim waist. Her raven hair was in a messy bun, and her black glasses rested on a nose spattered with freckles.

“It’s okay,” Damon and Audra murmured at the same time.

“I had a bit of an emergency with one of my other clients. A minor meltdown that hopefully has been resolved. Can I get you anything to drink?”

“I’m fine.” Audra lifted an eight-ounce bottle of water from the table beside the sofa, which she had taken from the small refrigerator in the corner.

“Damon, are you okay?”

“I’m good.”

Dr. Lewis gave them a brief smile before unlocking her desk and removing a padded notebook and pen.

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