Stealing Hearts - Stealing #2 (Sample of Published Book)

Chapter 4 - Part 2

He leaned back in his seat and opened the notebook. "You cannot hold yourself responsible for a decision he made. What happened in the days following his death?"

She rubbed her temple, trying to navigate her way back through the harsh memories, finding the pain and anguish wash back over her.

"It's a bit of a haze. I think everyone was trying to make sense of what happened. It had been so sudden, it left everyone reeling for a long time."

"You were dating Karsyn at the time?" His eyes lifted from the notebook to meet hers.

She nodded. It felt like a lifetime ago.

"What impact did it have on your relationship with him?"

There was a moment of hesitation. "It ceased to exist for him from that moment on."

He frowned. "Can you explain?"

She linked her hands, feeling a need to keep them from fidgeting. "He was so quiet that night and in the days that followed. He was in shock, and no one could seem to snap him out of it. I feel like I lost two brothers that night: Dylan and the Karsyn who loved me."

"He never explained himself?"

She shook her head gently. "He never said anything." He had just cut her off without any explanation.

It had been so confusing for her and for a while she had believed she had done something wrong to bring it on.

"Why do you believe that happened?"

She shrugged. "I didn't understand his actions at the time but later he told me it was because as the eldest brother he felt a responsibility toward his younger brothers. He felt he failed Dylan, but that night I think we all feel we failed him in some way."

Dr. Reed frowned. "You believe his guilt made him pull away from you?"

"I don't know." Maybe she had been too wrapped up in her own guilt to see the guilt he was carrying. "I think the only person who can answer that question is him."

"How did his treatment of you make you feel?"

She let out a heavy breath. "It was devastating." She pressed the tissue to the tear that squeezed out the side of her eye. "I was reeling, dealing with so much guilt. And it felt like someone had pulled the rug from under me." Her chest ached. "I felt truly alone."

Dr. Reed nodded understandingly.

"What about Myles?"

Her throat clogged up. "He was so subdued. He didn't talk to anyone."

"Everyone has different ways of dealing with grief."

She didn't want to talk about it anymore. Making herself go back to the worst place in her past revived all those feelings of guilt, grief and regret. But with those feelings came the anger at how Karsyn had treated her. After everything they had been through, she didn't want to feel that way toward him again, but it didn't take away the renewed hurt.

"How did Mr. Shaw handle it?"

From that day on there had been such sadness in his eyes, in the slump of his shoulders. He had lost a son and nothing eased the burden of it.

"I can't," she whispered. "I can't talk about it anymore."

Her chest felt like it would burst from holding all the emotions from the past and present.

He checked his watch and closed his notebook. "We'll continue with this next week."

She nodded and stood, feeling relieved the session was over. She let out a breath.