The Secret Shrink

Dinner invite

          “There there, let it all out dear, locking such a heavy matter in your heart for so long can be very tiresome and tough on anyone,” Jenny said patting him on the shoulder.
She looked around for a minute then spotted the folder she was searching for then inside she got a new notebook and gave it to Harry and told him, “I want you to take time and reflect on what you would want to tell Sharon about this issue and write it down it can be a one-page letter or even many pages long. Just express yourself and don't limit your words.”

           He looked at it and gave Jenny a hearty hug. He wiped his tears and composed himself.
“So why did you call me?” He asked. They both looked at each other and smiled.
“Yeah, I called you, however, it was about the project. I wanted to know if you have news on the progress of the kitchen garden kits. But no worries what we talked about was good for the project too. It would be a pleasure to leave all of you in a better state of emotions than I found you,” Jenny said handing him a folder on the project issue.
“Just handle that progress report tomorrow after you have rested. Am sure you will be much better tomorrow especially if you manage to write that letter to Sharon today,” she said as she cleared her desk and looked at the time. Harry had been narrating his story for almost three hours.
“And Harry, the answer is no, I won’t allow you to coach someone else because you are staying on the project. This is an issue we can sort out and I will always be here to listen if you need to download your feelings,” Jenny said as he stood.
       
          He smiled, said his thanks and goodbye, and left. Jenny pulled out her notebooks. Recorded everything he had told her and then packed a new one and left. On her way out, she met Sharon who was also going out and she gave her the notebook.
“This is for you dear. I know you are busy or have been trying to make sure you are busy, but postponing won’t make it better or easier but downloading everything you would like to tell Harry in that notebook might help. Anytime you remember something you want him to know, write it down then maybe we can discuss it over coffee on Saturday afternoon after work?” she said as they walked together out of the office complex.
“That sounds great Jenny, thank you. Am sorry am taking long to talk about what I shared the other day, and thank you for giving me space to process, I will write tonight and add on it through the week then we can surely discuss it on Saturday. By the way, it feels really good to be free from that secret,” Sharon said. They talked about how good it was for her to know when things got tough on her or she remembered her baby she could just call Jenny. They walked together to the bus stop, traveled together to the town square then bid each other goodnight.
Sharon was out in the field all afternoon, so she had no idea Harry had spent the afternoon in Jenny’s office.
           Jenny’s plan was finally falling into place one more individual session for each and then they would be ready. When she got home, she wrote an email to Sister Anna about the situation, but she did not have an address to send it to. She called Mrs. Obachi who referred her to someone from their Voi office and after a few calls, she had Anna’s personal email address and sent the email hoping for a positive answer.

         Jenny took it upon herself to listen to both sides of the story. She knew they were both on edge and did not want to make assumptions. She knew it was the end of the year and as Mrs. Obachi had told her one was likely to be let off the project in a month or so. She decided to speak to the hr and buy some time. She managed to get both Sharon and Harry a 2-week compulsory leave and when they got back the management would be free to assess the situation and decide if one of them needed to leave.
She ensured to keep close check-ups on both and whenever she had a chance, she had lengthy discussions with each of them about their situations. While she continued with her talks with both of them during their compulsory break, she determined they both still had feelings for each other and they needed closure. Each of them was willing to leave the organization to make life easier for the other. It was time for a joint sit-down session for both.

            She already had a response from Sister Anna who was more than happy to hear that someone was still trying to help them. She had shared a few other revelations that Jenny was unaware of and that made her work to bring closure to the couple a lot easier. Sister Anna was on board on a joint session and she would join their session later to see her long-desired dream come true when the two would look at each other with love and respect once again.
           Jenny invited both to her place for dinner and asked them to come with their journals after confirming from each of them that they had written all they desired to share with the other party.  When Sharon arrived and assisted Jenny with cooking she was excited and happy to have someone to talk to other than cry through her usual monologues at her house. However, an hour later when Harry arrived her high excited self, turned into a gloomy and disappointed lady. She did not know he was coming and even accused Jenny of being unfair. Harry almost turned back at the door when he saw her already inside. Jenny intervened and after a few looks and a lecture about how she was being asked to keep one of them and dismiss the other, and how hard that decision was for her, they both agreed to stay. She had the perfect set to keep them away from their differences. She had bought all ingredients for a simple vanilla cream cake and wanted them to bake together. She had arranged for a set-up call with Mrs. Obachi.

         A few minutes later, Mrs. Obachi called while they were all in the kitchen cooking, Jenny excused herself saying it was a work emergency needed by morning. She left them and went into her study room. It was all quiet and she almost abandoned her plan and re-joined them then as she was about to leave her desk and go into the kitchen, she heard a burst of laughter and whispers. She could hear the distant conversation and she relaxed in her chair and continued with her reports due the following week calmly. She frequently opened her door halfway and peeped. She had left the kitchen door wide open and she could see them from her study room they were doing great, so far none of them was focused on their differences for the time being. An hour and a half later Sharon knocked on her door and she joined them for dinner. They had prepared an amazing meal and they narrated their mistakes and incidences during their cooking and baking process. Jenny smiled and made short comments leaving the conversation to them.

            After dinner, she asked them for the journals. They were both surprised that she had given them similar notebooks. She did not receive either but rather asked them to exchange them so that each would read what the other wanted to share without her interference.