The doctor's living room was dark, lit only by the soft rays spilling from the kitchen. Olivia didn't mind. She liked the feeling of safety, the impression of intimacy.
Huang sat on a plush white couch and patted the space beside him. "Sit."
She sat, sipped her tea, and sighed, comforted by the drink's warmth and sweetness. Huang took a taste, then spoke.
"May I make a suggestion?"
"Hmm?" She rested her elbows on her knees, savoring the feel of the mug in her hands.
"Stop trying to hold it back, Liv."
She turned to face him, finding his eyes in the dim light. "Hold what back?"
"Your grief. Your anger, your fear. You're trying to keep your emotions bottled up, trying to prevent yourself from experiencing the true depth of your feelings. But you can't, can you? You're losing control?"
Her lips trembled. "You're right. But I'm afraid."
He put his tea down and took her hand, squeezing comfortingly. "Afraid of what?"
"I'm afraid that if I let myself feel, I… I won't be able to make it stop." She slipped from his grasp and put her mug on the coffee table, pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes and swallowing thickly.
The doctor put a broad hand on her back, steadying her. "But that's why you came here, isn't it? Because you know I can help you?"
At that, she began to sob in earnest, great shudders wracking the whole of her body. Huang turned and pulled her into an embrace, pressing her head to his shoulder.
"All right," he murmured. "I've got you."
He held her, absorbing her sobs and letting her tears soak into his pajama shirt. She said nothing, crying as quietly as she could as Huang cradled her head and gently stroked her hair.
After a time, she quieted. She sniffled. She pulled away.
"Come on," the doctor said. "Let's get you to bed."