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While he had led a charmed life, as he put it, up until college, his experiences at the Trick Pony, along with feelings of abandonment in not knowing who his family was, left him believing he wasn’t worthy of what Danny offered him.

I had to admit, I was angry with Danny myself. When the two of them first brought Dani to me, they both assured me that she was their number one priority. Nothing would get in the way of their desire to help her.

Less than two weeks later and Danny was gone. And now, knowing he hadn’t contacted Dante since he left, led me to believe that everything he’d said in my office was bullshit.

I tried not to project my own feelings onto my patients, but it wasn’t always easy. The look in Dante’s eyes when he talked about Danny broke my heart. His love for his partner was unconditional.

Unconditional love could be toxic if not kept in check.

The trouble with couples like Danny and Dante was they often appeared one-sided. Dante was giving everything he had, while Danny just took what he was given.

In the short time I had known Danny, it appeared as though he was always preoccupied. Never fully present, despite his lip service to the contrary.

I was concerned for the hearts and well-being of both Dante and Danika. I wasn’t convinced that a relationship with Danny was beneficial for either of them.

Standing from my chair, I walked over to look out the windows of my office. Oklahoma City wasn’t large compared to New York; however, it was huge compared to Little Rock.

With almost four times the population, it was an adjustment when I moved here. Looking out over the city from the fifteenth floor of my office building, I thought about how best I could help Dante and Danika.

I wasn’t a couple’s therapist. My training dealt with trauma in children. But my heart broke for Dante. He reminded me of myself. He wanted to love and be loved.

He wanted the effort and enthusiasm he brought to his relationship to be returned. I wasn’t convinced he would receive that with Danny. I tried to remind myself that my time with Danny was short. That only fueled my distaste for his disregard for Dante and Danika’s feelings.

He had to know that his silence was hurting them. He had to understand that walking away after offering someone the world had the capability to destroy them.

Did he just not care?

Was he so self-absorbed that he didn’t spare them a thought while he was off helping others?

I shook my head at my reflection in the window. I knew I was projecting my own trauma, but without Danny here to convince me he loved his family the way they loved him, how would I come to any other conclusion?

A knock on my door brought me out of my head. I turned just as Mindy walked in.

“Dr. Jefferson, you have a visitor.”

“Who is it?”

“There is a gentleman who has asked to speak with you.”

“Did he give you his name?”

“Detective Andrew Henderson.”

“Ok, send him in.”

It wasn’t unheard of in my line of work to cooperate with law enforcement. I often worked with police and prosecutors. Even defense attorneys of parents wrongly accused of child endangerment or abuse and neglect. Social workers often needed an expert to work with children through the Child Welfare System. As well as expert witnesses to prove or disprove a situation that had the propensity to change a child’s life forever.

“Miss. Jefferson—”

“It’s Dr. Jefferson.”

“Please excuse me,Dr.Jefferson.”

I didn’t have an ego like many in my field. It wasn’t necessary to make myself feel better by announcing to the world that I was a doctor and somehow that made me better than everyone else.

But when you walk into my office, that clearly says Dr. on the door and call me Miss. Well, that sets me off. It was disrespectful to the work I had put in to achieve my title. And when you come to me in an official capacity, you damn well better show me the respect I deserve.

“What can I do for you?”