Taking Chances

Chapter Six

"So, I was just looking through your file before I asked Karla to bring you in and I-"

"Wait, my file ? How can you have a file on me if this is our first time meeting?" Lauren questioned the young woman sitting across from her, staring hard at the envelope sitting in her lap.

Dr. Hernandez nodded towards Karla, signaling her to leave before returning his attention back to Lauren. "Your girlfriend, Normani Hamilton, is it ? She called yesterday morning and she gave me quite a bit of information about you and your....troubles."

Lauren was in complete disbelief at how Normani had taken the liberty of disclosing her personal information with a stranger, therapist or not. And identified herself as her girlfriend no less. Normani and Lauren were no where near ready to be back in a relationship. Even as friends they were struggling. Lauren snickered and rolled her eyes at the thought of Normani having the audacity to overstep her boundaries.

"Well Doc, what does my file tell you about me exactly ? I'm curious to hear what my....girlfriend had to say about me." Lauren asked in a snarky tone. She crossed her legs and clasped her fingers together tightly, trying her hardest to listen to what he had to say.

"Well, you're disturbed. You've delt with some serious sexual abuse during the last two years which has aided in your pavour nocturn or what most refer to as night terrors. But more than that, this particular trauma tends to damage a person mentally and emotionally and my goal here is to get you to deal with what's happened to you so that in time, you can overcome it."

Lauren tried to remain as collected as possible but she was furious on the inside. Everything she'd told Normani about her experiences in confidence was now in the hands of some smart alec head shrinker who swore she knew it all. It was mind blowing to think that she'd betray her in such a way. Though, she had to admit, everything the doctor had said was sort of true.

"Well, what kind of medication are you going to put me on that makes all of this," Lauren gestured towards the file, twirling her hands in a circular motion "seem like a bad dream?"

Dr. Hernandez chuckled, rubbing her forehead gently. "I'm afraid that's not how it works Lauren. Everything that you've endured is very much real and no amount of medication can ever make that go away."

Lauren threw her head back and laughed. "That's where you're wrong Doc."

"There are dozens things that can act as medication that I can take to make me forget about all of this. Including this meeting with you." Lauren stood up, gathered her coat and turned on her heels, feeling victorious over Dr. Hernandez.

"That's something else that I wanted to discuss with you. Normani informed me that you have a history of drug abuse as well. Some pretty hefty stuff at that. She claims that you've been clean since you arrived here in Boston, though I'm not so sure if that's true, is it Lauren ?"

Lauren tightened her grip on the door knob, frozen in shock. This doctor was good at his job. Lauren was surprised that she had been able to fool Normani for so long. Though she wasn't proud, it was something that she had to do. Heroin, coke and pills had become a critical part of Lauren, a part of her that would take quite some time to get rid of.

"Some of the behavior that she said you'd been exhibiting was a bit unsettling. Especially now that I'm seeing you know in person, I'm starting to question your sobriety just a bit.

Lauren, closed the door but continued to face away from the woman who had just called her bluff. "Listen, you don't understand.."

"I've been a therapist for almost seven years, and I've seen my share of people with their share of troubles but I will admit that you're the first drug addict that I've seen who's been able to completely fool the person you're living with into thinking that you're even remotely clean." Dr. Hernandez sat stone faced, waiting for Lauren to counter her accusation