Silent Prayers

Chapter 28

Elena looked around the room, studying all of the ways she could state how she was feeling. In the end, she chose the animal chart. "The elephant" she said, pointing at it.

Dr. Erickson and Stefan both searched for the elephant. "What does the elephant represent for you?" Dr. Erickson asked.

"Well, he looks nervous" Elena answered, continuing to look at it. "A little unsure" she added. "Kind of like how I am feeling. I'm a little nervous about therapy." It was the honest truth.

"So what I hear you saying is that you are feeling nervous right now about this therapy session. Is that right?" he asked. Elena nodded her head. "Thank for you sharing how you are feeling with us. I want you to know that this is a safe environment, and that everything you say here today is valued and respected" he assured her.

"Okay" Elena nodded, feeling a bit more relaxed, but still nervous.

"Stefan?" Dr. Erickson asked. "How are you feeling today?" he asked.

Stefan smiled. "Like the sun, over there" he answered, pointing to a weather feeling chart. "I just feel ... really happy today. My house is coming along, I went surfing this morning, and now, I'm here with Elena" he stated, looking over at her and smiling.

His response made her feel guilty. He was excited to be there, and she would rather be anywhere else.

"Thank you, Stefan" Dr. Erickson smiled. "Is there anything in particular that either of you would like to begin the session with?" he asked. Both Stefan and Elena shook their heads no. "Alright. Maybe I could gather more history from the both of you" he explained. "Would it be alright if I asked you both some questions?" he asked.

Stefan nodded right away, while Elena took a moment or two before nodding as well.

"Alright then. Can you both tell me a little more about how you met?" he asked, sitting back in his chair. He knew Stefan's side of the story, but he was interested in Elena's and the interactions that would take place between them as they answered. "Elena, would you like to go first?" he asked.

Elena sat up a little straighter. "Umm ... I ... I met him towards the end of my senior year, while I was on a campus tour. He was one of the tour guides and he spent the whole afternoon with me" she explained. "He asked me to dinner that same evening, and I agreed" she added.

Dr. Erickson was listening intently. "He was a few years older?" he asked. Elena nodded. "Were there any concerns about that?" he asked.

Elena shrugged. "Initially, I guess" she answered. She felt awkward answering questions with Stefan sitting right beside her. "He just seemed like a really, nice guy" she explained. "He is a really, nice guy" she corrected. She could feel Stefan's eyes on her, but she kept her own looking down. "We saw each other once or twice after that and then I ended up moving in with him." She waited for the psychologist's opinion on that one. Lord knew Bonnie sure had one.

"It sounds like you trusted him" Dr. Erickson noted. "How did that go, living with him?" he asked.

"It went really well. We got along great. We spent the summer together before I started school and he started work. And then ... he asked me to marry him."

"She said yes, and it was the best day of my life" Stefan added in. All eyes turned on him, and he felt the need to continue. "I love her" he said. Then he turned to look at her. "I love you, Elena" he said quietly.

Elena was dead silent. "Elena? How does that make you feel, hearing Stefan tell you that he loves you?" Dr. Erickson asked.

Elena's throat felt dry. She closed her eyes and took a small breath in and out. "Confused. Hurt. Angry a little bit" she said.