Before the Morning [BEING EDITED]

39 | Dr. Clem

"You ready?"

Nora, still in pajamas, wrapped up under her comforter, shrugged at her laptop. It sat a few feet away from her crossed legs, broadcasting Willow's hopeful face. "I suppose," she said.

"This will be good," Willow said.

"Yeah." Nora forced herself from the safety of the covers to grab her hairbrush from the top of her dresser. Once flopped back onto her bed, she halfheartedly tugged the brush through her hair. Part of her was tempted to just put it into a braid without bothering to brush it. Her counselor was supposed to see the real her, right? But, it was pointless to even pretend to consider it. She wouldn't be able to leave the house without at least attempting to look put-together.

"You don't have to pretend with me," Willow said.

She put on a wan smile. "I know."

I don't think you do, said Willow's frown.

Nora kept brushing her hair.

What would Dr. Clem be like? Rachel said she sounded friendly on the phone. But what would it be like to sit in front of her on a...couch? Chair? She struggled to picture it. Distracted herself with trying to envision, to feel, what piece of furniture she would be trapped on while the clock crept forward. Comfy? Scratchy? Warm? Cold? Would there be pillows?

Would Dr. Clem have a clipboard?

Please, no. She wouldn't be able to speak, knowing her words were being written down.

What was she going to say?

She wouldn't be able to sit there in silence. That was like begging for another appointment. But to tell a stranger...

"Nora."

She dropped her hairbrush onto her bed. "Yeah?" she asked, separating her hair into three equal parts.

"It's okay to be nervous," Willow said.

"How was counseling for you, when you went?" Nora asked. She twisted her hair into her typical side-braid.

"Good, actually," Willow said. "My counselor was really nice—someone you could just chat with, you know?"

"What about your first session?"

"A little awkward at first," she admitted. "It was weird, talking to a stranger about something so personal. But I quickly got the sense that I'd like her. If you don't get good vibes from your counselor in the first session, I would suggest switching to someone else."

"Okay."

A soft knock on her door stole her attention. "Yeah?" she called.

Rachel poked her head inside. "Just letting you know that we're leaving in about thirty minutes."

"Thanks."

Rachel nodded and closed the door.

Nora sighed. "I guess I need to go get ready."

"I guess so."

✝

A serene melody drifted into Nora's ears as she shuffled into Dr. Clem's waiting room. She guessed it was supposed to be calming, but her stomach refused to loosen its hold on her as she eased into one of the cushioned chairs. Rachel claimed the one at her side.

As offices went, this was homier than she'd been picturing. Her only point of reference had been her doctor's office and the counseling waiting rooms she'd seen in movies and on TV. This room was more like a living room than a waiting room—it even had a couch. The only difference was a spinning rack filled with magazines.