Resentment

The office

Walking into the counselling office was a strange feeling for Michael. The nakedness he felt, just by simply acknowledging the fact he would have to talk about his feelings, made the hairs on the back of his neck stand.

The counselling office, Afia noticed, was bright, and well ventilated, with a wide three seater sofa sat below three large windows that overlooked the Californian Hills.

The sun was still blazing, and the world was carrying on outside, loudly and without pause.
The static energy in the room completely offset that of outside, and Michael and Afia both felt it.

The door clicked, and Afia turned back around, watching as Dr Kleff looked up and smiled warmly, enhancing the faint dimples in the apples of his cheeks.

"Afia and Michael, it's a pleasure to see you both today.." He started, his voice soft, like any doctors voice.

Michael pressed his lips into a thin line and tried to smile, but nodded instead, "Hi.." Michael looked away, turning to the windows.

Afia, sensing Michaels disassociation already, rolled her eyes, and seated herself in a cream chair.

Dr Kleff walked into the room, and slid between the cream chair opposite, and around the coffee table, to sit on the three seater sofa, leaving Michael standing hesitantly, looking down at them both.

"So. I understand you're here today to fix your marriage?" Dr Kleff was talking to them both, but only Michael felt attacked.

"Fix?" Michael asked softly, although it came across as offence.
"Fix." Afia glared at the man rocking back and forth on his toes, and looking around uninterestedly, "Fix or divorce.." she laughed dryly, licking her already glossed lips, which she instantly regretted when she tasted the gooey gloss in her mouth.

Michael flicked his brows up, and tilted his head, staring hard at his wife.
There was a pause, as Michael dragged his staggering stare away.

"Mr Jackson, if you take a seat, I can tell you and Afia about what my sessions entail. What I want from you, and what you'll both get from me," Dr Kleff pushed a pair of black reading glasses onto his face, and picked up a clipboard and pen off of the coffee table, not looking up at Michael once as he said this, "Are you both ready to begin?"

Michael reluctantly slipped himself into a cream chair opposite Afia, intertwining his fingers tightly, running his tongue over his lips.

Michael realised that his anger was nerves, and inwardly hit himself for feeling so on edge.
There was brief silence, and Afia and Michael both nodded, letting Dr Kleff know that he could begin the session.

"So, I'm Dr Kleff," Kleff looked up from his notepad and tapped the name tag on his white coat, "I'm going to be your marriage counsellor or marriage doctor. You've agreed to one weekly session with me for the next three months.." Dr Kleff trailed off, as Afia let her eyes run over Michael, trying to extract his reaction from the cold and vacant stare he was sporting in the seat across from her.

Sensing the mental absence of Michael, Kleff turned his head, speaking directly to the man with cool brown eyes.
"The technique I approach couples like you with, is referred to as memory stimuli. Usually I'll ask about memories, get you both to revisit happy and sometimes painful memories. It's about digging everything up, so that it can be properly sorted through.." Dr Kleff flicked his glasses up his nose, breaking eye contact with Michael.

The glare was almost heated.
"How long," Michaels soft voice started, and Afia immediately rolled her eyes, "Is it an hour?" Michael bit his lip, furrowing his brow and switching his gaze from Kleff to Afia.