The Fallout (The Therapist #3) - W.S. Greer Page 0,9

against their respective arm rests, creating a thick canyon between them that's wide enough for two people to sit in. Once they're both settled, their eyes turn to me in anticipation.

All I can do is exhale and arrange my thoughts, because this couple needs me to be at my absolute best, and I’ve got my work cut out for me.

6

~ Malcolm ~

All three of us release a breath at the same time. I think we’re all of the same thinking right now, and that is a realization of just how far we have to go. Infidelity does that. It takes what you have and pushes it far into the recesses of darkness. The love is still there, it’s just so far out of view it can barely be seen, and it takes an astronomical amount of work to pull it back into view.

Lots of people don't have it in them to be able to tug love back to the forefront. It takes a very special couple to be able to do it—an extraordinary kind of love. My first impression of Eli and Demi is that they may not have the kind of love required to come back from this.

“All right,” I say, pausing a minute to gather my thoughts. There’s no room for slip ups here. “So, there was an affair six months ago, and you've attempted to be intimate, but haven't been able to make it happen. The first thing you two need to understand is that you're not an anomaly. This type of thing happens a lot in society, and not just today’s society. Marriage is extremely difficult, and monogamy plays a huge part in that. I just don't want you to feel like your marriage is the only one that has tried to come through something like this.

“On the other hand, I also don't want you to think you're not special, as you stated earlier, Demi,” I continue, focusing my attention on the pretty brunette blanketed by sadness. “Your marriage absolutely is special. You two found each other and fell in love. That, in itself, is special. In fact, your love for Eli is so strong, you're sitting in front of me trying to work through something that most couples crumble beneath. The weight of an affair—”

“It wasn't an affair,” Eli interrupts, trying to set the record straight as fast as he can. He doesn’t want to leave Demi any room to think his sleeping with another woman was more than just sex. “It only happened once, and I wish it never happened at all.”

“Okay, I can understand that reasoning,” I say, as I jot in my notepad how Eli is concerned with the label of his infidelity. “We often think of affairs as ongoing or long term transgressions. Do you have a particular word you’d like to use when we discuss this?”

Eli doesn't respond, and Demi scoffs.

“He cares more about what it’s called than what he actually did,” Demi mumbles, her voice low and bitter. Eli turns his head to look at her, but pinches his lips together so he doesn't say what he's thinking. Demi is angry, and Eli is getting tired of her being mean to him.

“A mistake,” Eli says, still looking at his wife. “Let’s just call it a mistake, because that's the only way to describe it.”

Demi’s eyes fall to the floor as she hears what Eli says. She knows he didn't mean to cheat, but her anger causes her to lash out, and that will be her tallest hurdle to leap.

“Okay, I like that, Eli,” I say. “The weight of a mistake like this can be too much for a couple to bear, but here you are. Sitting on that couch means you're willing to try. It means your love is strong enough to withstand the most difficult of things, and that makes it special. All you need to do is figure out how to work through your problem. Sure, your relationship may be weakened, but it’s not broken.

“Consider our time together as a gym membership for your marriage. Here, we will do the necessary exercises to strengthen your bond where it may have become weaker due to the… mistake. I’m your personal trainer, and I've got all the certifications and training necessary to get you into the best shape of your life. All you need to do is stick with me, trust the process, and don't give up. Can you do that?”

Eli and Demi look at each other for a