Robert - Thursday 14:00

"This tardiness seems to be a problem Robert." said Sweets, "This is the second week in a row that you were late to a session and I have to be tight about this because I don't know if I'll have another appointment straight after."

"It isn't my fault Doctor Sweets; I keep forgetting when I have appointments so there is a kafuffle before we leave the house." said Robert.

"Where is your wife today?"

"She's outside. I know because she repeated it about eight times." said Robert. "She thinks that if she repeats it enough it'll be engraved into my memory."

"My wife Lisa only does that when I don't wash the dishes. Do you think that Anna is becoming a little paranoid?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Does she try to help you when you don't really need it?" asked Sweets.

"Yes. I know she is only trying to help but sometimes it is annoying." said Robert.

"Maybe she doesn't understand that while you do need help, you have not deteriorated enough that you are unable to help yourself." said Sweets. "I think that is normal for any loved one dealing with early Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's can deteriorate very quickly in some people so I guess she could be preparing for when you do deteriorate."

"I suppose that is true. My wife has been trying to make things up for past mistakes." said Robert.

"Past mistakes? Like marriage problems?" asked Sweets.

"A few years ago she had an affair with a man she works with. He rather looked like you. She works at the hospital as a surgeon; the guy works as a surgeon as well and they met at a time when I was more focused on my work than my family." said Robert, "I could tell she was having an affair because she acted all secretive and I had found some suspicious text messages."

"Did you ask her about why she was acting secretive and about the text messages?"

"No." said Robert bluntly.

"Why not Robert? If that were my wife who I had been married to for a long time was acting suspicious, I would want to know what was going on."

"I guess I wanted to deny it to myself. I wanted to convince myself it was all in my head. Wouldn't you?"

"I guess. Did you eventually ask about it, or did Anna confess to the affair?" asked Sweets.

"She confessed to me after this guy left to go to another hospital. It turns out the affair had lasted for about a year. When she confessed, I said that I knew that she was having an affair and we have been rather strained since then. Since the diagnosis, I guess that she has felt guilty because of the affair."

"Right…" said Sweets looking at the photographs on the desk. The photographs of his wife and daughter and Sweets felt a pang of sympathy for Robert. He always found a pang of sympathy for any of his patients – even the impossible ones – but they did have their similarities and their obvious differences. As far as Sweets was, Lisa had not had an affair with anyone.

"Penny for your thoughts?" asked Robert.

"No, Robert." said Sweets. "Does your children know of your wife's affair?"

"I do not think that Pippa would be impressed with it; I think she may have disowned Anna if she found out."

"How did you feel when you saw her suspicious behaviour and the mysterious text messages?"

"Hurt… I just wanted to tell the guy how I felt about him screwing my wife. I was angry, hurt and I sort of wanted to kill the guy… but I thought it would be better to ignore the feelings I had and deny that she was having an affair." said Robert.

"I feel like this is the right emotions to feel whenever your wife is having an affair with someone. You would often feel like you were being replaced, possibly guilt for not meeting her needs."

"I don't hate her Doctor Sweets."

"I never implied that you did hate Anna. I'm just saying that when someone has an affair with someone else, it can knock their confidence, not just sexually but emotionally." explained Sweets.

"So why are you continuing to sleep with her?" asked Robert.

"I beg your pardon Robert?" asked Sweets confused.

"If you think it can knock my confidence, why are you having an affair with my wife?"

Sweets narrowed his eyes if further confusion. Then something hit him. Robert had mentioned that Sweets physically reminded Robert of the man who Anna had an affair with, and Robert must be going through a moment of serious forgetfulness. And this was giving Robert a chance to express the repressed feelings he had towards the man.

"Robert, I am Doctor Sweets. I am the criminal psychologist at the Federal Bureau of Investigation where you work as well." said Sweets calmly.

"Why are you having an affair with my wife? Do you not have your own to satisfy your needs?" asked Robert ignoring Sweets.

"Robert, I can assure you that I am not having an affair with your wife; I do not work with your wife so I have never had the opportunity to get to know your wife enough to have an affair with her." explained Sweets calmly enough so he doesn't alarm Robert.

"Please just stop and give her back to me. I know you don't love her and I still love her even now. So I am begging you, please, please just give me my wife back and leave us be. Leave us to move on with our life together. Please."

Sweets looked stunned and simply nodded rather dumbly before saying, "Okay, I'll leave you and your wife be."