"Child, it is time to begin."

"What? I'm hardly at the beginning of this journey. I need you more than ever," Mel protested.

Dr. Elizabeth Harrow smiled and shook her head. "No, you're ready to step down to a once a month appointment schedule."

Mel's jaw dropped. "But...."

"You're ready. As you have told me, your panic attacks are much diminished. And you are making progress on proving the case against your mystery figure in the nightmares. You make me proud, taking advantage of the good fortune which has befallen you."

"The best thing was Anson and his details about how Aunt Deloras spewed lies at the the officer in charge at the fire scene. Telling her how I set fires in her home, loved playing with matches, would sit staring at their backyard fires for hours. And she told him to write it down. Anson watched it happen. All of it lies, I'm sure of it now," Mel smiled, thinking of the next bit she was going to tell her psychiatrist.

The plump doctor was sitting across from her with a tablet on the coffee table between them. She didn't lie down on the couch anymore, but she remembered falling asleep there once or twice. Mel always felt safe when she came to the office.

"You're sure of it?" The doctor's bright blue eyes were steady on hers. "Tell me." Elizabeth straightened in the easy chair and leaned forward settling her elbows on her knees.

"I'm starting to remember things. Like how Uncle Hans, with his strange accent, would talk about the beauty of flames and how they purify and prepare waste to be useful again. How he never let us disturb the fire once he started it burning. How he always set the wood, the kindling and when the wood was wet, he had a small can of gasoline to pour on it to make it burn."

"Interesting. I had a feeling you might start remembering now that you are taking positive steps to clear your name. Sometimes the brain needs a safe place before it will allow buried memories to surface. Both in dissociative and selective amnesia. I wanted to meet your Greg at the beginning of your relationship, but now I know I don't need to."

"I made another friend too," Mel dropped her second big bit of news.

Now a huge smile bloomed across Elizabeth's round face. Her laugh wrinkles deepened as she spoke. "Now that's even better news. You're learning to trust your gut again. It's rarely wrong you know."

Mel nodded. "I know that now. Ralph is my helper in the shop. He teases me," she added. "A can't believe how different it is though. It's funny. He makes me laugh."

"And what else?"

"Nothing. We're work friends, he says. And I see him in two of my classes at the university. He's paying his own way, so he's only taking three classes, but he doesn't take the spring and summer sessions off. He's been working at Crazy Corner since they opened three years ago. Switched majors to business last year so he's a bit behind on the degree and needs to catch up a couple of courses." Mel's eyes sparkled as she spoke.

"Wonderful. Sounds like he's a nice guy."

"Oh, he's nice, but I still have to remind him to clean the counter. He makes little spills all the time when things get busy. Says why not leave it until we get a lull. I like to get them right away."

"Everyone has their little faults, Mel."

"I know, it's become a running joke between us."

Dr. Elizabeth tapped the pen she habitually fiddled with on the table before she spoke again.

"Time is up for this appointment, Mel. I like what I'm hearing from you. We'll go to every other week for October and then once a month after."

Melinda drew in a long deep breath, held it, and let it out slowly. Across from her, her doctor nodded in approval.

"See, you are using your breathing instinctively now. Preventing the attack before it starts. This will serve you well as you go forward. It gives you a moment to consider what is going on and ground yourself. A very good habit, Mel."

"Greg, Anson, and especially Elvin their father, helped me there," Mel admitted. "And Ralph too."

"This has been a very positive week, Mel. Anything else?"

"Just Mandy. I don't like her. Don't get me wrong, she's great at her job, but she constantly reminds me she's been there longer, and makes these remarks about how the tea bar in the bookshop must be better because we don't have as many customers on our side anymore. Little pokes. What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing, really, Mel. She's like most people. Probably a bit jealous and annoyed because you came into the shift manager's position. Remember? I'll bet she applied and though she was the shoe in. And I should be asking you questions to lead you to this conclusion. Another reason I need to let you spread your wings. It's time for me to prepare you for life without me."

"What? I'm going to stop coming to see you?" Mel sucked in another huge breath.

"You're ready dear. You'll find people come into your life for a moment, a season, or a lifetime. Your customers are moments for the most part. I am a season, child. And I have to remind myself you are no longer a child. You're eighteen, an adult by legal standards, and I have to ease you out."

"I'm going to miss coming here." Mel felt the tears welling, and sniffled. Reaching for the tissues, she dabbed at her eyes.

"And I will miss you too. Your last appointment will be in December. I cannot keep you in my practice after that. The year of your eighteenth birthday is all I can give you."

"Where will I go if I need help?" Mel asked.

"We'll figure that out in the last few appointments we have. Now, time for you to go. I'm going to be late for my next client otherwise."

Mel blew her nose and stood up before tossing her tissue in the metal garbage can at the end of the couch.

What am I going to do? Is she really right? I guess it's one step at a time. And she did say I could call if something goes really bad.

"Bye, Dr. Elizabeth." She shuddered. "I'm not looking forward to saying it the last time."

"Neither am I, Mel. Neither am I."