Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 28852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 144(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 144(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
I sigh.
“Well, the situation is complicated obviously,” I explain.
Dr. Izzard nods. “How so?”
I stare at him.
“Because she’s my stepdaughter, what else?”
He nods, not at all irritated.
“Go on.”
I sigh again.
“Shit, fine. The truth of the matter is that I’m falling in love with Harlow,” I say in a slow tone. “I don’t even know that I’ve admitted that to myself before this very second.”
Dr. Izzard nods, his expression neutral.
“I see. So what’s the issue? Do you think that she doesn’t return those feelings?”
I rub at my eyes and groan. “No, that’s exactly the problem! I think she might, and that’s what’s fucked up about all of this.”
The good doc frowns slightly. “Yes, but if you’re both falling in love, then how is this bad?”
I stare at him. Is this guy clueless? Does he not see what’s staring at him in the face?
“Doc, I don’t know if you heard me. Harlow is my stepdaughter. I used to be married to her mom.”
He nods.
“Yes, but that was ten years ago, right? Victoria passed away in an unfortunate accident.”
I stare at him some more.
“Yeah, but don’t you think it’s wrong? I’m screwing my stepdaughter. And even worse, now I’ve gone and fallen for her, hard. Please, Doc. You have to see that this is morally corrupt, not to mention potentially criminal. This has to end.”
Dr. Izzard nods and considers my words.
“Yes, but tell me more, Sam. Why do you think this relationship has to end?”
Holy shit, this guy is just not getting it.
“Let’s see, I’m her stepdad for starters,” I say in an irritable tone before leaping to my feet and pacing to and fro across the thick red carpet. “She’s way younger than me. I used to be married to her mom. Let’s see, what else?”
Dr. Izzard sighs and cuts me off. “Sam, have you thought about that term, ‘stepdad’? What it means?”
I pause and stare at him. “Yeah, I’m Harlow’s parent,” I growl. “What else?”
He sighs. “No, not exactly, because from everything you’ve told me in the past, it seems that you haven’t been much of a parent to Harlow at all. Maybe you were briefly, almost ten years ago, but even then, you weren’t the person who raised her.”
I scowl. The words sting because they almost imply that I abandoned the poor girl when she was in need of a father figure. But at the same time, he has a point.
“Okay,” I concede. I cross my arms over my chest. “Keep going.”
“Your living situation,” the therapist continues in a smooth voice. “You mentioned in previous conversations with me that you hardly saw Harlow more than— what? — once a month?”
“Okay?” I drawl. “So?” I’m trying to follow his train of thought, but I’m not quite sure what the older man is getting at.
Dr. Izzard shrugs. “Well, from my understanding, you never went to school events or spent any time with Harlow. You didn’t share a family meal of any kind, even while she was technically under your care.”
“It’s hard to see how you’re not just bashing my character at this point,” I grouse in a dry tone. “You make me sound like some kind of deadbeat dad.”
To my surprise, he chuckles lightly in response. “Well, ‘deadbeat’ may not be the right word, but something along the lines of ‘not present’ or ‘non-parental’ would be more logical. After all, the only real relationship that’s ever existed between you and Harlow is the one that you’re in right now.”
I pause, considering this line of thought.
“Maybe,” I concede.
The doctor presses forward.
“Not to mention, you’re forgetting someone who also deserves to have a very important voice in this conversation.” Dr. Izzard laces his fingers together and rests them against his chin.
“Who?” I ask him.
“Harlow,” he states simply.
I nod slowly. “Okaaaay. So where does that leave us then?”
He nods calmly.
“Well, it depends on both of you because Harlow is an adult woman, and from what I hear of her, she’s one who isn’t scared to speak her mind. So why don’t you ask Harlow what she wants, when you’re ready to have that conversation? But I think it’s safe to say that despite your concerns about the optics of it all, the two of you have something pretty good together.”
My eyebrows fly up.
“So you don’t think this whole thing is wrong and that we’re going to hell in a hand basket?”
The doctor says something that surprises me then.
“Actually, it doesn’t matter what I think, Sam. What matters is what you think, and what Harlow thinks. That’s what needs to become clear. After all, you’re not breaking any laws, and there was never a parental relationship between you. Plus, the age gap is nothing,” he adds. “So really, it’s up to the two of you to figure things out.”
At that, I nod slowly.
“I suppose you’re right,” are my slow words. “Well, this has definitely gotten the wheels in my head turning.”