(18+) RED (Complete)

Ch. 79: Breathe again

"How have you been, Mia?"

Tracy, my therapist, started our Skype consultation with her standard opening line. Usually she had to drag the words out of me, but for some reason I felt an overwhelming urge to pour my heart out like never before. So I did.

"Woah, woah... He tried to kill you?" she asked, shocked.

"I don't think he would have cared much if I died, no. He kept saying that I ruined his life, and I already told you about the situation that happened with his son."

I could see she took some notes while her face was folded in deep concern.

"Are you still having trouble dealing with that?" she probed, sucking in her cheeks.

"Not as much as I did in the beginning, at least during daytime. But my nightmares are terrible."

She wrote something on her notepad again and nodded slowly.

"Are you taking your medicine the way you're supposed to?"

"Yes. But not the sleeping pills."

"And why is that?"

A smile erupted in my face and I met Michael's stare. He was sitting right next to me, but out of sight for Tracy.

"Because I don't have troubles falling asleep anymore."

Tracy raised her eyebrows and waited for me to elaborate, and I did.

"It's more staying asleep, that's the problem, because of the nightmares. But as long as I'm with Michael, I feel safe," I said and tried not to giggle at how she would react if I told her that I usually fell asleep from exhaustion. Keeping up with Michael's stamina was wearing me out. Not that I complained.

"Michael," she repeated. I knew she still didn't quite believe that I was dating him, since I kind of told her everything was a lie when it wasn't. It was more me trying to leave it all behind and move on.

"Yeah. He's here," I said, still unable to stop smiling. Especially when Michael frantically shook his head and waved his hands.

"Really?" Tracy said, although it sounded more like a skeptic statement rather than a question. So I turned the laptop a little so she could see for herself, and Michael gave up protesting with a sigh and an eyeroll.

"Michael Jackson!" Tracy exclaimed in disbelief, and I knew she was blushing in embarrassment even though it didn't show on the screen.

"Yeah... Uhm. Hi," he said awkwardly. Then Tracy cleared her throat and put her professional mask back on. Still, it was clear to see that the realization that I was telling the truth the whole time, had startled her.

"So... How do you feel in all this?" she asked, and wrote something again. Then she shook her head and blinked her eyes while she stared at her papers, before she looked back into the camera. She was nervous, and it was quite funny to see.

"Shooked, naturally. And guilty."

Guilty? I raised an eyebrow at him. Why did he feel guilty?

"If it wasn't for me, none of this would have happened."

"Michael..." I started, but Tracy urged him to keep talking.

"I'm used to dealing with a lot of craziness, although nothing as severe as yesterday. But Mia isn't."

"But you're not responsible for other people's actions, Mr. Jackson."

"Michael," he corrected. "Please call me Michael."