Chapter 27

Dr. Hanover came out to the waiting room. "Hi Amanda! Hi Olivia! How are you two doing?" Amanda looked at Olivia refusing to speak, "I'm fine Dr. Hanover. How are you?" "Olivia I can't complain, wouldn't do any good anyway." They both looked at Amanda. "Amanda? Dr. Hanover asked you a question." Dr. Hanover looked at Amanda, she still refused to say anything. Olivia began to get pissed, but Dr. Hanover was so good and patient with her. "Okay, come on in." Amanda walked and stopped, "I want Liv in there." Dr. Hanover turned back, "Amanda, when you came last time, we agreed on me and you talking first and Olivia can join us after. Can we try?" Amanda didn't move at all, "Well it's my session, so if I can't do what I want, you can shove off!" And that was it, Olivia had seen and heard enough and asked to speak to Amanda for a minute. "Please excuse us for a minute Dr. Hanover." Olivia pulled Amanda to the side. She couldn't hear what Olivia was saying, but she heard her stern voice at first and could see concern across Amanda's face. Amanda simply shook her head and replied "Yes Liv." Then Olivia's voice became softer and she could tell Amanda was relaxed. One minute later Amanda went into the office with no more objections. Olivia just smiled, "I'll be here if she needs me."

"So Amanda how are you?" Amanda sat on the couch thinking about what Olivia just told her, "Dr. Hanover can I be honest with you?" The doctor tilted her head, "Of course Amanda I always want you to be honest or this isn't going to work." Amanda shook her head, "I'm okay, better than I have been in a long time. I have my moments, but Liv helps me. I don't think I need to see you anymore." Dr. Hanover flipped her notebook open, "Okay Amanda. How about this, you talk today and I can reevaluate where we are and maybe we can cut back. Does that sound fair?" Dr. Hanover had seen this before. She wasn't the first patient that rebelled against therapy. Amanda felt like it was a set up, but she also remembered what Olivia told her before she came in the office. "Okay, what are we going to talk about?" Dr. Hanover smiled, "You said you have moments but Olivia helps you what does mean?" Amanda needed to be honest and tell the truth. "Saturday was a bad day, because Friday was so hard. Olivia made plans with her friends to spend the day with us, I got pissed and jealous for no reason. I said some mean things to her and when she gave me space, I left the apartment. She was so worried about me all day and I wouldn't answer her phone calls. When I got back she laid me out and I knew I was wrong. We talked to each other about communicating better and things have been good since. I mean really good, until this appointment. Dr. Hanover kept writing, "What happened that wasn't good today?" Amanda shifted in her seat, I told her I didn't want to come. I didn't need to come. I told both of you what happened to me that night last time. Sometimes I remember other details, but I tell Liv. Why do I need to keep coming back? I don't need therapy today and no one is listening."

Dr. Hanover stopped writing, "Amanda I don't want you to feel like no one is listening. I'm listening and I'm sure Olivia is listening. I think it's us looking at you and your behaviors. I mean you said it yourself, Saturday was bad because of Friday. Friday you had to relive the bad things. You didn't want to come today, because you don't want me to ask you anything about that night. Am I right or wrong?" Amanda took a deep breath, "Your right." Dr. Hanover put her notebook and pen down, "We want you to get to the point, that it doesn't scare you to talk about it and that's how you beat the nightmares." Amanda looked up, "I just want to see if I'm okay, without all of this" she said, waving her hands in frustration. Dr. Hanover said, "Okay let me get Olivia and let's talk about something." She grabbed Dr. Hanover's hand, "What are you going to tell her?" The doctor sat back down, "That you talked to me and was very honest about your feelings. I have a plan to see if she agrees. Why?" Amanda smiled, "Liv doesn't play around, she didn't like my disrespectful mouth at all. So I hope I turned it around. I'm sorry Dr. Hanover for how I spoke to you." Dr. Hanover patted her leg, "You did fine Amanda. I'm used to it and I know you didn't mean anything by it. Sometimes when we are hurt and don't know how to express that hurt, bad behaviors come to the surface." She got up to get Olivia, "Why don't you join us Olivia?" Olivia came in and sat next to Amanda and Dr. Hanover started talking. "Olivia, Amanda did very well today. She talked openly and even told me about the problem on Saturday. However, she feels that she doesn't need therapy and that no one is listening to her. So, I was hoping we could come up with a solution." Amanda looked nervously at Olivia and Olivia wrapped her arm around her shoulder. Dr. Hanover continued, "Now Amanda I'm not going to agree that you don't need therapy, but we can talk about cutting back. How about once a month, unless Olivia sees a problem. We can stop the weekly sessions, but the minute she thinks you need to see me, you do. No questions asked. You give her a hard time, we go back to weekly sessions. How's that sound Amanda and Olivia?" Amanda smiled, "Yes! Please Liv." Olivia agreed, "Okay I can deal with that. Dr. Hanover thank so much for your support."

"Liv can I pull the car around?" Olivia tossed her the keys. "Dr. Hanover, I trust you, but I'm still not sure she doesn't need it. When we have been intimate, she still has small details that come out. The other day, she told me something that happened that night. Yes, she's been okay, but I want her to keep getting better." Dr. Hanover started walking her out, "I think you are helping her a lot and we aren't stopping, but I want her to feel like she has a voice or this won't work. You can't force the therapy. I do have a question though. What did you tell her to get her in here and talk to me?" Olivia put on her jacket smiling, "I told her that if she didn't stop being disrespectful and cooperate, her ass was mine when we got home. Then, I told her if she did cooperate, we would talk about 3rd base tonight. I think she liked her 2nd choice better." Dr. Hanover shook her head, "Don't worry, she'll be fine seeing me once a month. I can't compete with your therapy sessions," she said with a wink.