Chapter 45: 20: The Healing Process

SHAY

A week had passed since the ill-fated threesome proposition at the hotel, and Shay and Adam’s relationship had only deteriorated further. Every minor disagreement seemed to escalate into a full-blown argument, each one adding to the growing pile of unresolved issues between them.

Shay had remained silent about the events of that night in the hotel, avoiding the topic entirely. Adam seemed to understand her reluctance and hadn’t brought it up, not even during the silent car ride home. As they drove, Shay wept quietly, feeling diminished, while Adam appeared lost in his own thoughts.

Since that night, they hadn’t shared a bed. Adam hadn’t initiated anything, and Shay wasn’t interested. Her mind was stuck in a loop, replaying the disturbing scenes from the hotel. She had questions, but fear held her back. She was terrified of what the answers might reveal.

Today, they had decided to seek professional help. Their relationship was spiraling out of control, and Shay was at a loss for how to fix it.

As they drove to the psychologist’s office, Shay stared out the window, hugging herself tightly. She watched the familiar buildings pass by, her mind preoccupied with their upcoming therapy session. She wondered what they would uncover and what the end result would be. She knew they had problems, and she wanted to work through them with Adam, but his sudden change in behavior and her own anger were obstacles. He wasn’t the same man she had married.

“We’re here,” Adam announced, pulling her back to reality.

Shay nodded and slowly exited the car. She joined Adam, and together they walked into the building for their appointment. Shay had been here before, but not for the same doctor. It was still therapy, though.

“We have an appointment with Doctor Alexis. We’re the Van Ackers,” Adam told the receptionist as Shay took a seat. The waiting area was small, with only two sofas and a few potted plants for decoration. Soft music played in the background, creating a calming atmosphere. It was a welcome relief, even though Shay was already calm.

Adam sat down next to her as the receptionist instructed them to wait for the doctor. Shay crossed her legs and tapped her fingers against her waist, waiting for their turn. She could feel Adam’s presence next to her. Normally, she would lean into him, but lately, she didn’t want to. She didn’t even want to be this close to him. The thought repulsed her.

“You may enter,” the receptionist called, opening the door to the therapy room.

Shay nodded and stood up, Adam following suit, and they walked in.

“Hi, I’m Alexis,” the doctor greeted them with a warm smile.

“I’m Shay Haze,” Shay introduced herself, extending her hand for a handshake.

“I’m Adam Van Acker,” Adam added.

“Nice to meet you both. Have a seat,” Dr. Alexis invited, her voice soothing.

Shay took a seat on one end of the sofa, her eyes scanning the room. It was painted a calming baby blue, with warm tones throughout.

“You can call me Alexis, and please make yourselves comfortable. Before we start, I want to remind you that you’ve booked me for two sessions, which means two hours. From there, we’ll see where to go. Is that all right?” Dr. Alexis asked, settling into her seat with an iPad and stylus in hand.

Shay nodded, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Adam do the same.

“Okay, let’s start. How long have you two been together?” Dr. Alexis asked.

“We’ve been together a few years. I have twins from a previous relationship and was a single mother for a while before I started dating Adam. We dated for a bit before getting married, and now we have a son together,” Shay explained as Dr. Alexis took notes on her iPad.

“I was married before, but it didn’t work out, so we divorced. I actually met Shay a few years before we reconnected. When I saw her again in my store, I knew I couldn’t let the opportunity pass, and that’s when we started dating,” Adam added.

Shay glanced at him, surprised by his demeanor. It had been a long time since she’d seen him speak like this, and it reminded her of why she had fallen in love with him.

“Have you two been to couples therapy before?” Alexis asked.

They shook their heads, and Adam responded with a simple no.

“Okay.” Dr. Alexis paused, adjusting herself in her seat. “So, what brings you here today?”

A heavy silence filled the room as Shay stared at her hands. She didn’t know where to start or what to say. She felt like she was under intense scrutiny, even though she knew that therapy was meant to help them and that Dr. Alexis had their best interests at heart.

“Why don’t we start with you, Adam?” Dr. Alexis suggested, much to Shay’s relief.

Adam cleared his throat and rubbed his temples.

“We’ve been arguing a lot more, and we haven’t been intimate. We haven’t had sex in quite some time,” Adam confessed.

Shay sighed, closing her eyes as she absorbed his words.

“And why do you think that is, Adam?” Alexis asked.

“I honestly don’t know,” Adam admitted, causing Shay’s eyes to snap open in disbelief.

“That seemed to surprise you, Shay,” Alexis observed, noting her reaction.

Shay nodded, turning her attention to the therapist.

“Why do you think you two stopped having sex?” Alexis asked gently.

“I had a miscarriage. After I recovered, I just couldn’t… I wasn’t in the mood, and I was angry. I was angry at Adam. When I needed him the most, he was nowhere to be found. Then, when he finally came back, he acted like he hadn’t done anything wrong and accused me of cheating on him with my ex!” Shay vented, her pent-up emotions finally surfacing.

“How did you feel after the miscarriage?” Alexis asked, leaning forward slightly to offer Shay a tissue.

Shay accepted it, realizing for the first time that she was crying. She wiped her tears away and swallowed hard.

“I was devastated. I wanted my husband to be there with me, to mourn the loss of our baby. But he was nowhere to be found. When things finally settled down, we didn’t talk about it. He just wanted to initiate sex,” Shay explained.

“I was trying to fix things,” Adam defended himself.

Shay whipped her head toward him, her eyes filled with pain.

“You disappeared and wouldn’t give me any answers. I needed my husband, but you were nowhere to be found. This isn’t the first time, either. I’m starting to question us. You’re not the same man I married, or maybe I’m the one who’s changed. I can’t tell anymore,” Shay confessed, her voice heavy with defeat.

“Are you ready to tell your wife where you were?” Alexis asked Adam.

Both women fixed their gaze on him, awaiting his response.

“Do we have to discuss this now? Can’t we just work on our problems?” Adam retorted, his voice laced with frustration.

“Our problems aren’t just about sex!” Shay shot back.

The room filled with tension as they began to argue, their therapist attempting to mediate the escalating situation.

Once the atmosphere had cooled down and Shay’s tears had dried, Alexis began to speak. Shay found herself zoning out, her gaze fixed on the floor.

“What are you willing to do to reignite your sex life?” the therapist asked Shay.

“It’s not like I haven’t tried. We agreed to have a threesome. He wanted it, and I agreed,” Shay admitted, her voice tinged with hurt.

Alexis raised an eyebrow, silently encouraging her to continue.

“We attempted it last week. We had agreed on the terms, discussed everything, all in an effort to bring something new into our relationship. Adam suggested the threesome. He’s been asking for it for a while, and I finally gave in, willing to do anything to save my marriage.” Shay paused, glancing at Adam before returning her focus to Alexis.

“We set up a Tinder profile, met a girl, and things started to happen. But I couldn’t go through with it. I backed out, but he didn’t stop. I thought that would be the end of it, but it wasn’t.” Shay swallowed hard, fighting back tears.

“He performed oral sex on her.” Shay’s voice broke as she spoke.

“Do you mean he went down on her?” Alexis clarified.

Shay nodded in response.

“How do you feel about that?” Alexis asked.

“Truthfully…”

“I’ve been unfaithful,” Adam interrupted, his words hitting Shay like a punch to the gut.

Her eyes widened, her heart felt like it had turned to stone.

“What?” Shay’s voice rose in disbelief. “Is it Alison?” was her immediate question.

“No…”

“Then who?” Shay demanded, leaning forward defensively.

“Shay, let’s give Adam a chance to explain,” Alexis intervened.

Taking a deep breath, Shay nodded in agreement.

“I’ve fallen in love with someone else. It’s not Alison. I met her a while ago and I fell for her. I love you too, and I’ve been torn between you both. I can’t keep this from you any longer,” Adam confessed.

Shay couldn’t bring herself to look at him. Her heart felt numb, but she could feel anger simmering beneath the surface. She felt betrayed.

Betrayed.

“Who is she?” Shay demanded, needing to know.

“That’s not important,” Adam dismissed.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but our time is up,” Alexis interjected, shifting her weight onto her knee. “I’d like to see you both again next week. In the meantime, I suggest a temporary separation. Take some time apart, no communication, to reflect. We can discuss things further at our next session,” Alexis suggested.