Damaged Souls (Broken Man) - By Christopher Scott Page 0,10

her hand both in her practice and her beautiful boy’s life while Jack was able to love and provide for his family while continuing his career. But, that five year plan was nearly up, and Amanda wondered what the future held for them.

Amanda did feel the need to do more. She wasn’t fully utilizing her skills and was ready to take on the world full time, or more realistically, for about twenty five hours a week out of the comfort of her home office. Amanda knew she could find the proper balance once Logan started school, but wasn’t sure Jack would be in the position to help her do so.

He was complicated. As much as he loved spending time with her, Logan, and Delaney, she also knew how much of his self image rested in his work. As well it should, she thought to herself as she watched out of the window as he tackled Logan. He is really good at what he does, a man as talented as Jack shouldn’t have to settle for being a stay at home Dad.

Maybe we shouldn’t change the plan, Amanda thought to herself as she realized how happy they were. Amanda had everything she had ever wanted in life and more. Growing up, she could never have pictured having all of this, especially after the struggles of her childhood. But now, that difficult time seemed like just a dream, almost like it had happened to someone else.

But, she would never entirely forget her prior life, no matter how much she tried or how rewarding her life was now. Her clients would always remind her of the struggles of her childhood, and oftentimes, Amanda would picture her mother when listening to a patient. And that’s why it’s important that I expand my practice. I have to help more women like my mother, Amanda realized their five year plan needed to come to an end.

Everything is so connected, Amanda couldn’t help but sense she was meant to practice this craft that had taken so long to master. Her difficult childhood, the death of her grandmother, her fractured relationship with her own mother and her premature death by overdose. Yes, everything in her life had lead to this.

And what of the blessings in her life now, she wondered as she watched Greg sweep Delaney up and swing her around his body. What was to explain her relationship with Jack, the birth of her son, even her nurturing of Delaney and Greg through an age when she had struggled so much. What did it all mean?

Amanda understood the psychology of it all. Maybe she did need Jack, an older man to substitute for her absentee father. Maybe their impulsive decision to have a child filled a void in both of their lives created by their dysfunctional upbringing. And no doubt her caring for Greg and Delaney did somehow provided a sense of redemption for her own unsupervised teenage years.

But then again, maybe I am just lucky. Maybe I simply chose wisely and was fortunate with respect to the people in my life. I know we are going to work this out as we always have, Amanda remembered the kind of man she chose to have a child with, the kind of man she married. Why am I so worried about all of this?

There is nothing to worry about, Amanda realized as she got up from her desk and prepared to go outside to spend time with her family. I married the perfect man. Jack is going to make sure we are happy for the rest of our lives.

* * *

“You want a beer,” Jack asked Greg as they sat down in the screened room and he tried to break the ice.

“No thanks,” he looked at Jack with surprise after his unexpected question.

“I don’t mind, Greg,” Jack knew this conversation would be easier over a drink or two. “You’re eighteen now, and you’re not driving tonight.”

“Okay, I’ll have one,” he accepted the offer as Jack remembered why he liked him. “What’s the occasion.”

“No occasion,” Jack fibbed as he handed Greg a beer and silently cursed his wife. “Just wanted to talk a little bit.”

“What about,” he replied as Jack could sense his concern.

“Well, first, I want to thank you for everything you do at the hotel and everything you do around here,” Jack procrastinated as he remembered Delaney insisting that Jack hire Greg to mow the yard back when they were still in middle school. “You’re a hard