“And a wire,” Grant added.
“Yeah,
that’ll
save you.”
“Okay, okay,” Hunter said. “We’ve been over this territory before.”
“That’s for sure.” Grant’s voice sounded weary.
“Instead of sarcasm, how about one of you states your position on this issue, using ‘I’ statements? Then you can describe your partner’s position, using validation.”
Feeling fear and anger churn in her stomach, she crossed her arms and remained tight-lipped.
So Grant began. “I feel…strongly, uh,
compelled
to work with the FBI, to stop the abuse, and, and domination by ruthless thugs.” Sky blue eyes bored into her. “You feel worried I’ll get hurt. You don’t understand why I’m taking the risk.”
Her stomach relaxed just a bit. “Yes. I don’t get it. We barely survived our first run-ins with your family, and now we’re finally safe. We don’t have parole hanging over us anymore. Why would you ruin that?”
He pulled back.
“Sophie, could you rephrase that last question? Make it less leading and more open-ended?” Hunter asked.
She nodded. “Grant, what makes you feel, um, compelled to stop them?”
He rubbed his jaw, looking unsure.
“Grant, I’m intrigued by the words you chose—
abuse
and
domination
,” Hunter said. “Do you see this undercover assignment as a way to retaliate against your father?”
His eyebrows drew together. “Yes, but not completely. It’s more about taking control back from those who’ve stolen it. Restoring power to the good guys.”
“That was your motivation for joining the Navy, right?” Sophie asked. “Fighting for the good guys?”
“Yes.”
Hunter tapped his chin. “Some believe it’s not so black and white. The good guys versus the bad guys, I mean.”
Grant leaned forward. “You don’t think Americans are the good guys?”
She felt tension elevate between the men.
“Not always,” Hunter said. “Our government’s made lots of mistakes.”
“Exactly.” Grant nodded. “That’s why government should be smaller.”
“Or maybe government should try to help people.”
“Creating dependency on a welfare state is hardly helping people!” Grant fumed.
“Ignoring the suffering of those in need certainly doesn’t help.”
“This is exactly what makes America so great, isn’t it?” Sophie quickly offered. Both men paused, turning to her. “The opportunity to have your own opinion, to debate the best way to run the country.”
Hunter took a deep breath. “I apologize. I don’t know what got into me. Therapy’s not the place for a political debate.”
Grant sank back in his chair. “I’m sorry too, sir.”
“No need to apologize, Grant. I’m the one who started it. Though I
am
impressed you didn’t back down. You stood your ground, managed your anger well.”
Grant gaped at him.
“You’re surprised I’d compliment you right after arguing with you?”
Grant nodded.
“It’s difficult for you to disagree and still maintain a relationship. Disagreements weren’t allowed in your family. If anyone in your family disagreed with your father, he or she got hit.”
Slowly nodding, Grant said, “Yeah.”
“And, Sophie, I noticed you decided to enter the fray, trying to smooth things out. How’d you feel during the argument?”
“Nervous. My stomach was churning.”
Hunter nodded. “Disagreeing with your father got you kicked out of the house.”
She skimmed her fingertips down her long neck, thinking back to age nineteen.
“No wonder you both struggle with this disagreement about Grant going undercover. In your families, differences of opinion weren’t allowed. Arguments led to aggression.” Hunter paused. “But conflict’s
healthy
in relationships. You’re different people, with different beliefs, different backgrounds. Of course you see
your
side more easily. Being able to communicate those differences and understand each other’s perspective is a way to resolve the conflict.”
“It’s hard for me to understand Grant’s perspective on this,” she said.
Hunter nodded. “I have to admit it’s tough for me to understand as well. Grant, you already confronted your father—very successfully, I might add. You feel the need to keep fighting him and men like him?”
Grant tapped his thigh. “Maybe this is about my father
and
my mother.” He glanced at Sophie. “I visited my mother’s grave the other day.”
“You did? I’d have gone with you, if you wanted.”
“Thank you. Next time, that’d be great. And I’ll go with you to visit your mother if you want.”
She hesitated. She hadn’t found the courage to visit her mother’s grave yet.
“But this time I needed to go alone,” Grant continued. “I needed to say some things to her. I told her about you, Sophie.” His crystal eyes gleamed. “I know she’d be happy I found you in all this mess.”
She felt her upper lip quivering.
“I told my mother how much you don’t want me to do this FBI job. How worried you are about it.” He scooped up her hand in his. “I feel like I have to do this. I’m not sure why…Maybe it’s because my father
took
my mother. He stole her life away. I know she died of cancer, but he made her life miserable, short as it was. This is the only way I know how to make it up to her. She couldn’t stand up for herself, but I can stand up for her. I have to fight back…for
her
. To honor her.”
Tears splashed her cheek, and Grant smoothed his hand down her hair. “I also need to do this for Ben,” he added. “Logan didn’t show Ben the right path in life. And now Ben’s on the
edge
. He can choose to follow his father’s footsteps, or he can learn how to contribute to this world—to take responsibility for himself, to reach his potential. Somebody has to show him how to do that…and since I’m his uncle, it’s gotta be me. Uncle Joe told me he regrets that he didn’t fight back against the family. I don’t want to have regrets. I
have
to fight.”
“How can I argue with that?” she muttered.
“It’d be tough.” Hunter sighed.
She turned to the psychologist, wiping the corner of her eye. “Hunter, please tell Grant he’s not responsible for saving his mother or for saving Ben.”
“Apparently she
can
argue with that.”
Hunter chuckled. “Sophie, if one of your therapy clients asked you to tell her partner what to do, how would you respond?”
She made a sound of disgust in the back of her throat. “I wouldn’t do it.”
“And I won’t either. I will say I agree that Grant isn’t responsible for his mother or his nephew. But from what I hear, he’s
choosing
to try to honor them. It’s a powerful motivation for him. You may disagree, but this is the best way he knows to move forward. It’s a way to take back the reins of his life.”
“Yeah, what
he
said,” Grant added.
She sighed. “I hate when you men double-team me.”
“Grant’s also been in the hot seat once or twice in here,” Hunter said.
Grant scoffed.
“Grant, you’re making tremendous progress,” Hunter added. “You express yourself much better now than six months ago.”
“Thank you, sir.” He ducked his head, but Sophie could tell he was pleased. “I hope Ben starts making progress too.”
“He’s trying,” Hunter said. “It’s difficult for teenagers. They don’t have a vocabulary for emotions, especially when they’ve gone through trauma. And Ben’s been through more than most boys his age.”
Sophie glanced at the clock. “Is it time for his session?”
“Just about.” Hunter rose to pick up a chart on his desk. “You two want to stay for the first part of Ben’s session, like we discussed earlier?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll make sure Ben talks.”
Hunter shook his head. “It’s not like that, Grant. Ben doesn’t know me all that well yet, and trust takes time to build. Just have some faith in the process. It’s worked for you, and it can work for him too.”
Grant stood and walked toward the door. “I’ll see if he’s in the waiting room?”
“Sounds good.”
“Your praise meant a lot to Grant. Thank you,” Sophie said once the door had closed.
Hunter sat back down. “I’m glad. Does this mean you forgive me for picking on you today?”
“Maybe.” She smiled as she clasped her hands around her knees. “I just worry about him, you know.”
He nodded. “It’s hard when we can’t change or control our partners. It’s tough to accept them as is.”
“Is that difficult for most couples? Like with you and Bradley?”
Hunter’s eyes widened.
“Whoops, didn’t mean to pry. Forget I asked.”
He leaned in. “Control’s a huge dynamic in any relationship. Don’t even get me
started
about Bradley.”
They shared a grin as Grant led Ben into the office.
Hunter and Sophie stood, and Hunter extended his hand. “Good to see you, Ben.”
Ben mumbled something unintelligible as they shook.
“You shouldn’t call him Hunter, Ben,” Grant said. “He’s Dr. Hayes.”
He fidgeted as he looked down.
Hunter offered, “Sometimes my clients call me Dr. Hunter. Would that work for you, Ben?”
He shrugged. “I guess.”
Sophie tentatively held out her arms. When Ben stepped into the hug, her shoulders sagged with relief. Since she’d embraced him in the police station last November, thanking him for saving her life, she’d made a habit of greeting him with a hug. Each time she worried he’d stop letting her. “You’re getting taller every time I see you,” she said.
Grant wore a proud smile as she looked at him over Ben’s shoulder. Then she gestured for Grant to join her on the sofa while Ben slouched in the chair opposite Hunter.
“Ben, we discussed this last time, but I wanted to check in again,” Hunter said. “How do you feel about your uncle and soon-to-be aunt being here for the first ten minutes or so?”
“It’s cool,” he said.
“But you’re not okay with your mom being part of the session?” When Ben nodded, Hunter asked, “What’s the difference?”
“Dunno…maybe it’s ’cause Grant and Sophie have to do therapy too, so they know how sucky it is.”
She felt Grant bristle, and she jumped in before he went off on his nephew. “We don’t
have
to be here, Ben. We choose to keep coming.”
He sprawled out on the chair, propping his feet up on the coffee table. “Why?”
“Get your shoes off the table. Show some respect.”
Hearing Grant’s sharp tone, Ben complied, sitting up a bit.
“We come here to make our relationship better,” Grant said. “Get things out in the open, try to understand each other more, learn how to deal with the painful parts of life.”
Ben peeked at Hunter, who sat quietly observing, then looked back at Grant. “So you get things out in the open…like secrets and stuff?”
Sophie glanced at Grant, wondering if he was also thinking about the Logan bombshell.
“Sometimes,” Grant said.
Hunter asked, “Do you have some secrets you’re thinking about?”
“Nah.” Ben looked down.
Hunter studied him. “You had a swim meet on Tuesday, right? How’d it go?”
Grant smiled. “He did great.”
“Not really,” Ben said. “I died at the end of the one-hundred fly.”
“You just have to pace yourself a little better next time,” Sophie offered. “Breathe more the first lap.”
Ben shuddered. “I hope there won’t
be
a next time. Butterfly’s the worst event—I don’t know why Coach keeps sticking me in it. It’s so unfair.”
“He must think you’re strong. You just have to train more, kick off the walls longer. You’ll get it.” She winked at him. “Butterfly’s the
best
stroke, by the way.”
“Then maybe you should swim it for me.”
“Yeah, right.”
“No, I’m serious.” Ben leaned forward. “You’re giving me all these stroke tips…Why don’t you come practice with me one day? Show me how great your butterfly supposedly is.”
“I haven’t been in a pool in almost twenty years!”
Ben shrugged. “That’s okay if you don’t think you could cut it.”
“What?” She folded her arms across her chest. “I could cut it. I would
dust
you in the hundred fly.”
His eyes lit up. “Saturday. Let’s test it out.”