The Secret Shrink

Melting point-7

The next few weeks were quite busy, and the entire team spent most of their time in the board room at times alone and at times joined by community champions. They had a tight schedule to decide which community members would receive the first batch of the urban kitchen garden sets that were now under fabrication with 3 workshops that Jenny and Harry had selected from the 5 that had rendered their applications. Every now and then when the stare between Sharon and Harry became hostile, Jenny would throw in a topic or comment about something she had learned of common interest between them. She made sure to keep her suggestions generalized to ensure none suspected they were targets. That always broke their stares and soon later they would find themselves conversing and the rest of the team seemed like just an audience.
Two weeks later, the stares and gazes were less hostile, and occasionally smiles towards each other were spotted during meetings. Jenny assigned them to the field to check on fabrication progress which they did twice a week. Her main aim was to spark private conversations. She later learnt that she did not manage to do that since most of their conversation was limited to work only and was kept at a minimum when they were out. However, spending three weeks in close proximity did have its effects.
Harry became more withdrawn from Jenny and seemed more in thought. Sharon on the other hand became less closed off and seemed to get more emotional. The regular death glances turned into reserved smiles or emotional sparks that would leave them both especially Sharon a bit emotional with tears lurking in the corners of her eyes. Jenny knew it was time when Sharon invited her to lunch on Sunday saying she needed to talk and was feeling she needed company. Jenny was happy to join her. She did not share much that weekend, but she could tell her hardened heart was getting smoothened and her hatred and anger towards Harry was melting away. She offered her services professionally and as a friend. She knew it was almost time and when she was ready to open up she needed to know there was someone who could listen.
Harry on the other hand spoke less and less of their past relationship and spent less and less time with Jenny coming up with all sorts of excuses to avoid spending any alone time with Jenny. Jenny then called him aside offered her services as a therapist and gave Harry a new notebook to write down anything he thought he would like to share.
"When you feel overwhelmed and don't feel like talking, write it down, even though you won't let me read and try and help which I would like very much to do, it will still ease the pressure of the matter off your heart," she said handing the netbook to Harry.
The next week after their final scheduled progress check, the most unexpected yet longed-for thing happened to Jenny. As she was about to leave her office, Sharon walked in looked around, closed the windows, and locked the door then fell into Jenny's arms and started crying.
"It's about time dear, let it out, let it all out," Jenny whispered as she embraced her and led her to her guest couch. They sat there without talking as Sharon cried and Jenny embraced her for about twenty minutes. Sharon took deep breaths, tried to talk, and broke down in tears again.
Jenny stayed silent as she gave her time to compose herself and all she did was hug her, pat her on the back and hand her paper towels to blow her nose and a bin to through the used-up ones. Sharon was finally ready to speak her heart out and Jenny was there to just listen.
Harry had noticed the indifference in Sharon's behavior that day. He also noticed she had insisted on returning to the office after their progress check which they always did in the afternoon and had both gone home after in previous times. That was odd for her, so he silently followed on. When He saw her storm into Jenny's office and all windows and doors were closed behind her, He knew the storm he was dreading had finally arrived. He ran out of the gates, into a taxi, and straight home. He got home twenty minutes later which to him felt like hours of dreadful waiting images of what Sharon could be Sharing with Jenny flashing his mind the entire time. He hurriedly handed the taxi driver a thousand shilling note without enquiring for cost, got into his house, locked the door then sat right at the door, buried his face in his hands, and cried like a child.