Disclaimer: I own Rebecca "Becca" and Kathryn "Katy" Lennox and the plot (plot? Haha it's true!) But that's it...
A/N: I hope this is going to turn out okay, I'm going to try to end off this chapter without too much of a cliffhanger because I don't know when I'll be able to update again. Thanks for the reviews all, good to know some people are still reading (and I do accept unsigned reviews if you're not a member or if you're like me and are too lazy to sign in most of the time). Anyways, back to the story.
"Dan?" Zoe awoke with a start, a nightmare still fresh in her mind. Dan walked back into the room, still talking on his cell when he sat down beside Zoe and pulled her into his arms.
"I'll see you tomorrow Becca. Thanks. Yeah love you too, and give Kathryn a kiss for me," Dan snapped his cell shut and kissed the top of Zoe's head softly, "Hey," he whispered to her. "It's gonna be okay, I promise."
"Who was that?" Zoe asked tearfully, still clinging to his chest.
"I called my sister Rebecca. I remembered her going through something like this when we were younger. She's a psychologist now, I thought she might be able to help. She's gonna fly down tomorrow from Halifax. That's okay right? I don't want to overstep my boundaries or anything."
"No Dan it's okay, thank you." Zoe relaxed against his chest and fell back to sleep on his shoulder. Dan shifted carefully, lifting her into his arms and carrying her up the stairs.
"Mr. Lennox what's wrong with Aunt Zoe?" Dan nearly leapt out of his skin as Hannah appeared at her bedroom door.
"She's fine Hannah, she just fell asleep downstairs so I'm bringing her to bed. What are you doing up?" Dan shifted Zoe in his arms.
"I wanted a drink of water," Hannah copied Dan's whisper with a conspiratorial grin.
"Okay well you go get your drink and I'll put your aunt in bed and then I'll come tuck you back in okay?" Hannah smiled and skipped off to get her drink. Dan continued to Zoe's room, placing her carefully in the centre of the bed, sliding the blankets out from beneath her and covering her up.
"Dan?" Zoe's eyes fluttered open.
"Shhh go back to sleep Zo," he gently moved the hair out of her face, even in the dark he could see the fear in her eyes.
"Don't leave me Dan," her voice trembled.
"It's okay Zoe, I just have to go tuck Hannah back in and then I'll come say goodbye before I go home," he sat on the edge of the bed and leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"No, Dan. Stay...please? I - I need...I," Zoe blew out a breath.
"Okay Zoe. Just let me go tuck Hannah in okay? I'll be right back," he kissed her softly as if to seal his promise and went to get Hannah back into bed.
"Can you read me a story Mr. Lennox?" Hannah was sitting in bed, book in hand.
"Hannah it's late..."
"Pleeeease Mr. Lennox? Just one little short story?" Dan looked down at the little girl, knowing he was defeated when he looked into her pleading eyes.
"All right Hannah. It has to be short though," good as her word Hannah chose a short, happy story from her book and allowed Dan to pull the blankets up around her as she drifted off to sleep. "Night Hannah."
"G'night Mr. Lennox," she replied, yawning. Dan dropped a kiss on her forehead as she cuddled deeper into her blankets. Dan made his way back to Zoe's room, knocking softly before letting himself in.
"Hey Zo," Dan approached the bed softly. Zoe was sitting at the head of the bed, knees pulled up under her chin and her arms wrapped around them. Dan noticed that she had changed into pyjamas while he was gone. "C'mon Zoe, lie down," he coaxed her to lie down and as he went to pull away, intent on sleeping on the couch, she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Don't leave," she looked as though she was moments from begging him.
"I'm just gonna go sleep on the couch Zoe,"
"No...stay...please? I need you Dan, I'm scared," her voice was barely above a whisper, quivering with emotion.
"Okay sweetheart but you've got to let go for a second," Zoe released her hold on him, heart melting at his endearment, and watched as he stripped down to his boxers and a t-shirt before climbing in the bed beside her. Zoe immediately moved to him, wanting to fall asleep safe in his arms. "G'night Zoe," he whispered softly, placing another kiss on the top of her head as he felt her drifting to sleep in his arms.
Zoe awoke alone with light peeking through her curtains, the smell of pancakes drifted up the stairs and through her door, drawing her out of bed. Zoe found the kids seated around the table indulging in Dan's so called specialty, chocolate chip pancakes. "Nice breakfast guys," Zoe smiled at them, accepting a plate and steaming mug of coffee from Dan. As Zoe settled into her chair, Dan glanced at his watch.
"I gotta run guys, I'll be back soon," Dan stopped as Zoe grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards her and reaching her other hand up to pull him down to her for a kiss. Dan pulled away first, smiling at Zoe, knowing how much she had just said to him in simple kiss. Dan headed for the door to drive to the airport and pick up his sister.
"Aunt Zoe! You kissed Mr. Lennox !" Hannah cried, causing the rest of her family to laugh.
"It's okay Hannah, Mr. Lennox likes Aunt Zoe and obviously she likes him. Come on we have to get ready for school!" Cliff lead his little sister upstairs leaving Zoe and Taylor alone at the table.
"Taylor...Dan went to pick up his sister from the airport," Zoe took a deep breath, Taylor waited expectantly, "She's a psychologist, Dan asked her to come talk to you." Taylor nodded,
"I'm gonna go get ready for school," Taylor walked out of the kitchen, pausing in the livingroom before running back in to give her aunt a hug, "Thanks Aunt Zoe."
"Anything for you kiddo, now go get dressed before you're late," Zoe smiled as Taylor left the room. She finished quickly before tossing on some clothes so she could drive the kids to school. When she returned she found Dan and a young woman sitting on her porch, a small baby on the woman's lap. "Hey Dan," Zoe called as she approached, getting the attention of the two. They rose from their seats, the woman shifting the baby to her hip.
"Zoe Busiek, this is my sister Rebecca and her daughter Katy," Rebecca stepped forward and hugged Zoe with her free arm,
"I know how difficult this is. I'll do everything I can to help Taylor," Rebecca whispered into her ear before releasing her.
"Thank you," Zoe smiled almost shyly, grinning as the baby reached out for her Uncle Dan. Dan took the little girl into his arms and followed Zoe and Rebecca into the house. He sat Katy down on her mother's lap as he returned to the car to get the playpen. "How old is Katy? She's just adorable," Zoe smiled at the little girl as Dan set up the playpen.
"She's six months," Rebecca replied, handing Katy to Dan so he could put her into the playpen.
"Ladies I'm going into work for a while, you both have my cell, Zoe don't worry about M, I'll cover for you," Dan winked at her, bending to kiss her softly before heading out the door, "Bye sis, thanks again."
"So Taylor's your niece right? How old is she?" Rebecca pulled a clipboard from her bag and began to take notes on Taylor. The day passed quickly and at just after four all three of the kids tumbled in the door. Taylor stopped dead when she saw the stranger on the couch with Zoe. Zoe stood up from the couch and corralled the younger two and managed to get them upstairs to do homework.
"Tay I'll be up in my room if you need me okay?" Taylor nodded and walked slowly over to the couch.
"So you're Mr. Lennox's sister?" Rebecca nodded,
"Yeah I'm Rebecca Lennox, please call me Rebecca, Miss. Lennox makes me feel old," at that moment Katy began to wake from her nap, gurgling and cooing to her stuffed animals, Rebecca smiled and motioned to the playpen, "and that is my daughter Katy." Taylor sat on the far end of the couch, pulling her legs up underneath her.
"So...where do we start?"
"Wherever you'd like Taylor, it can be about why I'm here, it can be about my past, it can be about makeup and fashion. It's your call," Rebecca mimicked Taylor's earlier action and pulled her legs up underneath herself, clipboard resting on her lap.
"You mean we don't have to talk about..." Rebecca shook her head, auburn curls swirling, "Okay well...how old are you?"
"Twenty-four,"
"And how old is Katy?"
"Six months,"
"How long have you been married?"
"Never," Taylor paused her rapid-fire questions at that answer.
"You're not married?"
"Nope."
"Oh...you know, why don't we just get down to this okay? I just want it to go away and never come back."
"All right. So, in your own words, why am I here?" Rebecca sat with her pen poised.
"Because Mr. Lennox called you?" Rebecca smiled,
"That's true...why did Dan, Mr. Lennox, call me?"
"Because I'm a freak?" Taylor meant for it to be a joke but she could tell immediately that Rebecca saw no humour in it, her entire body tensed at the comment. "Sorry, that was stupid," Taylor whispered. Rebecca smiled at her,
"It's alright Taylor. So why am I really here?"
"Because Aunt Zoe was vacuuming yesterday and...and she found," Taylor took a deep breath, "She found hair under the couch." Taylor started to cry, allowing Rebecca to hug her. "And th-the hair was mine. I - I pulled it out and I c-can't stop." Rebecca hugged her closer, head swivelling to the door as Dan returned and mouthing "upstairs," to him so he would know where to find Zoe. Taylor sniffled, "Sorry," she whispered softly.
"Don't worry about it," Rebecca smiled down at her, handing her a box of Kleenex, "Can I ask you a few questions about it?" Taylor nodded her consent. Rebecca went through a whole list of questions, jotting down Taylor's answers on her clipboard. "Alright do you have any questions Taylor? I think we've done enough for one day."
"What's wrong with me?" Taylor whispered, desperately seeking an answer.
"Well from your responses, my diagnosis is going to be trichotillomania. It's not uncommon in young women and is very responsive to treatments."
"Tricko-what?" Rebecca laughed,
"Trick-o-till-o-may-nee-ah...most people just call it trich. The Greek name is too much of a mouthful. Translated literally it means hair pulling frenzy, nice mental picture huh?" Rebecca grinned, "And Taylor, I know how hard it is to talk about and you did awesome today."
"Thanks Rebecca," Taylor got up from the couch and moments later Zoe and Dan walked down the stairs. "I'm gonna go do my homework Aunt Zoe. Mr. Lennox? Thanks," Taylor smiled shyly and walked past the couple and up the stairs.
"I'll go start dinner Zoe, you go talk to Rebecca," Dan removed his arm from around her waist, pausing to kiss her before heading to the kitchen.
"Why don't you come have a seat," Rebecca smiled and patted the couch beside her. "Relax Zoe, everything is going to be okay."
A/N2: Hope that wasn't too overly cliffhanger-ish (how's that for a word!). Trichotillomania (trich or TTM) is a disorder characterised by recurrent urges to pull out hair usually resulting in visible bald patches. It is most commonly found in girls around puberty but has been noted in children as young as a year and in people as old as 70. Boys and men are also affected but not as frequently and they are less likely to seek treatment because they are able to attribute the hair-loss to male pattern baldness. It is estimated to affect about 2 percentof the population (about 7 million Americans) and is seen as an obsessive-compulsive disorder, a tic disorder and an anxiety disorder but is currently classified as an impulse control disorder by the diagnostic and statistics manual (IV) of psychological disorders. For more information go to trich dot org (why can't I type web addresses?) or email me.