Mathias Kᴓhler sat back at his desk in his office. He looked at his degrees on his wall. They were of varying differentiations of psychology. In this life, he was certain that he wanted to be a therapist so he could help the woman that he loved. After all, in his last lives, she was extremely unstable mentally.
Ever since Mathias was young, he remembered his past lives. On his fifth birthday, he remembered every fifth birthday he had ever had. As a child, he had gotten some of his lives mixed up, managing to scare some people, but as an adult he could remember which life was which.
Yet there was a common denominator in every life. And that common denominator was her. Her name was Lovise Bondevik, and she was Mathias's world. She was all he could ever desire in life, with her long, silky blonde hair and those deep sapphire eyes. In Mathias's most desperate times going through college, he had to keep reminding himself that it was her he was doing it for just the get the motivation to complete some of his assignments. To him, Lovise was worth everything.
Mathias smiled as he looked down at his appointment book. Just as he had anticipated, she had finally scheduled an appointment with him. He snapped the book shut, smirking. Everything was going according to his plan.
He ran a hand through his golden locks in anticipation. He had three appointments before her and was starting to get impatient. Even though it was just the beginning of the day, he was already impatient and counting down the hours on the clock, though it was not for the end of the day to come. It was waiting for the arrival of his beautiful Lovise.
.
Lovise Bondevik pushed her bangs out of her face and clipped them back with her golden cross hairclip. She examined her reflection in the mirror. As always, she looked about as good as it was going to get. She sighed and picked up her purse, heading out the door.
Ever since her ex-boyfriend had moved out, she had started walking everywhere instead of driving or using the bus or a cab, almost as if to make a point to him that she didn't need a stupid fitness trainer boyfriend to feel good about herself. He was always talking about how she was a bit lazy, never wanting to go out for sunrise jogs on the beach with him or anything like that. The honest truth was that Lovise was just not a morning person. In all honesty, she probably would've drowned him in the water had she gone on those jogs with him. So she considered it best for his own safety that she didn't go with him. He never really understood her anyway.
As she walked down the street, Lovise glanced up at the sky. Blue skies, that was good. At least it wasn't going to rain that day. There was the silver lining to having to wake up earlier than normal to make her stupid appointment; she wasn't going to get rained on.
If there was anything that killed Lovise's mood more than anything, it was the weather. It was almost as if she were affected by the weather as much as the climate itself was. If it was rainy, she was moody. If it was stormy, she was in a terrible mood. If it was cloudy, she was very spacey. Sunny days were her best days. She was neutral on those days. She considered her therapist a very lucky man to have the opportunity to meet her on a sunny day. He wouldn't have to deal with any of her moods.
.
Mathias sat back at his desk after his last client before Lovise finished up his session. He was getting so antsy that he almost couldn't stand it. The moment of truth was on its way. He was going to finally meet his beautiful Lovise in this life! His heart was beating out of control in his chest, and he could only hope she could calm it just by sitting in his office.
"Well, Kevin, our time is up," Mathias said, ending the session. "We'll talk more about this next time, okay? I'm sorry to cut things short, but I have a full day today and a very packed schedule this week. I'm sure I can fit you in next week, though. Make sure to see my secretary on the way out and keep your chin up, okay?" He smiled at the man on his couch. "Please try to have a good week, and I'll see you at our next appointment."
The man smiled. "Thank you, Mathias. You really are the best therapist in this practice." He got up and left the room.
Mathias really did enjoy getting compliments like that, but there was only one person he wanted to hear that from. And that one person was the only person who truly mattered to him, Lovise Bondevik.
Now, as he anxiously awaited Pam, the receptionist, to tell him that his next appointment was ready, he closed his eyes, replaying all of their past lives together in his head. They may not have always been happy marriages. In fact, he and Lovise tended to argue a lot in past lives, but he had never felt more in love with anyone ese in his life. In some lives they would have one child, and in others they had up to eight. It just all depended on what was going on in their lives. He personally wondered how many they would have in this life.
"Dr. Kᴓhler, your next appointment is ready," Pam announced through the intercom that linked his office to the front desk. "A young female by the name of Lovise Bondevik."
"Thank you, Pam. I'll be out in a moment," Mathias told her. He stood and straightened up his clothes before checking his appearance in his mirror in his office. Nothing seemed off about him, so he went out to the waiting room and nearly passed out when he saw her. She was even more breathtakingly beautiful in this life than she had been in other lives. "Lovise Bondevik," he softly called out, pretending he didn't know who she was.
Lovise quickly looked up. Her sapphire eyes rested on him and she stood, slinging her purse over her shoulder. "That's me," she said, walking over.
"Hey there, I'm Mathias," he said. "I'll be your therapist." He led her down the hallway to his office. "In my office, I like to see us as equals, so I would like you to call me by my first name."
"Okay," Lovise said with a nod as she was led into his office. She sat on his couch and set her purse next to him. "It was suggested to me by my friends that I start coming to therapy after my boyfriend and I broke up last month." Her gaze fell to the floor. "I wasn't too broken up about it, even though we were together for two years. He was always bossing me around."
Sounds like typical Lovise, Mathias thought as he nodded. "So then what made you want an appointment with a therapist?" he asked her.
"I figured it would be nice to have someone to talk to," she answered. "I mean, I know that sounds stupid, but I just feel kind of alone. My friends and family don't exactly understand me, and I know it sounds weird, but I don't really understand me either, Mathias. I was thinking that maybe you could help me out with that."
"I can certainly try my best to help you out with that," Mathias said with a nod. "After all, it's my job to do so." He smiled at her. "So who was this boyfriend of yours, and why weren't you broken up about him after a two-year relationship?"
"He was all about fitness," Lovise complained. "Berwald is a fitness trainer at the local gym here, and all he wanted to do was have me work out with him. Honestly, the only time we truly did a workout was when we had sex."
Mathias tried his best not to show how jealous he was of Berwald. "I see," he said, trying not to clench his jaw in anger toward Berwald. "So the only time you would work out was when you had sex? And would you say you guys did that a lot since he was always wanting you to work out?"
Lovise nodded. "Every day, at least once a day. Sometimes more. It all depended on if I was feeling it," she answered. "You know, I don't miss sex with him, though. He literally treated it like a workout, whereas I wanted to focus on the love aspect of it. He wasn't interested in that part of it at all. Well I wasn't interested in the workout part."
Mathias tried his best not to smile. There was his Lovise, focusing on the love aspect of it all. "I see. So do you believe that love exists and is a true thing, not just a feeling that some people just develop out of the blue?"
"I believe that people come into our lives for a reason," Lovise answered. "And I do believe that love and soulmates exist. But what I don't believe is that we only love one person all our lives. Because in the beginning I loved Berwald so much, and it didn't last. So how am I supposed to know that the next man I love will last?"
"You do have a point there," Mathias answered, pointing at her with his pen as he took notes. He was starting to realize that his notes on Lovise were the most detailed notes he had taken all day long. He didn't know whether he should be concerned or not about that.
"What do you believe about all of that stupid love stuff, Mathias?" she asked him.
"What do I believe?" Mathias asked. "I believe that there is only one woman out there for me, and that when I find her, I'll know it. I believe in past lives, and that she'll be there for me in every life that there is. And whenever I find her in each life, I'll know exactly who she is."
Lovise cracked a small smile. "That's an interesting theory, Mathias." She nodded absently as she thought more about it. "And interesting theory indeed."
"Isn't it, though?" Mathias asked with a grin. "Have you ever thought about things like that?"
"About past lives?" Lovise asked, raising an eyebrow. "I have, but I've never thought too much into it."
"What do you think you were in a past life?" Mathias asked. "I'm curious to know why."
"I would like to believe that I helped out during the Civil War," she answered. "I want to believe that I was a nurse to wounded soldiers, and that I fell in love with one and married him when the war ended."
Mathias thought back to the Civil War past life when they met. He wanted to tell her how right she really was, but he couldn't. His memories went back to seeing her for the first time as his nurse and telling her how lovely she truly was. It was his fifth reincarnation, and he couldn't help but think that she just got more and more beautiful each life. And that still held true to this life.
He nodded his head in agreement. "For some reason, I could see that as well, Lovise," he answered.
She smiled, satisfied. "Thank you, Mathias. I've always considered myself kind and caring, even though people see me as cold and unfriendly. It's just that they don't take the time to get to know me. But my insurance is paying you to get to know me, so you'll get to know how kind and caring I really am."
"You're the kind of person I would want to get to know outside of here as well," Mathias answered before thinking.
Lovise blinked in surprise. "You would?" She suddenly registered it. "Mathias, are you flirting with me?"
"I didn't mean it like that," he quickly said.
"Because if you are, that was pretty smooth," she said with a smile. "And I would like to get to know you outside of here as well." She blushed as she said it and looked down at her hands, which were folded firmly in her lap. Lovise bit her lips in anticipation of what he'd say.
"I can't exactly do that, though," Mathias sighed. "Since I'm a professional doctor." He thought for a moment. "But when you're done with your sessions, I would be honored to see you outside of my office."
She looked up at him, sapphire eyes knowing. "That would be nice."
Mathias then situated himself better in his chair. "Now, Miss Bondevik, let's get more into why you're here."
.
After the session was over, Lovise got up from the couch against her better judgement. What she really wanted was to stay there with Mathias. She really liked him. All she wanted to do was sit and talk the day away with him. Yet she didn't understand why, because she hated talking to people. So why did she enjoy talking to him? It confused her.
She shrugged it off as she began her walk home. It was too much for her to think about at that moment. All she really wanted was to go home and think about that gorgeous, spiky-haired therapist in the comfort of her own home. Her heart began to race as she walked. God, she liked him so much!
"Stop it, Lovise," she muttered to herself. "He's a professional. He probably didn't mean he wanted to date you. Guys just say things to get girls all riled up about themselves. He was probably just being friendly. He seems like one of those guys."
But what if he was one of those guys who really is interested? a small voice in the back of her head asked her.
She grabbed her head. "Stop it," she hissed to herself. "Don't get your hopes up at all. He's not into you like that!"
.
Mathias sat back at his desk and barely paid any attention to any of his clients the rest of the day. Sure, he felt bad, but all he could think about was Lovise and how wonderful and beautiful she was. He was so deeply in love with her already. She was just like he remembered her from all of their past lives together.
"You did good, Mat," he told himself at the end of the day. "She's a keeper." He began to whistle happily as he prepared his office for the next day. "Yup, definitely a girl to keep."
.
That night as Lovise laid in bed, her therapy session played over and over in her head. All she could think of was how familiar Mathias seemed to her. She was certain that she had never met him before in her entire life, yet she felt as if she had always known him. It was strange to her, but yet it was a nice, warm feeling to feel so close to someone like that.
Maybe you knew him in a past life, her mind suggested to her.
Lovise shook her head to rid herself of the thought. "Past lives don't exist," she told herself. "You're wrong. I've never met him before. Not in this life or in any other. But he is wonderful, and I could talk to him forever if it were possible."
She smiled to herself as she closed her eyes. It was true. Maybe she was starting to fall for her therapist. Deep down, she knew that wasn't okay, but then again, what really was okay in this day and age?