Free Awakened (Intimate Relations) by Kate Douglas Page B

you?”
    Marc shook his head and tapped his middle finger.
    “Marc, I need to know if it is safe and appropriate for you to recall this information.”
    Forefinger. A light tap.
    “Is it safe and appropriate for you to feel the emotions associated with these memories?”
    Forefinger. Mandy noticed his movement was a bit hesitant this time, not much more than a twitch. She glanced at Alden, but he merely nodded.
    “Very good, Marc. I’m going to touch your shoulder so you’ll know that you’re not alone, that it’s safe here to talk about your dreams.” He leaned close and did just that. “Mandy is with you, too. She’s still holding your hand. We’re both here to help you. I want you to think about your most recent dream. The one you described to Mandy. You can use your voice now. I want you to think about how you feel when you have this dream.”
    Marc’s foot began tapping against the carpet. Alden touched his shoulder again. The tapping stopped. “Let’s do this a bit differently. It’s a scary place inside the dream, isn’t it.”
    “Yes.”
    “I think it might be better if you were to step back. Maybe go someplace safe where you can watch. Does that sound like a good idea?”
    “Yes.”
    “Why don’t you watch your dream in a movie theater? The seats are comfortable and Mandy can sit beside you and hold your hand. You can watch the movie together. Does that work?”
    “It’s still scary.”
    “It’s just a scary movie, Marc. It can’t hurt you. Do you remember how you felt when you watched it?”
    He took a couple of short, sharp breaths. “Afraid. I was afraid.”
    “You don’t have to be afraid now, Marc. The theater is a safe place. Mandy’s with you and nothing can hurt you here. Do you feel safe now?”
    “Yes.”
    “Look at the screen, Marc. What do you see on the movie screen?”
    “A little boy. I see a little boy.” He was whispering now, his voice so low that Mandy could barely hear him.
    “Where is he? You can speak to me. No one but Mandy and I can hear you. It’s okay.” He touched Marc’s shoulder again. “We will both keep you safe.”
    Marc sighed softly. “He’s behind the bed. He’s afraid, and he’s hiding.”
    Mandy realized she was staring at Marc. His voice had changed, not the adult depth of it, but the cadence, his manner of speaking. As if he were that little boy. The therapist didn’t miss a beat, and she wondered if this was common.
    “Do you know what room he’s in? What house?”
    “He’s in my house. In Mommy and Daddy’s room. It’s too far away from mine.”
    “Do you feel alone at night, in your own room?”
    “Sometimes. I’m a big boy. I’m not supposed to be afraid at night. That’s what Daddy says. But the little boy heard shouting and it scared him. He came to find his Mommy.”
    “How old is he, Marc?”
    “He’s four. His mommy calls him her little man, but he’s going to be big someday.”
    “Yes, he is. He will grow to be a big, strong, man. What do you see on the movie screen now?”
    “I see Mommy and Daddy in the mirror.”
    Marc sighed again, and Mandy’s heart went out to that little boy afraid at night, feeling so alone. But then he said, “Mommy and Daddy are fighting.”
    Mommy and Daddy? Was that what he saw? His parents fighting? Mandy clung to Marc’s hand, starkly aware of the tension in his grasp, the sheen of perspiration on his forehead.
    Her inability to do anything but hang on to his hand.
    Alden’s voice slipped into the quiet. “Are you still in a safe place?”
    “I’m still in the theater, and I’m being quiet like a tiny mouse. That’s what Mommy says to do when Daddy’s angry.”
    “You have a very smart Mommy.”
    “She left me and never came back. She left me with Daddy. He’s not a nice man.”
    “What is Daddy doing?”
    “He has his hands around her neck. He’s hurting her, but she’s not crying anymore. She isn’t moving. The little boy is still hiding. He doesn’t want to