[Session Two] Getting to Know You
[Session One]
“Mrs. Stone-?”
“Oh, Ms. Stone, Doctor Crawford,” Melissa Stone replied glancing up from the dog in her lap. “Makes me feel just a lil old. In fact, don’t even bother with the Ms. This Ms. That, just call me Melissa.” She gave her the shrink one of her bright, flawless, beauty queen smiles before going back to the puppy. “That’s right. Just Miss Melissa.”
“Ms. Stone, what I meant to say was that I don’t think your dog-”
“Bubbles.”
“Right. Bubbles.” Doctor Crawford sighed as he looked at the blond woman at the end of the table. “I don’t think he’s allowed in the consultation room.”
Melissa looked up at the doctor and blinked slightly, confusion clouding her features as she did. “But-but Bubbles goes with me everywhere.”
“Trust me, he even goes to bed with her,” Andrew Stone spoke up from the opposite corner of the couch. Miranda was squished between them, eyes zeroed in on her phone as she texted back and forth with the person on the other end. “There hasn’t been one bedroom encounter since she’s gotten that mutt that hasn’t been turned into a threesome.”
“She’s not a mutt, she’s a purebred,” Melissa replied, her eyes narrowing in the direction of her husband. “And I don’t think Doctor Crawford should be privy to that kind of information about our sex life.”
“Well, actually-that’s very helpful in examining your relationship.”
“Um, hello, how about their daughter shouldn’t be privy to that information?” Miranda asked, not looking up from her phone. “I mean, Christ, you guys didn’t even do it to conceive me, you really think I want to hear about it?”
“Well, it’s the truth,” Andrew sighed, rolling his eyes before his cell phone went off and he glanced down at the caller ID. “Excuse me.” He got up and started to make his way over to the side of the room, putting the phone to his ear.
“Mr. Stone-there are no phones allowed in-”
“Yeah-yeah-excuse me.” Andrew placed his hand over the mouth piece of the phone. “This was not my idea. I’m afraid that my business trumps whatever head shrinking you’re about to be doing.”
“Oh, my, would you look at the time,” Melissa said with a slight gasp. “It’s time for Bubbles’ walk. Yes, it is.” She gave the doctor an apologetic smile, before getting up and moving towards the door. “So sorry-be right back.”
“You know what,” Andrew sighed. “I’m going to take this outside.” He exited soon after his wife did, leaving Miranda alone on the couch, eyes glued to the screen of her phone, and a very flabbergasted psychiatrist. He scratched the back of his neck for a moment, before turning and speaking to her.
“Would you still like to have the session?” he asked, expecting her to say no and follow her parents out.
She glanced up very briefly, her eyes meeting his and then falling again, back to her phone. “Of course. I’m still here, aren’t I?”
He watched her again for a minute, and then tilted his head to the side slightly. “If we’re going to have a session, I’d like for you to put away your phone.”
“I’m totally listening.”
“You’re texting.”
“Doctor Crawford, the first thing that you should know about me is that I’m such a multitasker.”
“Miranda, I’d prefer you focus on the matter at hand.”
“See, but Maggie is having a total parental related meltdown at the moment, and we’re kind of each other’s lifelines. Phone goes away when the crisis is averted.”
Doctor Crawford sighed heavily, before rubbing his eyes and placing his legal pad down. “How about we reschedule for next week? How does that sound?”
She shrugged at that before starting to get up. “Suit yourself. Same time next week.”
“Sure,” he said with a nod.
“Perfect. See you then.”
***
Doctor Crawford pulled his glasses off as they sat in the room, watching her for a moment, before lacing his fingers in front of him. “Tell me about you, Miranda.”
Miranda was very confused. “Didn’t we do that in our first session?”
Crawford paused for a minute, before nodding slowly. “Yes, but I want to see how things have changed since then. Who are you?”
She thought for a minute before shrugging. “I’m a miracle of science.”
He smirked slightly. “And why is that exactly?”
“Invitro,” she said with a slow sigh. “Daddy was threatening to dump my mom because she was spending all his money, so she knew she needed a baby to keep the family together, but she couldn’t have it-heaven forbid she give up her figure-so she stole my dad’s sperm, had a fetus implanted in a surrogate, and voila. Nine months later there was me.”
“Your dad wasn’t too thrilled with that, was he?”
“Apparently he was pissed as hell.”
“You say apparently?”
“He’s never shown me otherwise. In fact, if any parent is resentful of me, it’s my mother. She hates having responsibility that doesn’t have four paws and fur.” She shrugged slightly and crossed her legs in front of her, pausing for a moment to flick something off the front of her jeans. “My father has always been good to me. He’s never denied me anything, really, which is both a good thing and a bad thing.”
“Good and bad how?”
“Well, the bad, obviously, is that I’m spoiled rotten.”
“Obviously. How has it been good though?”
She leaned back, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she did, before tipping her shoulder up to the side in an ‘I guess’ gesture. “I learned generosity. Don’t hold back when you’re more than able to give.”
“I see,” he said with a small smile. “Now let’s go back to you. What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a student. I don’t make a living,” she said with a sigh.
“How do you afford your shoes then?”
“Oh-that kind of living,” she grinned. “I work at a movie theater. I consistently smell like popcorn, and make way, way less than I should.”
“And how’s that?”
“Hello, they charge what, twelve dollars a movie full price and I’m still getting paid minimum wage? They’re totally holding out on us.”
“Do you think you deserve to make more money?”
“Are you aware of all the manual labor that comes from working at a movie theater?” she said, leaning on one elbow as she crossed her legs. “There’s hauling boxes, cleaning theaters, stock, cleaning, sweeping-it’s tough stuff. It’s not for just any girl looking to afford overpriced shoes.”
“And you find yourself of tough stuff.”
“But of course,” she said with a grin. “Nothing more, nothing less.”
“So what do you plan to do once you’re done being a student,” he asked, tilting his head to the side slightly.
“On the record?” she said with a slightly hesitant smile. “I’m studying something practical-like history or something. At least as far as my father is concerned, anyway. I’m currently attending Tish.”
“Tish-the arts school? That’s very good.”
“Daddy wants me to be practical.”
“Have you told him what you want to do?”
Miranda paused for a minute before shrugging lightly. “He’s not gonna be happy. Doesn’t matter what I say, I think he expects me to take over the business or something, but really-I don’t wanna touch it. He can leave it to whoever he wants. I’d rather do my own thing.”
“I see.”
“Doctor, if we want to go into my daddy issues, that’s going to take a whole other session,” she said with a slight roll of her eyes, before letting them fall to her hands in her lap. “But that’s not why I don’t want the company. Just-too much shit has gone down in that building that I don’t want to be reminded of. Therefore, I certainly don’t want to work there.”
“What kind of stuff?”
Miranda shifted uncomfortably, playing with the end of her hair before tossing it back over her shoulder. “Another whole session.”
“Did something major happen at your father’s job, Miranda?”
“Another session, Doc.”
Crawford paused for a minute, before nodding again and leaning back in the chair, and sighing for a moment. “Maybe we could pick that up next week then.”
“Sure,” Miranda nodded, before glancing down at her watch. “Next week. Can I go, Doc?”
“Go ahead, Miranda,” he sighed, before gesturing to the door. “Go right ahead.”
[Session Three]
“Mrs. Stone-?”
“Oh, Ms. Stone, Doctor Crawford,” Melissa Stone replied glancing up from the dog in her lap. “Makes me feel just a lil old. In fact, don’t even bother with the Ms. This Ms. That, just call me Melissa.” She gave her the shrink one of her bright, flawless, beauty queen smiles before going back to the puppy. “That’s right. Just Miss Melissa.”
“Ms. Stone, what I meant to say was that I don’t think your dog-”
“Bubbles.”
“Right. Bubbles.” Doctor Crawford sighed as he looked at the blond woman at the end of the table. “I don’t think he’s allowed in the consultation room.”
Melissa looked up at the doctor and blinked slightly, confusion clouding her features as she did. “But-but Bubbles goes with me everywhere.”
“Trust me, he even goes to bed with her,” Andrew Stone spoke up from the opposite corner of the couch. Miranda was squished between them, eyes zeroed in on her phone as she texted back and forth with the person on the other end. “There hasn’t been one bedroom encounter since she’s gotten that mutt that hasn’t been turned into a threesome.”
“She’s not a mutt, she’s a purebred,” Melissa replied, her eyes narrowing in the direction of her husband. “And I don’t think Doctor Crawford should be privy to that kind of information about our sex life.”
“Well, actually-that’s very helpful in examining your relationship.”
“Um, hello, how about their daughter shouldn’t be privy to that information?” Miranda asked, not looking up from her phone. “I mean, Christ, you guys didn’t even do it to conceive me, you really think I want to hear about it?”
“Well, it’s the truth,” Andrew sighed, rolling his eyes before his cell phone went off and he glanced down at the caller ID. “Excuse me.” He got up and started to make his way over to the side of the room, putting the phone to his ear.
“Mr. Stone-there are no phones allowed in-”
“Yeah-yeah-excuse me.” Andrew placed his hand over the mouth piece of the phone. “This was not my idea. I’m afraid that my business trumps whatever head shrinking you’re about to be doing.”
“Oh, my, would you look at the time,” Melissa said with a slight gasp. “It’s time for Bubbles’ walk. Yes, it is.” She gave the doctor an apologetic smile, before getting up and moving towards the door. “So sorry-be right back.”
“You know what,” Andrew sighed. “I’m going to take this outside.” He exited soon after his wife did, leaving Miranda alone on the couch, eyes glued to the screen of her phone, and a very flabbergasted psychiatrist. He scratched the back of his neck for a moment, before turning and speaking to her.
“Would you still like to have the session?” he asked, expecting her to say no and follow her parents out.
She glanced up very briefly, her eyes meeting his and then falling again, back to her phone. “Of course. I’m still here, aren’t I?”
He watched her again for a minute, and then tilted his head to the side slightly. “If we’re going to have a session, I’d like for you to put away your phone.”
“I’m totally listening.”
“You’re texting.”
“Doctor Crawford, the first thing that you should know about me is that I’m such a multitasker.”
“Miranda, I’d prefer you focus on the matter at hand.”
“See, but Maggie is having a total parental related meltdown at the moment, and we’re kind of each other’s lifelines. Phone goes away when the crisis is averted.”
Doctor Crawford sighed heavily, before rubbing his eyes and placing his legal pad down. “How about we reschedule for next week? How does that sound?”
She shrugged at that before starting to get up. “Suit yourself. Same time next week.”
“Sure,” he said with a nod.
“Perfect. See you then.”
***
Doctor Crawford pulled his glasses off as they sat in the room, watching her for a moment, before lacing his fingers in front of him. “Tell me about you, Miranda.”
Miranda was very confused. “Didn’t we do that in our first session?”
Crawford paused for a minute, before nodding slowly. “Yes, but I want to see how things have changed since then. Who are you?”
She thought for a minute before shrugging. “I’m a miracle of science.”
He smirked slightly. “And why is that exactly?”
“Invitro,” she said with a slow sigh. “Daddy was threatening to dump my mom because she was spending all his money, so she knew she needed a baby to keep the family together, but she couldn’t have it-heaven forbid she give up her figure-so she stole my dad’s sperm, had a fetus implanted in a surrogate, and voila. Nine months later there was me.”
“Your dad wasn’t too thrilled with that, was he?”
“Apparently he was pissed as hell.”
“You say apparently?”
“He’s never shown me otherwise. In fact, if any parent is resentful of me, it’s my mother. She hates having responsibility that doesn’t have four paws and fur.” She shrugged slightly and crossed her legs in front of her, pausing for a moment to flick something off the front of her jeans. “My father has always been good to me. He’s never denied me anything, really, which is both a good thing and a bad thing.”
“Good and bad how?”
“Well, the bad, obviously, is that I’m spoiled rotten.”
“Obviously. How has it been good though?”
She leaned back, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she did, before tipping her shoulder up to the side in an ‘I guess’ gesture. “I learned generosity. Don’t hold back when you’re more than able to give.”
“I see,” he said with a small smile. “Now let’s go back to you. What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a student. I don’t make a living,” she said with a sigh.
“How do you afford your shoes then?”
“Oh-that kind of living,” she grinned. “I work at a movie theater. I consistently smell like popcorn, and make way, way less than I should.”
“And how’s that?”
“Hello, they charge what, twelve dollars a movie full price and I’m still getting paid minimum wage? They’re totally holding out on us.”
“Do you think you deserve to make more money?”
“Are you aware of all the manual labor that comes from working at a movie theater?” she said, leaning on one elbow as she crossed her legs. “There’s hauling boxes, cleaning theaters, stock, cleaning, sweeping-it’s tough stuff. It’s not for just any girl looking to afford overpriced shoes.”
“And you find yourself of tough stuff.”
“But of course,” she said with a grin. “Nothing more, nothing less.”
“So what do you plan to do once you’re done being a student,” he asked, tilting his head to the side slightly.
“On the record?” she said with a slightly hesitant smile. “I’m studying something practical-like history or something. At least as far as my father is concerned, anyway. I’m currently attending Tish.”
“Tish-the arts school? That’s very good.”
“Daddy wants me to be practical.”
“Have you told him what you want to do?”
Miranda paused for a minute before shrugging lightly. “He’s not gonna be happy. Doesn’t matter what I say, I think he expects me to take over the business or something, but really-I don’t wanna touch it. He can leave it to whoever he wants. I’d rather do my own thing.”
“I see.”
“Doctor, if we want to go into my daddy issues, that’s going to take a whole other session,” she said with a slight roll of her eyes, before letting them fall to her hands in her lap. “But that’s not why I don’t want the company. Just-too much shit has gone down in that building that I don’t want to be reminded of. Therefore, I certainly don’t want to work there.”
“What kind of stuff?”
Miranda shifted uncomfortably, playing with the end of her hair before tossing it back over her shoulder. “Another whole session.”
“Did something major happen at your father’s job, Miranda?”
“Another session, Doc.”
Crawford paused for a minute, before nodding again and leaning back in the chair, and sighing for a moment. “Maybe we could pick that up next week then.”
“Sure,” Miranda nodded, before glancing down at her watch. “Next week. Can I go, Doc?”
“Go ahead, Miranda,” he sighed, before gesturing to the door. “Go right ahead.”
[Session Three]