A Love found in Affliction

Chapter Twenty Two

“Well I was expecting you for a long time now. I thought you would show up earlier.” Dr. Matthew Ashford said as he looked at his patient.

“What?” Aaron said as he sat down across from Dr. Ashford and leaned back on the sofa, closing his eyes.

“Well I heard about the whole fiasco with Olivia and the last time you were here was when you thought your relationship wasn’t going anywhere but then you proposed to her.”

Aaron shrugged one of his shoulders, his eyes still closed.

“Look Aaron, I have told you so many times don’t let your past dictate your present and future decisions. Your proposal to Ms. Miller was a decision influenced by the past. Now why don’t you tell me what happened starting from the day you proposed to her?”

“This isn’t about her. This is about someone else.” Aaron sighed and straightened up.

Dr. Ashford leaned forward and fixed an intense look on Aaron.

“Oh please, take that look away” Aaron groaned.

“Talk to me”

“That’s the whole point of me paying you isn’t it?”

“Aaron”

“Her name is Elaine Sparks.”

“Elaine Sparks as if in Dr. Elaine Sparks?”  Dr. Ashford asked.

“You know her?”

“No. Just heard about her” Dr. Ashford said as he maintained his somber expression. She was one year behind him in medical school and he had a thing for her for a long time but now he was happily married with a baby on the way. He wasn’t going to tell this to Aaron as it would affect how he approached the topic of her with him.

Aaron nodded and told him about how he met her right up to last night at Sam’s house where things went to hell after he had smashed opened the door.

“She is seeing a psychiatrist right?”

“Yes she is”

“This is complex. The first thing you need to do is stay in the distance but be near at the same time.”

“Simplify that doc”

“Right now she is trying to cope with the rape and her brain isn’t really cooperating. It is protecting her with a primal instinct; basically repelling anything similar to what hurt her in the first place. You need to be seen by her but in a calm manner. Just be around but at a considerable distance. She should see you but at the same time realize you are not a threat to her and then you can progress from there.”

“So basically act like a stranger around her?”

“Yes in other words. You have to give it time and start from the beginning with her. You just can’t jump back into the relation with her again unless her memory comes back but that is not the situation right now.”

“Alright” Aaron nodded and stood up, absorbing the psychiatrist’s words. He hoped to heaven that this worked because the present scenario with her was driving him crazy. He couldn’t stand the thought that she saw that asshole Costello him in.

Aaron slipped into his car.

“To the office sir?”

“I don’t know. Just drive around for now.”

“Of course sir”

His phone rang out and he pulled it out to see Sam calling him.

“Hello Sam”