In a gruff voice, the tall cop answered, "What was I supposed to tell her? That you’re really a merciless psychic digger who’s excavated all my secrets?"

Marie nodded. "Yup. Something like that." She stepped backward into the doorway. "Come on then. I’ve got to get my pickaxe out, so we can get started. Make yourself comfortable, Jaylynn, and I’ll have her back to you in short order."

Dez followed the therapist into the office feeling rather pleased with herself. That went well. I didn’t fall over into a dead faint or anything. She settled herself into one of the low chairs and held back a smile that was threatening to erupt.

Marie sat down in a chair facing her and tucked her right foot under her left thigh. "Looks like you took a baby step after all, huh?"

Dez nodded, and now she couldn’t hold back the grin. "I took way more than one."

"I see. Tell me about them."

They spent the next hour discussing and analyzing what had happened with Jaylynn, as well as the visit with her mother and Mac, seeing her brother for the first time in years, and her feelings about her work. The hour flew by. When Marie announced that time was up, the dark-haired woman was surprised. For once she hadn’t watched the clock at all.

She rose and stood waiting uncertainly. "Marie, we’re scheduled for a session on Thursday. What would you think if we skipped it?"

Marie got up, too, and looked at her thoughtfully. "I can’t release you quite yet, Dez."

"Oh, I know that. I don’t mean skipping out forever. It’s just that I want to drive up north with Jay, and I’d like to go tomorrow and stay through the New Year’s weekend. I don’t want to leave tomorrow and have to get up the next day and drive here for the appointment and then back - "

Marie interrupted. "Oh, well, then why don’t we just stay with the day after New Year’s and call it good?"

"Yes. That’s exactly what I had in mind. Thanks. I really appreciate it." On impulse she stretched her right hand out over the narrow coffee table, and the therapist accepted it with a warm smile on her face. "I also appreciate all you’ve done for me, Marie. I know I - I - well, I haven’t been an easy person to work with."

Marie released her hand and turned toward the door. "Nonsense," she called out over her shoulder, "you’ve been a peach." Dez let out a laugh as the therapist opened the door. She stood aside as Dez passed through into the waiting room, still smiling. "I’ll see you next week, kiddo."

The tall woman grinned again. "Okay, thanks." The door shut and she turned to see Jaylynn gazing up at her with an odd look on her face. "What?"

The rookie closed her book and stood, reaching for her coat. "Considering how much you were fighting coming here, I guess I’m surprised to see you so jolly."

Dez slipped on her coat and helped Jaylynn wrestle hers on over her splint. They went off down the hallway, passing multi-colored office doors as they made their way to the stairwell. For the first time since she had been seeing Marie, Dez felt like she had made real progress, that perhaps she was emerging from the sadness and depression that had gripped her like a vise for so long. "I don’t know exactly why, Jay. The session just went well." They entered the stairwell and started down. On the landing at the very bottom, the tall woman stopped and turned. Jaylynn was still two steps up, holding the book against her unzipped coat with her splinted hand and the banister railing in the other hand. Dez reached inside the open down coat and encircled the blonde at the hips, pulling her up into the air against her.

"Whoa! Dez, put me down! Be careful. My cell phone’s in my coat pocket!" She whacked the bigger woman on the back, but was careful not to use her sore left arm. The dark-haired woman gave her a wicked grin and spun around causing the blonde to let out a laughing shriek.