Weylyn’s POV

I fidgeted with the button in my palm, careful not to press it on accident as I stared at Andrew. He was sitting behind an Ikea desk that was clearly built wrong with a blue folder with my name on it laid in the center in front of him. 

“How are you feeling about all of this,” Andrew asked as he picked up a pen and a fresh piece of paper. I shrugged as I leaned back farther into the seat and pulled my knees up to my chest. “It’s normal to be nervous but you don’t need to be. We aren’t going into anything deep today, or ever, if you don’t want to. We can just get to know each other a bit better.”

“Callum says you’re a good therapist,” I said as I played with the panic button. 

“I’d like to think that I am.”

“Did you like Callum?”

“I loved Callum. He was one of my first campers back then. I won’t go into details about his sessions but he’s also one of the only kids that have kept in contact with me after leaving.” I stiffened at that, Axel’s words coming back to me. 

“Are you a child molester?” 

His eyes went wide but his smile never dropped. 

“No. Absolutely not. I don’t like kids that way. Will never like kids that way. I’m in a relationship. With a grown man. I don’t like kids.” I hummed but that didn’t mean I trusted him yet. 

We were quiet for a minute, Andrew trying to recover from the spit he had choked on and me just not wanting to talk but once Andrew cleared his throat he picked up the silence. 

“Is there a reason you ask?”

“It’s a good question to ask. Especially if I’m going to be trapped in a room with you for an hour a day once a week.”

“Well, I’m glad that we could get to the bottom of that so quickly,” Andrew said as he put his pen down. “How are you settling in at Callum’s house?”

“It’s nice,” I said, liking that he changed conversations. “We have our own rooms so that’s nice. And they bought me books which is nice of them. And we have new clothes that actually fit. I think it’s going to be good there if Axel would just get over himself.”

“I’m sure that would be stressful. I’m sure his therapy will help.”

“He’s not going to take it seriously,” I said with an eye roll. “He never does. He had to see a counselor last year at school until he made them so mad they refused to see him anymore and just wrote off on his participation.”

“How did that affect you?”

“It didn’t really. I was annoyed I guess. I mean they could have actually helped him if he had let them but he got mad when I told him that so I gave up.”

“How often do you two fight?”

“Not very often I guess. I mean I’ve seen other siblings, fighting every three seconds about the stupidest things just to make up three seconds later. Normally when we fight we don’t talk for a few days.” 

“I’m sure that doesn’t make you feel good. You two seemed really close the other night. What’s it like for you when you fight?”

“It’s tiring,” I answer honestly. Part of me was reminded of the conversation I had with Axel the night before, about how I was going to be careful and not get too close to him but it felt nice to be able to just talk to someone without Axel budding in or glaring at them. “We sleep in the same bed, we’re used to it but when we fight he won’t let me into his room and I can’t sleep. Somewhere around the third night or so, he’ll let me in even if he is still mad and we make up not long after that.”

“What do you normally fight about?”

“He doesn’t want me to do something and I do it anyway. Or he wants me to do something and I don’t want to. That’s the main thing.” He frowned at that before writing something down. 

“I’m sure it’s hard always having to do what he wants you to do.”

“Not hard, just annoying.”

“Do you ever do anything just for yourself?”

“I read a lot. Axel likes it when I read. And we watch shows, and he lets me pick them. We used to listen to music back at home and he used to let me pick all the songs too.”

“I meant bigger things. How often does he let you pick the big things, like where to hang out after school?”

“He lets me pick most things like that. We only really start fights when he doesn’t want me to do things. He claims that since he’s older by 12 minutes, which is bullshit by the way because mom said she doesn’t even remember who came out first, he gets a say in what I do. It’s infuriating. And I know he’s just trying to protect me but it’s so annoying!”

“I can see how it would be. What are some things that you want to do and he doesn’t let you?”

“Talk to people mostly, or hang out with people alone. He thinks that everyone is going to be an asshat. That’s what our last fight was about. I was hanging out with Carter without him because he wouldn’t let me into his room and he got mad because he thinks Carter and Jax are too violent. He doesn’t want them to hurt me but Callum wouldn’t date people who were like that, right? You believe that right?”

“I do,” Andrew said with a warm smile. “Callum and Liam are against violence. They helped Jax and Carter a lot when that was a big part of their life.”

“I kept trying to tell him that but he doesn’t trust Callum anymore. I don’t even know why. It’s not like he had a problem trusting him when we lived at home so I don’t get why it’s a problem now.”

“Time does things to people,” Andrew said with a frown. “I’m sure it was hard without Callum, especially with him leaving out of nowhere. It can be hard to trust after reconnecting with someone you haven’t seen in a while, especially after you all have changed so much. Callum has grown up, he’s changed and I’m sure both of you are pretty different from the 7-year-olds he left behind. It’s going to be hard to adjust but Callum is going to do everything he can to help it go as smooth as possible.”

“I just hope Axel chills out. He thinks he’s hiding it but he’s trying to make Callum mad on purpose. I don’t know why yet but we can all see it. I want him to stop but I know if I bring it up he’ll start another fight and it’s just not worth it.”

“It will take time but I’m sure it’s all going to work out,” Andrew said as he looked at the clock on the desk. “Well, look at that,” his smile was back and his eyes were kind. “You just had your first full therapy session. How did it feel?” 

I looked at the clock. We’d been talking for an hour. I blinked as I looked at the panic button that I had put down at some point and my legs swung back and forth like nothing mattered. 

“I liked it,” I admit. “I think it could be nice.”

“I’m happy you feel that way. Is there anything you feel nervous about when it comes to leaving today?”

“I’m not excited to see how Axel feels about it. He’s probably going to bitch about it all day.”

“I want you to try something, if you’re up to it of course. You don’t have to.” I nod and he continues. “If he tried to complain and you don’t want to hear it just tell him. He might not realize that you aren’t as interested in it as he is.”

“Yeah, tell Axel to shut up. That seems like a great idea,” I scoffed. How could I have thought that this was going to be helpful?

“Not in those exact words,” Andrew said with a small chuckle. “A phrase that I find helpful is ‘this conversation does not make me feel safe. Can we please find something else to talk about’ or something along those lines.”

That admittedly sounded better than I was thinking.

“And it works?”

“It’s not a guarantee. Some people might take offense to it but Axel is your brother. I’m sure if you told him it was bothering you he would stop, at least that time. You might have to remind him a few times and I’m suggesting that you shut him out if he needs to rant but mindless complaining about something that you don’t agree with isn’t something you should have to deal with all the time. Especially when he has a therapist now. This could help him open up to his more in the long run.”

I hummed at that. Maybe he had a point. 

“Is there anything else you’re nervous about?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Then congratulations! You just finished your first therapy session! That wasn’t so bad was it?”

“No,” I said with a shrug as I stood up, pocketing the panic button. “I think I’m going to like this.”

“I’m so glad to hear that! Same time next week alright? I can’t wait to see you again!”

So maybe Callum was on to something with this whole therapy thing.

Last updated April 13, 2024