Pieces of Us (Missing Pieces #3) - N.R. Walker Page 0,48

him. I don’t know which one of you looked worse.”

“Yeah, it wasn’t much fun,” I said.

Juss’ hold on my hand tightened. “That’s why I don’t want to ever go through that again. I don’t want to put myself through it, because it sucked, but . . . God, when I woke up in hospital and saw his face, he looked wrecked. I can’t do that to him again.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” she said. “Did you want to talk about what you felt during the episode or what you experienced?”

He shrugged. “I felt . . . stuck. Like before, after the accident, with the mist, it kind of swirled and moved. But this was thick and heavy, almost like being underwater. I could see and hear but I couldn’t get anything to make sense. I couldn’t speak. I just couldn’t do anything. There was no room in my head because it was so full of fog.”

He’d used that analogy before, with the mist and fog. “But it cleared away pretty quick this time.”

Doctor Chang nodded. “It’s not uncommon that patients recover quickly from something such as this. It’s more of a stumble than a full reset to square one. But we don’t want to be making a habit out of it, or the recovery times may start to lag.”

“I don’t want to go through it again,” Juss said again. “Whatever I have to do.”

She smiled and went through a list of procedures. How to recognise triggers and how to reduce the harm factor. And how to cope with stress and anxiety, and how to relieve the pressure of an attack.

Juss nodded keenly at everything she said and suggested. “Okay. I can do that. And Dall will help notice any changes that I can’t see.”

“For sure,” I agreed. “And I’ll not wait next time.”

“Good, because, Justin, I’m writing you a referral for a therapist. She’s brilliant and—”

“A therapist?” he asked.

“Yes.” Her gaze was unwavering. “We need to treat your mental health as we do your physical health. Not only in dealing with recognising stress triggers, but also with dealing with the accident. This is a long-term health treatment, and one I recommend to all my patients.”

I squeezed his hand. “We can do that.”

“So you mentioned your mother is one trigger,” Doctor Chang said, writing something down.

“Yeah. We blocked her number so she can’t call me anymore,” Justin said. “It really helps just knowing I did that.”

“Less anxiety hanging over you,” Doctor Chang said. “Every time the phone rings because you know it can’t be her.”

“Exactly.”

“Good. Okay, so in the event of a stressful situation, what are some things you enjoy that could help relax you?”

“Sex,” Justin replied. “Please say sex.”

Doctor Chang’s eyes went wide and I snorted out a laugh. “Juss.”

“No, babe, I’m serious. If she tells me it’s a coping mechanism, then it’s technically doctor’s orders, and then we can have sex all the time.”

I laughed again and put my hand to my forehead. “Sorry, Doc.”

She chuckled too. “Don’t apologise. Justin, you had some anxiety before from just the idea of sex. I take it you’ve been working on that?”

“Uh, yeah,” he replied. “The small-steps approach worked well. Very well, actually. So if you could, you know, say it has medicinal purposes . . .”

She smiled at that. “A doctor’s recommendation?”

He didn’t hesitate. “Yes, please.”

“As long as it doesn’t elevate stress or pain levels—”

“Oh, it doesn’t,” he said, cutting her off. “And I do feel very relaxed afterward.”

“Oh God.” I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me. “Juss, baby.”

Doctor Chang fought a smile. “Sex can increase the body’s production of oxytocin which releases endorphins.”

Juss nodded. “Yes, it can.”

“And that has been proven to reduce stress,” she added. Jesus, she was going along with this. “But Justin, you should know that having a partner isn’t required for sexual release. You don’t technically require Dallas’ assistance.”

“Well, that’s true,” Juss replied. He let go of my hand and put both his hands out as though he was about to explain the size of a fish. “But he has a dick—”

I pulled his hand down, mortified. “Oh my God, you’re not finishing that.”

Doctor Chang burst out laughing and blushed a dark pink. “Well,” she said. “I won’t call it doctor’s orders, but a . . . recommendation.” Then she grew serious. “And only if it’s consensual between both of you. If Dallas isn’t comfortable, Justin, masturbation is fine.”

“Oh, it’s consensual,” Juss replied cheerfully. “Isn’t it, Dall?”

I sighed and shook my head with