9 hours ago
Iāson entered her house and Emily still had trouble looking at the masked face. It wasn't fear, but anxiety. Her nerves tingled with uncertainty at everything. What if this didn't work? What would she do then? What would happen to her sister and by extension, the rest of her family? When he spoke, his voice was calm and reassuring. There was more to his words than a simple greeting and statement of his purpose. His tone whispered that things would be okay. They were genuine and Emily had no doubt that the man who stood before her would do everything in his power to help her sister.
Still the anxiety lingered. Iāson had been very polite. The "ma'am" made her think of Southern hospitality and the calmness that he projected tried to speak to her, reminding her that she needed to calm down herself. She couldn't go into Rachel's room like this and expect Rachel to remain the same. "I'm..."
Emily's voice trailed off as she found what she needed to find her own calm. Her eyes fell on her wedding picture. Jared looking down at her as she looked up at him with loving eyes. Her fingers went to her wedding ring and she felt the cool metal. Jared wasn't here right now physically, but he was always with her. Jared was a martial artist and taught her to meditate, and she went into that now, focusing on her breath. It only took a few breaths and she felt the anxiety, still present, fall under her control.
Emily turned to face Iāson, her eyes meeting the spot his would be on his mask, and when she spoke, her voice was less uncertain. "I'm Emily. It's nice to meet you Iāson. You are welcome in my home. Please, follow me." Emily turned and began to lead Iāson through her house to the stairway. "It's my sister, Rachel. She was hurting after a breakup and someone found her and took advantage of her pain. He was...unique...able to directly affect the emotions of those around him. He could make her feel what he wanted her to feel. He broke her, and now, she's afraid...all the time."
They arrived at the top of the stairs and Emily waited for him to get to the landing. "It's like...that's Rachel's normal now. Constantly afraid - like everything has been turned into a waking nightmare. She's been really suffering, and..." her voice trailed, and she looked down and closed her eyes, tears burning. "She's giving up and losing hope. IF this doesn't get fixed, I'm worried she'll want to end it."
It was the first time Emily had said it. The first time she voiced that her sister might try to end her own life if this couldn't be fixed. She allowed the tears to fall for a bit, unembarrassed by them. She didn't know Iāson, but she trusted him. She wiped her eyes and then met that masked gaze. "I really hope you can help her. She's in her room right now."
Emily turned and walked to the door, stretched out her hand and touched the knob. Her hand lingered for a second, and then dropped as she faced Iāson again. "She's going to be afraid of you even though she knows you're coming. When we go in, I can calm her down, but it will take a bit of time. I hope it's okay that I go in while you do what you do. She's going to need me there." Emily paused, her gaze pleading. "Please."
Still the anxiety lingered. Iāson had been very polite. The "ma'am" made her think of Southern hospitality and the calmness that he projected tried to speak to her, reminding her that she needed to calm down herself. She couldn't go into Rachel's room like this and expect Rachel to remain the same. "I'm..."
Emily's voice trailed off as she found what she needed to find her own calm. Her eyes fell on her wedding picture. Jared looking down at her as she looked up at him with loving eyes. Her fingers went to her wedding ring and she felt the cool metal. Jared wasn't here right now physically, but he was always with her. Jared was a martial artist and taught her to meditate, and she went into that now, focusing on her breath. It only took a few breaths and she felt the anxiety, still present, fall under her control.
Emily turned to face Iāson, her eyes meeting the spot his would be on his mask, and when she spoke, her voice was less uncertain. "I'm Emily. It's nice to meet you Iāson. You are welcome in my home. Please, follow me." Emily turned and began to lead Iāson through her house to the stairway. "It's my sister, Rachel. She was hurting after a breakup and someone found her and took advantage of her pain. He was...unique...able to directly affect the emotions of those around him. He could make her feel what he wanted her to feel. He broke her, and now, she's afraid...all the time."
They arrived at the top of the stairs and Emily waited for him to get to the landing. "It's like...that's Rachel's normal now. Constantly afraid - like everything has been turned into a waking nightmare. She's been really suffering, and..." her voice trailed, and she looked down and closed her eyes, tears burning. "She's giving up and losing hope. IF this doesn't get fixed, I'm worried she'll want to end it."
It was the first time Emily had said it. The first time she voiced that her sister might try to end her own life if this couldn't be fixed. She allowed the tears to fall for a bit, unembarrassed by them. She didn't know Iāson, but she trusted him. She wiped her eyes and then met that masked gaze. "I really hope you can help her. She's in her room right now."
Emily turned and walked to the door, stretched out her hand and touched the knob. Her hand lingered for a second, and then dropped as she faced Iāson again. "She's going to be afraid of you even though she knows you're coming. When we go in, I can calm her down, but it will take a bit of time. I hope it's okay that I go in while you do what you do. She's going to need me there." Emily paused, her gaze pleading. "Please."