should be proud.”
Sean smiles and sits back on the couch. “I am proud. This has been awesome. I guess I’m just concerned about maintaining it.”
“You don't have to worry. You already have the recipe to keep things going just the way they are.”
“I do?”
“Of course. Sean, all you need to do in order to please Becky and keep up with changes she might be going through is to communicate with her. Ask her what she wants, and then oblige her. You’re a giver, so your goal is to find out what she wants, and then give it to her. Don't burden yourself with trying to guess what she wants. If you don't want to ask in a normal conversation, then wait until things get hot in the bedroom. Once you're both hot in the moment, ask Becky what she wants you to do. Once she’s told you, it’s on you to memorize it. Once she tells you once, you’ll always know what she likes, and you can bounce around her ideas to please her in different ways. The beauty of it is that once you know all that she likes, you’ll never get it wrong.”
“That’s genius,” Sean says with a smile as he nods his head. “You're right. The way things are going right now, asking her what she wants won't be a problem. I’ll definitely do that.”
“Great,” I say, just before glancing at my notes for the final topic of today’s session. “Now, what about Dr. Bishop?”
Sean freezes. His eyes lock onto me before shifting down to the floor and pausing there. Underneath all of this happiness was the last bit of frustration Sean had, and he hasn't addressed it up to this point. Our therapy sessions, however, are about more than just sex. There’s a deeper issue that must be dealt with.
“I hadn't really thought too much about it,” Sean says, his voice suddenly losing half of its strength. “I just figured if I was finally satisfying her in bed, she wouldn't be thinking about Dr. Bishop.”
“And that may be true, but are you still thinking about Dr. Bishop?”
After clearing his throat and nervously scratching his head, Sean answers, “Yes, but I’m not sure what to do about that.”
I sit back in my seat and tilt my head. “You know what you need to do. It’s no different from finding out what Becky wants in bed. Why burden yourself by guessing or trying to bury it? You can dig a hole and throw the issue beneath the dirt, but it’ll always be there, haunting you just below the surface. You don't want to sabotage the progress you've already made. So, my next prescription for you, Sean, is to ask Becky about her relationship with Dr. Bishop. Tell her how you feel, and let her inform you. Remember, all you can do is ask her, after that, you have to trust her answer. Personally, I think asking Becky about Dr. Bishop and finding out about their relationship is the last and most significant step for you. If you're able to cross this bridge, I think you’ll find all the things you've been searching for waiting for you on the other side.
“So, it’s a simple question now, Sean, and that question is, ‘Can you fully communicate with Becky, even about a difficult topic, such as this?’”
Sean looks nervous, almost to the point of being scared. Watching him, I can barely tell if he’s breathing, but this is huge for him, and he needs a little push to get over the hump. It takes persistence and perseverance, so I don't let up.
“Well, Sean,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest. “Can you?”
21
~ Malcolm ~
When I arrive at Cheddar’s, the clock reads seven-fifty-five. The parking lot is full, and I see couples walking hand in hand as they make their way towards the entrance of the restaurant, but Ava stands out in the crowd.
She’s wearing an all-black dress that’s form-fitting, with black high heels that look much too tall to be comfortable, but she makes it look easy. Her brown hair is hanging in waves around her shoulders, and her glossy lips are drawing attention as she looks at me. Her brown eyes are almost haunting, and she keeps them on me as I approach, rocking the same black pants and black button-up I wore to work. I chose this outfit before I ever setup the evening with Ava, but somehow we match and look like one of those couples who