The second session with Dr. Crane was more pleasant than the first. About half way through, the doctor decided Layla was definitely not depressed, though he thought she might have been at one point. He stopped trying to analyze her, and started really talking to her. He had not really talked to anyone in a long time, and he found it very nice.
Layla noticed the change in the doctor. It was as if he were two different people, one person with her, and another person with everyone else.
During the third session Dr. Crane stopped calling her "Ms. Jensen" and started calling her "Layla". They opened up to each other and became almost friends.
During the fourth session he told her his first name was Jonathan. He also revealed that he was picked on all through school, and his tormentors, because of his slender figure, called him Scarecrow. A harsh realization came over Layla as she recognized the nickname, but she quickly put the thought out of her head when she saw the painful look on his face.
During the fifth session Dr. Crane asked Layla what she wanted to be. She told him she wanted to go into criminal psychology (which was weird, because that's where he had started). He also told her how he was an only child, and both of his parents has died, so he had no family left. Toward the end of the session Layla began admiring the collection of expensive pens Dr. Crane had. She asked him why he had so many, and he told her he used a different pen for each patient he saw, so his notes were sort of color coded.
He last session came sooner than she expected, and only two days before her birthday. She sat in his office, waiting for him, and he entered right on time. He had an extremely serious look on his face , but when he saw her he smiled, just like he always did.
"Do you know what I realized as I was walking down the hall just now?" he asked almost rhetorically. "Every single person I know calls me Dr. Crane, and I hate it. There is absolutely no one that calls me Jonathan." After a long moment of silence Dr. Crane spoke again. "It might sound weird, but you probably know me better than anyone."
"It doesn't sound weird." Layla argued. "You probably know me better than anyone else. No one else listens, and I know you get paid to, but..."
"No" he interrupted. " There are ways of listening without really listening, and you are the only one I really listen to. Probably because I think you really listen to me. I feel like I don't have to be the professional, heartless snob, Dr. Crane, when I'm talking to you. I can be the real me. The me I used to be."
His thoughts trailed off for a moment. He was brought back to reality by Layla. "Dr. Crane?" she asked gently.
"Since this is our last session, call me Jonathan." he insisted.
Layla was shocked. "Really?" she asked.
"Yeah. They smiled at each other a second before continuing. They talked and laughed the rest of the session.
Right before he left he gave her the pen she had always admired, the one he used to take notes about her. He smiled when he gave it to her and said "Happy early birthday"
"Thank you...Jonathan." she said, trying not to act shocked.
He walked her out just like he always did, and they both secretly wondered if they would see each other again.
