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Was I a genius, or was I a genius?

Christian D. Larson said, “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.”

During the hardest times of my life back in college, when I nursed the dream to be one of the best therapists the world had ever seen; during the nights and days when I’d crumbled from all the pressure, wondering if that dream could ever be realized; during the moment I held my certificate in my hands, staring at the cursive letterings reflecting my name and accomplishment—through it all, I didn’t stop believing in myself and all that I knew I was. I just knew that there was something inside me that was indeed greater than any obstacle.

Maybe I was over-celebrating—if there was ever such a thing. But as I reread Mr. Harold Plumley’s report through the linked Notes on my phone, the smile on my face expanded even further.

Client : Mr. Harold Plumley

Progress :

- Mr. Plumley demonstrated significant improvement in current session. Stability in his mental health, and has mostly positive things to say about his cat.

- He reported reduced stress and increased productivity.

- Personal care habits showed notable enhancement, as well. He has also developed an exercise routine and steadily takes his cat on walks.

Subjective Feedback:

Mr. Plumley's transformation has been remarkable. His newfound focus on pet welfare and management and self-care has greatly improved his overall well-being and productivity.

Conclusion :

Mr. Plumley's adherence to the treatment plan has yielded impressive results.

Next Steps :

A follow-up session will be scheduled in two weeks to assess continued progress and provide ongoing support.

Signature :

Hazel Sinclair

Licensed Therapist

Fun fact: I was, in fact, a genius.

All that cat needed was some good care, and… voila! Harold walked into my office today with his confidence needle spiking toward one hundred on the meter and the sweetest smile.

Despite the impressive progress report we’d gotten back in a week, Harold had a few reservations about the possibility of his cat still harboring ill feelings without fully forgiving him for neglect. I knew it was only a matter of time before he returned to his family fully recovered. Rome wasn’t built in one day.

Grinning, I locked the door behind me and multitasked between blindly walking through the corridor and forwarding some reports to Amelia’s email.

I was halfway through copying a few other recipients and wrapping up the mail when my nose picked up a familiar aroma—so delicious it made my mouth water. God, they smelled so good that I could practically munch the air to taste them.

I hit send and slid my phone into my faux suede tote bag just before someone announced. “Special delivery for the beautiful lady!”

My heart literally stopped beating for a split second, and my feet stayed planted on the spot, refusing to move. When my heart started beating again, it hammered very hard and fast.

That voice…. I recognized it anywhere on the planet. That voice held the power to disarm me, weaken my knees, and give me crazy lust-filled dreams. It held the key to my heart.

And when I summoned the courage to raise my head, hoping that I wasn’t imagining things…I wasn’t.

He was right there, standing by the door with his arms spread, a plastic bag dangling from one hand, and that same cheesy dimpled smile that made me fall in love with him in the first place, plastered on his face.

“Nate?” If I didn’t move fast, I knew I’d start hyperventilating. “Oh, my God. Nathan!”

I squealed like I was sixteen again, not minding who heard, not minding who saw, as I ran straight into his arms, teary-eyed.

My face hit his solid chest first, and I stayed there, with my arms tightly wound around his small waist, breathing him in, that perfect blend of cedarwood and musk that I loved.

“Oh, God! Babe!” He groaned into my hair, scattering my face with the most tender kisses he always reserved for me. “I’ve missed you so much!”

I pulled back to look at him, laughing and crying at the same time because he felt too good to be true.

Today was really my best day yet!

“Today’s not our anniversary. I checked. So, why— how are you even here? I can’t believe it.”

“Better believe it.” Nathan pecked my nose and wiggled the bag in his hand. “If you don’t, it means these aren’t real, too.”

I gasped. The aroma finally made sense. “Don’t tell me…strawberry jam cheesecake doughnuts?”

“Sometimes, I think you love them more than me.” The rich rumble of his chuckle almost made me lean into him again. “Fine, I won’t tell you. But they are freshly made, and I know the perfect place to devour them. Before you say anything, I have a cab waiting outside to take us.”

I’d known Nathan since I was sixteen and still hadn’t gotten used to his ability to leave me speechless. He was just the sweetest. I melted into his side, feeling my heart soar so high that I felt like I was floating in the clouds.

“I love you, Nate.”

Knotting our fingers, he pressed his lips against my forehead. “I love you, too, cupcake.”

***

The perfect place Nathan thought we could devour the doughnuts was in my apartment. I wasn’t complaining.

On the contrary, I took extra time in the shower to wash my hair, shave off the tiny patch from my lady parts, and bathe myself in perfume until I was partially choking and sputtering on my way to the living room where Nathan waited on the couch with his head buried in his phone.

I sucked in a deep breath and clutched the rose-gold chain around my neck. He was effortlessly handsome in that classic red and black buffalo plaid shirt and vibrant blue jeans. And that was it. He never needed anything extra to grab attention. He had the looks: dark piercing eyes, stylish taper fade haircut, and adorable dimples that added to his irresistible smile. His personality was witty and endearingly quirky, with a whole lot of heart.

That was why I was nervous. He didn’t have to try too hard, but I did.

I’d picked out a short floral print dress with a v-neckline and deep-cut back, deliberately ditching a bra. With Nate, this outfit was a bold move. We’d been together for eight years now, but before now, I kept it moderate around him. Wanting to see his reaction almost had me dying inside.

Feigning innocence, I flicked my hair over my shoulder and joined him on the couch, reaching for the box of doughnuts on the centerpiece. “Hey. Did you save some for me?”

“Hey— oh. Wow. ” His eyes stayed hooked on my thighs, which were visibly exposed, before he reluctantly dragged them to my face. “You look… different .”

I stuck a doughnut between my teeth to hide a frown. “Just different? No ‘Oh, babe, you look amazing,” or “Babe, you look smoking hot?’”

Nathan’s tension melted away as he ran his fingers through his hair. “You always look smoking hot, cupcake. This is just different. In a really good way.”

My cheeks burned, and I gobbled up the doughnut quickly to suppress the crimson rising on my neck. That wasn’t the compliment I expected, but from coming from Nathan, it was a compliment, nonetheless.

He didn’t say anything; he just stared at me in silence. His gaze seemed afar off, with a lingering distance I thought I imagined, as if they weren’t really focused on me. But it was mesmerizing, drawing me in with an otherworldly pull.

I tore my eyes away, picking up another doughnut. “So, what’s happening? What’s the latest with you? Fill me in. I want to know everything now that you’re here.”

Trust my boyfriend to outright blush at the smallest things. His cuteness doubled over when the pink hue settled on his cheeks. He rolled his eyes, rubbing his neck. “Well, since we talk almost every day, there’s not much you don’t know.”

“ Almost every day,” I reiterated, and his questioning glance found mine. “There was a time we talked every day, and now, we don’t.”

Nathan sobered up, scooting closer to cover my hand with his. “You know, it’s not intentional. The session’s become more intense than ever before and—”

“I know, babe.”

I smiled to reassure him because I understood.

And that was who I had been to him from the moment he moved to begin his journey in New York University School of Law—the understanding long-distance girlfriend who couldn’t wait for him to come back home, with the degree attained, of course.

Nathan and I met in high school. We started off as friends, even though I liked him from the first moment I saw him. He’d always been sweet and proper. Unlike the other boys in our class, who thought they had to run through every single girl before they earned their “I AM A MAN” badge, Nathan’s view was quite the opposite.

I liked that he was a smarty-pants, always so focused and determined. From time immemorial, I wanted to be a therapist, and he, a lawyer, and high goals always made him stand out amongst the crowd.

One night, after he walked me home from a school game, he pulled out the most beautiful necklace and asked me to be his girlfriend. I didn’t hesitate; I said yes with the loudest squeal, and I could never forget the joy I felt at that moment. I was the luckiest girl in the world to be his.

Even now, as I watched him animatedly talk about how much he was enjoying frequent basketball games on Saturdays and joining the choir in the local church, a smile grew on my face. Nathan was an amazing singer. On my eighteenth birthday, he’d showed up on the porch of our family house with a mighty bouquet of flowers and a box of my favorite doughnuts to serenade me.

The memory stirred a flood of warmth in my chest. And it also made me realize that something was missing.

Nathan was laughing now, gesticulating as he mimicked one of his professors who’d made some corporate law jokes, but that far-away gaze in his eyes had returned, like he wasn’t really talking to me. I shook it off and blamed the distance we’d had between us. I’d read about it somewhere during my crying days of trying to cope without him. One of the effects of Long-Distance Relationships (LDRs) was an emotional gap between the couple.

But we were in love and willing to make it work. So, in time, we would adjust, and everything would fall back to normal.

“Why do corporate lawyers make good partners?”

I laughed, unintentionally leaning closer as I stuffed my face with another doughnut. “I don’t know. You’re the lawyer. Tell me.”

“Because they’re always willing to merge.” I laughed, and the smile that lit his eyes made me forget all about emotional gaps and whatnot. Gently, he tucked my hair behind my ears. “Hold on, I have another one: Why did the corporate lawyer become a baker?”

I thought about it and, when nothing came, gave up with a shrug. “Because his girlfriend likes doughnuts?”

“Close.” He dropped a light peck on my nose. “It’s because he kneaded the dough. Get it?”

I was full-on guffawing now, and Nathan was laughing too. Now, he was looking at me with dilated pupils and eyes flickering between my heaving chest and lips. When he flicked his thumb at the corner of my mouth to wipe off a smudge of jam, his touch struck a match somewhere between my legs, and I felt my nipples tighten.

“You’re so beautiful, cupcake,” he rasped. And with his jaw clenching and fingers flexing, I knew he was struggling to contain himself.

I didn’t want him to. I’d missed him too much to let him go again without any action.

Confidently, I moved even closer and slid my hands up his chest with a shaky breath. He was so firm; I wanted to feel him bare beneath my palms.

“Nate.” My hand glided up to his neck, and he leaned into my touch. “You don’t know how much I’ve missed you. Seeing you again…it’s doing things to me.”

“If I didn’t think I’d go crazy without seeing you, I wouldn’t have come here.”

It was my turn to blush. “I like that the thought of me drives you crazy.”

He paused, hot eyes burning my lips. “Can I…can I kiss you?”

Nathan always asked.

“You know you can, babe.”

This time, he didn’t wait or pause to think like he usually did.

Like a bulldozer, Nathan cupped the back of my neck and smashed our lips together. He flicked his tongue against my mouth, and I parted it with a sigh, granting him permission to delve deeper. I held onto his shirt for dear life. He tasted like strawberry jam, and it made me light-headed.

My heart soared, my toes curled, and I released an ecstatic moan into his mouth. My imagination must have been playing tricks on me when Nathan groaned like an animal into mine.

This wasn’t our usual sweet, soft, and chaste kisses that I was used to. It was rough and demanding. He kissed me like he wanted me, tasted me like he couldn’t get enough, and held me like he wanted us to stay forever this way.

I was shivering, shamelessly burning for this man, so much so that happy tears pricked the back of my eyes. But he was still holding back, with his jaw and fingers twitching. I wanted him to unleash and just snap and….

I let my hand wander from his neck, past his chest, and down to his—w here I really wanted him.

Before I started on the belt, I splayed my palm flat and pressed on the very visible bulge between his legs. God, he was so hard and firm, I wanted to cry. He wanted me as badly as I wanted him.

My senses went on overdrive, and I detached my lips from his to suck on his neck. If he wasn’t going to take the initiative, I was willing to.

I stroked him through his jeans, lifting myself from the couch to hold him in place as I kissed and sucked on every bare skin I could taste. I breathed like a panther while he murmured something, wrapped my waist with one hand, and slid the other under my very short dress. I squirmed against him, urging him to go higher.

And when his hand skimmed up my hip, I grabbed and fixed it between my parted legs.

His eyes snapped open, and he pulled back. “Hazel.”

I flinched. Nathan never called me by name unless it was serious.

And it was serious.

I had not only ditched my bra; I completely disregarded wearing panties, too. So, I knew why Nathan looked at me like we’d committed the biggest atrocity in the world.

I was soaking wet.

So wet that when he pulled his hand away, I saw myself glistening on his finger—w hich he immediately wiped on his jeans.

I deflated like a balloon and collapsed on the couch. “I’m sorry,” I forced out, but I didn’t feel even a shred of remorse.

“Hazel…cupcake, you know why we can’t do this.” He looked as ruffled as I felt. “It’s not that I don’t want you. We just…can’t.”

I didn’t look at him because if I did, I was going to burst into tears. As I said, he had the power to disarm me, and that included messing with my emotions.

“I know.”

For eight years, I’d known. We never went past first base. In fact, our first kiss had been so quick, I thought the air brushed my lips.

Nathan had another very striking exceptionality: He was a devout Christian, firm and believing. And his faith didn’t permit premarital intimacy. Intimacy, as in sex. He didn’t know what I looked like beneath my layer of clothes, and I didn’t know how big he was down there. The most I’d gotten were the mouth-watering view of his bare chest and ripped abs on a few occasions, like when we went swimming.

And while I respected and appreciated his discipline, there were days— like today! —when I desperately wanted him to just let go. I was constantly left to deal with the pent-up sexual frustration, but I wouldn’t force him to succumb to any kind of pressure, knowing how important it was to him to wait till marriage.

He pushed himself off the couch, and I felt his pitiful stare burning the side of my face.

“Don’t look at me like that, Nathan. I don’t want pity.”

“Hazel, it’s not pity. I’m just sorry we have to stop every time. I know you want more, but I can’t give it to you. Not right now.”

There was not much to say anymore; nothing particularly could clear the tension in the air unless he decided to—

“I’ve got to get back to my hotel now.”

To leave.

“Okay.”

His shoes ruffled the rug, and he came close, but not close enough. He pressed a kiss on my forehead. “I’ll call you later, okay?”

I still didn’t look at him. “Sure.”

“I love you, cupcake.” I heard him sigh before he reluctantly walked away, and when the door clicked shut, I reached for my iPad before a single tear could drop from my eyes.

Over the years, I learned that it wasn’t always advised, but it was more productive to throw oneself into work when dealing with emotional weights than to sit in a corner and spend the same time crying. Crying was good, but work was a priority.

I flipped over to my planner to run through things I needed to organize. Client sessions, group therapy, admin tasks, more client sessions, and professional development. I scrolled through the highlights under Client Sessions, and a specific schedule for Monday morning caught my eye.

Time

Client Name

Session Type

9:30 – 10:30

Miron Yezhov

Individual

A simple test, and you failed. Trust the qualified expert to tell her clients only shit she dug up from a textbook.

I scoffed, remembering just how arrogant and dismissive the man had been. He was definitely a tough nut to crack, but instead of feeling daunted, determination sparked within me. I was going to unravel the layers of him until he became bare and vulnerable enough to accept recovery.

I felt a thrill of excitement for our next session, and I took a deep breath, readying myself to face whatever Miron threw my way.