Madam Mayor

Chapter Ten

The clock on the wall ticks away, the sound taunting and irking her guilty conscience. The overpowering scent of leather, seduces arousal from her core because she can't get that damn riding crop out of her head. She wrings her knuckles together until they are slick with sweat because she needs some kind of distraction from all this anxiety.

Out of the corner of her eye, she notices her husband's hand reaching across the couch to rest on top of hers, silently ordering her to desist the nervous habit. He's never cared before, so why now?

"Let's begin on a positive note," the psychologist beams with his notepad and pencil in his lap, ready for a hopeful session but she's never felt more sick. "Graham, you moved back in. How has that been for your family? I'm sure Henry is very excited."

"Yes, he is," Graham agrees, smiling with pride as he glances over her way and flashes a small wink. "I'm so happy to be back with my family," he admits, those eyes never wandering away with such love beating in them.

Her stomach flips, knowing she is deceiving him but her heart won't...can't stop chasing that beautiful soul.

"Regina?" Dr. Hopper prompts for her to add on but she's so lost in memories of Emma worshipping her body like no other lover has before.

"Hmm?" She hums, noting that both men are staring, waiting for her input as well. "Uh, yes. Henry is ecstatic to have his father home. Graham and I are working on moving slow but we are finding our way back." And she knows that statement is beyond general but she truly doesn't know what else to say when her mind is telling her one thing and her heart is screaming something completely different.

"Wonderful. Slow is the best way, you never should rush back into anything, otherwise, you can fall into the same old routine and end up right back here." She and Graham both nod in unison but she feels numb all over. "Now, the harder stuff." Archie chuckles to himself and she is so damn glad he finds himself amusing. "Communication."

Regina tries to contain her anxiety about the topic, clutching her knuckles tightly together but she is starting to sweat and she knows everyone in the room is well aware.

"I think I express myself very well," Graham starts off and she is so relieved she doesn't have to go first because she fails miserably in this department. "Whenever something bothers me, I try my best to explain it to Regina. I know she's guarded and I know she's scared to share her heart again after losing her father and fiancé, so she shuts me out," he sadly confesses but he's not looking at her, he's looking to Archie for sympathy. "I understand and sympathize with her but it causes me to shut down as well sometimes because I don't want to start an argument."

She wishes she could be open and honest like he is but she just can't, no matter how hard she tries, her heart has a death grip around her mind and refuses to allow her the chance to speak and be vulnerable just to be let down again.

"I want to open up, I do but...I-I just can't," she truthfully declares, motivating Graham to squeeze her hand tighter.

"And that's okay, Regina," Dr. Hopper gently promises. "Right now you understand the issue and you're acknowledging it. So, from here, the first step we are going to work on is just listening. After Graham opens up and expresses his concerns, you need to work on fully listening without shutting him out and interrupting him just because you are nervous to express yourself."

"I will work on that," she simply states, glancing over at her husband to assure him that she is going to try.

He smiles kindly and she can just see the hope filling in those doe eyes.

"Communication and honesty is the key to any relationship. I need both of you to work on that. Regina, you need to start telling Graham how you feel when you're upset and why. Graham, you need to work on not shutting down the moment Regina doesn't feel like talking," Archie explains, leaning forward on his elbows to gather their full attention. "I know it might be hard at first but you need to start trusting each other. Regina, if you are feeling far too overwhelmed where you know you can't stick it out, tell Graham."