Unmasked, The Masquerade Trilogy, Bk 3

Chapter 3

"NO...NO...GET AWAY FROM ME!" Teddy hoarsely shrilled, shrinking away from my approach into the furthermost corner of the bed.

Blindsided, I froze inside the open doorway and turned my wide-eyed gaze on Doctor Montgomery, silently pleading for answers.

"Perhaps it's best we duck into the hallway," he stoically suggested, steering me out of my hysterical fiancée's view by the elbow. He temporarily left my side to flit across to the hall, politely whispering orders to the two nurses seated behind the desk adjacent to Teddy's room. They promptly rose and weaved around their desk before rushing past into the room, leaving me to spectate miserably through the narrow window as they closed the door.

"I'll be good, I promise," Teddy whimpered through her sobs, curling up into a tight ball against the bedhead as one calmly approached with a blood pressure cuff. "Please don't hurt me." The gentle smile and a few soothing words undoubtedly gave her the desired reassurance, encouraging her to offer up her right arm willingly. If only she accorded me that freedom without freaking out, and at a guess, there was a long road ahead before that ever occurred.

Aware of just how broken Teddy was, my heart ached worse as she spotted me, intensifying her screaming. Both nurses rapidly acted; one obstructed my view by pulling the blue paper curtain around the bed whilst the other attempted to calm Teddy down.

"I'm sorry your visit with Teddy didn't go as you'd hoped, Ari, but it seems she's developed a rather strong aversion to being touched. Primarily by men who share a striking resemblance to Emmett, I'm afraid."

I gaped and looked up at him as I snidely countered, "Well, what a fucking fantastic way to learn I repel Teddy; thanks for the heads up, Doc!" Listening to her whimpers through the window wasn't helping my antagonistic mood, nor was my wretched hangover. "At the very least, it might've saved us both from unnecessary shock!"

"I apologise; none of us had the foresight to predict her reaction."

Astounded by the lack of judiciousness, my mouth tightened. "You think?"

Used to my offhand attitude by now, his mouth curved into a rueful smile. "Over time and with the right therapy, the phobia may pass. However, given Teddy's reaction and unfortunate aversion to you, her healing might take longer than we anticipated."

I folded my arms and leaned against the wall behind me, propping up my right foot. "How long?"

"Weeks, possibly months at most." He shrugged noncommittedly and paused, "That's the best outlook I can give you right now, Ari." Steely blue eyes compassionately gazed as I grimaced.

"It seems you've left me with little choice but to accept this outcome, and what about this therapy? What options are there? We've tried regular therapy, and that was a dismal failure."

Doctor Montgomery blew out a regretful sigh. "My apologies. But if Teddy's willing to entertain the possibility, there is another option."

"That sounds ominous, Doc," I muttered, eyeing him warily.

A broad, confident smile formed, baring partially stained teeth. "Exposure therapy can be a little terrifying, but that's not quite the description I would give it."

My face contorted. "How's making Teddy relive her worst nightmare supposed to help?"

"Ah, I see you've heard of this treatment?"

"If that helps you sleep at night, Doc, then you keep calling it 'a treatment'." I slid him a guarded look and dropped my foot to the floor. "Isn't exposure therapy controversial?"