"Why are you helping me?"

Was that even helping? She still haven't gotten the hang of it. She would sit, answer the questions the doctor asked, but would give no more information than necessary.

"Meena, I'm sure you've been told that already, but it's okay. Your parents were important clients of Evite, their deaths were truly a great loss for us. You, as Patrício and Emilie's daughter, are entitled to psychological assistance until you are of age." The doctor took her notebook and "It is my--our goal, to guide you through this process. Your aunt is aware and is willing to work with us, are you willing to work with me?"

She spit a nail she had just chewed out her finger and put it in the trash can. Evite didn't seem so scary from inside the office, and Dr. [REDACTED] seemed to be nice, so maybe she could share some more, right?

"Mom and Dad died during a trip to the North."

"So I've heard."

"My uncle says they were killed for being enemies of the Crown."

"Some may still think that way, but the Continents have been at peace for the last decade. Your uncle has reasons to believe that was the case, but even the Generals are safe traveling there for official business with the Crown." Dr. [REDACTED] typed something down. 4 words, about 30-ish characters. "Do you think about your parents often since you moved in with your aunt?"

"No."

"Do you talk about them with your family or friends?"

"We don't... Talk a lot." Meena said while she chewed on another nail, "Aunt Priscila comes back very late from work, so I don't see her a lot. Uncle Owen... He is mostly on his room or in the kitchen, so we just talk during lunch or dinner."

"What about at school?"

"I... Wrote an essay about mom once." Hearing this, the doctor looked up from the screen, but remained silent. "We had to write about our parents' jobs, but everyone said I made it up."

"What did you write in your essay?"

Meena didn't like his tone, at all. The kid hugged the pillow slightly tighter.

Don't tell him.

"Why didn't your classmates believe in you, Meena?"

Don't.

"I wrote she met important people, and she had dinners with the Governor and the Generals at home, because of work. They said... My house is not big enough to fit everyone, so I was lying."

Good.

"I see." The tension seemed to have lifted a little. Dr. [REDACTED] typed again. 2 big words. "That wasn't very kind of them, was it?"

"It wasn't. I cried."

Seconds passed in silence, and Meena heard the faint sound of a bell, meaning their time had come to an end. Meena got out of the chair and left the room without saying goodbye. They would see eachother next week, and the week after, until she completed 20 years.

When she got home, her Aunt was already home, talking on videocall, and jumped at the sound of the door closing.

"Meen-" She turned to the screen abruptly, "I have to go, my niece is here."

The videocall ended without having the chance to see who that was.

The next morning, Uncle Owen didn't show up for breakfast, which was okay. When Meena asked Aunt Patricia about him, she said he'd just overslept. But he didn't show up for lunch and dinner either.