Dr. Rizzuto's receptionist kept looking at Paige as she sat with Walter. She looked positively sad and possibly sick. Paige gently tugged on Walter's hand as she clung to it. Walter looked over from his laptop. "She's staring still."
Walter looked up with a scowl on his face and the receptionist quickly looked away. Then a moment later she finally stood and walked over. "I'm sorry Ms. Dineen, I know I keep looking at you and I don't mean anything by it but you really look like you don't feel good. Is there anything I can do to help you?"
Paige gave her a weak smile. "About the only thing would be if you can turn time back by about a week."
The receptionist smiled and reached out and patted her hand. "I'm sorry. I wish I could if for no other reason then to help you."
She'd barely sat down when the door to Dr. Rizzuto's office opened and a couple left just before Dr. Rizzuto looked out and smiled seeing Paige and Walter. "Paige, Walter how good it is to see you. Come on in here and grab some couch. I'll be right back."
As she stood Paige began to shake just a bit and Walter looked at her in concern. "Is there anything I can do Paige?"
Paige shook her head. "Thank you, but just being here, supporting me and going through all of this nonsense I've created is far more than anyone else would do."
Walter shook his head. "I don't care what anyone else would do. If there is something I can do I want you to tell me."
Paige stopped him and kissed him. "Thank you."
Dr. Rizzuto walked in and closed the door shortly after they'd sat down on the couch. He smiled at them as he stepped over and began making a tea. "Can I offer either of you a tea or water?"
"No thank you Dr." They both told him.
Dr. Rizzuto nodded his head. He turned and walked over and sat down before looking at them. "My, we've certainly gotten ourselves into a right mess haven't we?"
Walter frowned even as Paige nodded her agreement.
"Well first let me tell you that your concern for Happy was justified. I was very upset with Toby over some things that happened but after I put my foot up his butt, so to speak, and Happy stood up to him I believe that issue has been resolved."
"Oh my god, Happy, is she okay? What did he do to her?" Paige asked desperately.
Dr. Rizzuto held out his hand. "She's going to be okay. Toby was an unmitigated ass towards her. She's got some work to do to get back from what he did. And he has a lot of work to make up for what he did. But she is committed to making this work between them."
He took a sip of his tea and set it back down. "Now, I have got to say something. I am completely astounded that someone with an IQ as high as yours could have allowed this to go where it did Walter. I realize the initial encounter was done without your knowledge or consent but still. After you knew what Happy and Paige had done I can't believe you chose to participate any further."
"And Paige, where do I begin with you? You led Happy right to where she wanted yes, but then you went further, you dragged Walter into it. You've threatened Happy and Toby's marriage and you've threatened Walter and Toby's relationship, such as it was." Dr. Rizzuto shook his head. He stopped as he heard Paige cry.
He looked up and saw Walter wrapping her in his arms as he glared at him. "We know we screwed up Doctor. If this is all your appointment is to be about then we'll just leave. Paige has been tearing herself apart over this since Sunday morning. She doesn't need or deserve anymore of this. You want to tear into me, belittle me, fine. But you say even one more hurtful to Paige and I'm going to put my ten inch shoe in your ass. And this isn't all on Paige. Paige never forced Happy to do anything. Happy chose to go along with it. Even after I had gotten through to Paige I wasn't comfortable with it, Happy chose to come down and entice me back into having sex with them both."
Dr. Rizzuto smiled. "I don't believe any of that is necessary Walter. I didn't mean to imply that Paige was solely responsible for what happened. And I know all about what Happy chose to do. Both Paige and Happy's accounts of what happened were close enough to know the truth. But I do have to say it is interesting that you are protecting Paige and you aren't more upset with Paige over what she did."
Walter frowned and shook his head. "Why would I be upset over what she did? If her need for the love only another woman can provide her is what she needs I would never stand in her way of that."
Dr. Rizzuto smiled as he shook his head. "I don't mean that Walter. Along with Happy, she did this behind your back, drew you into it. Turned you into an adulterer and yet you don't seem to be upset about that. You've betrayed one of your only friends, doesn't that bother you?"
"Do I have regrets? Of course I do Dr. Rizzuto. If I was given the option to start with I wouldn't have participated with Happy. But dwelling on the past isn't productive for me. I wasted YEARS dwelling on what the US government did with the tracking software I designed. It created an unnecessary wall and distance between me and a man I consider a Father. The pain of that event, the animosity towards him for that had slowed me down. Shut me down emotionally even more. It made me over cautious, I was constantly trying to figure out if there was another angle to what someone wanted." Walter told him as he rubbed Paige's back.
"I refuse to allow the same mistake to be made with Paige and deprived myself of even one single moment of joy I can have with Paige. She is the mother of my son and soon another child." Walter continued to comfort Paige.
Dr. Rizzuto frowned. "I didn't know you already had a child together."
Walter nodded. "Due to a couple of events in our past we found out that Ralph is actually my son."
"Really? And please forgive the possible indelicate nature of the question. But how did you meet that you ended up having sex but not remember it?" Dr. Rizzuto sat forward with his elbows on his knees and hands clasped in front of him.
Walter kissed the side of Paige's head before he explained what happened back in 2005.
Dr. Rizzuto nodded. "That is amazing to me. Right, for now I am going to forgo anymore discussion about what a mess you have made so we can move on a bit. But we will be coming back to this next appointment. Obviously you are feeling very bad and remorseful over it Paige. And I could tell on the phone how sincere you were about how you felt, which is a good thing. But why are you so distraught today?"
Paige shrugged as she wiped at her eyes and blew her nose on the Kleenex Walter gave her. "Toby sent me a text last night to mess with me. He told me he told Happy she could contact me if she wanted. He hadn't wanted to hurt her anymore. But she hasn't contacted me, hasn't responded to the voice message or the text message I sent her."
Dr. Rizzuto nodded. "Well since he told you I can tell you that he did tell her that."
Paige looked up with a frown. "Then why is she ignoring me?"
As he sat there looking at Paige for a moment, Dr. Rizzuto nodded. "That is a bit of a grey area for me to get into Paige."
"I don't give a damn if it is a grey area. If you know the answer you need to tell me, unless you are just lying to cover for Toby." Paige demanded.
"Paige I would never cover for Toby over anything." Dr. Rizzuto promised her.
"Then you've got to tell me. I'm going to go out of my mind if you don't." Paige pleaded.
Dr. Rizzuto shook his head. "I'm sorry, I'm bound by ethics. If Happy tells me I can tell you then I will but I can't disclose anything without her permission."
Dr. Rizzuto leaned forward and handed Walter a business card from his pocket. "This is a therapist I go to as part of my process in helping others. She's very good and I would recommend you go for counseling on your own Walter. I'm concerned about you not being upset with Paige over what she has done to you. And while I'm going to work with you both I believe you would benefit from personal counseling as well."
Walter shook his head. "I don't need to see anyone. And I certainly don't need to see anyone other than you with Paige."
"And if I say that I won't continue our sessions without you seeing her or someone?" Dr. Rizzuto asked without bringing his hand back.
Walter shrugged. "As long as you help Happy and Toby I really don't care. And if Paige thinks she can use counseling then I will gladly take her to someone else. But I don't have anymore time to waste on something that isn't going to help me. Paige helps me with everything I need."
"I don't understand, even though Paige has already betrayed your trust in her, you trust her to help you otherwise?" Dr. Rizzuto pressed.
"She didn't betray my trust in her Dr. Happy and Paige made a choice. They decided to include me in their relationship. It was a shock to be sure, but it was also enjoyable and my decision to continue to be involved in it has put me at odds with Toby. Make no mistake about this Dr. I betrayed my friendship with Toby. I could have said no after the initial act. But I enjoyed it and I saw how much pleasure they both derived from me being with them. I won't let you twist things to make it seem like I need to be upset at either of them. I get lost in enough rabbit holes, I don't need the one of should've, would've, could've." Walter told him.
Dr. Rizzuto slowly nodded. "Alright, we'll table this for now. Paige, let's talk about how you are doing, how you are coping with this?"
Paige began rocking back and forth before she confessed. "I'm a mess, that's how I'm doing. I'm coping by hiding in our bed. Only coming out to eat meals or come here. And thinking that if Toby told me the truth and Happy could contact me but she has chosen not to for some reason, that is going to hollow me out."
"Would it help you to know her decision not to contact you has nothing to do with you?" Dr. Rizzuto asked.
Paige shook her head. "How could I believe that? If she called me and told me that then I could be fine with it. But first and foremost she's supposed to be my friend. A friend doesn't leave you hanging when something this disastrous is going on."
"But Happy is a lot like Walter. They don't always see the nuances like people with normal EQ do. Hasn't that been your experience?" Dr. Rizzuto asked.
Paige shook her head. "You don't understand Happy. How much she has changed in just the last week and a half. But over the last couple of months, she's really grown."
Dr. Rizzuto nodded. "Well I can say from what you both described to me I can understand that Paige. The problem here is what happened between Toby and Happy after it all came out. Happy has had a set back. I have no doubt she will recover but it is going to take time. And possibly another breakthrough on her part just like when she had the breakthrough to finally talk to you about her dream, about her desires. And on that I really want to compliment you. You took a huge chance but you reached into her and you helped her see who she really is."
"What did Toby do to her?" Paige asked as tears ran down her face.
Dr. Rizzuto shook his head. "I'm sorry Paige. All I can say is, it wasn't good and I'm monitoring the situation. But I am confident in Toby's remorse and the fact that Happy has already told him if he so much as raises his voice to her again she's calling the police and pressing charges against him."
Cabe was just setting out lunch for the four of them when the Garage door flew open. He'd gone to get them Papa Carpinni's. Paige ran through crying. She quickly dodged around Cabe and ran up the stairs as quickly and safely as she could and then they heard the door to their bedroom slam.
Sylvester swallowed as he looked from the loft to where Cabe was still looking up there. "I guess things didn't go so well?"
"That would be an understatement." Walter said as he closed the door and walked over to his desk.
"What happened? I thought Rizzuto was supposed to help make things better for her?" Cabe said angrily.
Walter nodded. "I'd hoped he would." He sat his backpack on his desk. "I swear I hate psychology."
"W-w-what happened? Maybe we can help?" Sylvester nearly begged.
Walter shook his head. "Paige isn't ready for it to come out yet. And I won't betray her by discussing it without her permission at least. And no one is going to go up there and try and get her to give it. She's had enough to deal with already."
Cabe sighed. "Do you think she'd at least eat a little something?"
Walter shrugged. "Thank you for getting this Cabe. I'll make her a plate and try to feed her. I hope she can recover enough for dinnertime with Ralph though. He's really putting on a brave face but this is tearing him up."
Cabe nodded. "Well dig in here and get whatever you think she might eat. Remind her she's eating for two. My future grandchild needs her to eat properly. And tell her if she doesn't want to do it for you I'll come up there and make little choo choo noises."
Walter grinned as he made a plate up for her. He grabbed some plastic ware and walked up the stairs. He sighed hearing her crying and he knocked softly before turning the knob. He still felt like he needed to knock but at least he wasn't waiting for her to respond. He walked in and closed the door.
"Cabe said to tell you that his future grandchild needs you to eat. And if you refuse he's coming up to make choo choo noises until you do." Walter told her with a smile.
Greetings! I hope you are all doing well!
Xenegos - Yep, worrying about Walter is a good thing here. It will begin to surface in a number of chapters. As for ending the chapter there it was just a good point without dipping into their time at Dr. R's.
Railman - Chapter 19 will see more angst as Walter will finally be in full acceptance as to what has happened that he is denying. Paige's regret is going to shoot through the roof in chapter 20. If she asked he would certainly give her the entire stash.
Margaret - I'm glad, also you might want to bookmark this story because after chapter 10 it won't come up in the normal list as it will go beyond the M rating which removes it from FF's list unless you specifically set the filter (each time you come to the site) to show M rated stories. I will post at the top of chapters a warning and recommend avoiding passages behind certain line breaks. Hopefully that will help you or others who might not want to see certain things but still enjoy the rest of the story. Bizarre is a good way to put it! lol
Franxine - You're excused. LOL
To the Adventure! -Tim
