The Couch (closed for BeachBum25)

[wickedpen]

Working as a therapist, Rene has taken an office in an old house. It has been divided into office space by the land lord. The space is beautiful with dark wood floors and a marble working fireplace. It is summer time and the trees shade the big open windows which look out on a quiet street just off Main St.

Rene is tall, six feet tall, with straight grey hair she has never dyed. She is thin, having been a runner and fitness fan her whole life. She ears her hair down and has stylish black frames glasses on her nose as she sits in a big leather chair. She is wearing a dark flowered dress which is buttoned up to the collar which surrounds her long neck. Her face is angular with a short pointed nose and calm green eyes. She is striking.

In the office there is a small wooden desk in the corner with an appropriate chair tucked underneath. Several potted trees are arranged around the room. One on each side of the large leather couch opposite the chair where she sits reading a book. The couch is black but does not look overly comfortable. Behind the couch is a wall of bookcases filled with books. Not like a few books and a bowl or sculpture, but all books. Over the fireplace which is to the left of where she sits is a portrait of an old distinguished man sitting in a chair much like the chair she is sitting in.

On the floor is a large Persian rug with mostly dark blues and greens and burgundy designs. The room is not dark but cozy. One one side of her chair is a table with a Tiffany which illuminates the book on her lap. On the other side is an antique standing ash tray made of green glass and chrome.

The door opens as the clock on the wall chimes. She closes the book, puts it on the table and rises to greet her visitor.

 

[BeachBum25]

Michael O'Rourke was a wreck. He was walking into the office to see if he could find a way to get his life back to normal. He certainly hoped so. He had never considered seeing a therapist before. Recent happenings changed all of that.

He was an Account Manager with a large brokerage firm in town. He was the youngest manager in the firm, and he was one of the highest producers in the office. There was no doubt that he was on the rise. Many believed he would eventually take over as Vice President/ Office Manager.

Michael is 28 years old. His looks garner the attention of many of the women around town. He is 6'1" tall and weighs 175 pounds. His light brown hair and hazel eyes are features that many women notice. Well, that and his athletic body, which he keeps in shape with daily workouts.

Nobody in town would believe that there was any reason for him to see a therapist, but here he was. As he opened the door, he looked around. He had no idea what to expect. He eased the door closed behind him and waited.

 

[wickedpen]

"Good day" a chipper English accent filled the room. "You must be Mr O'Rourke" the woman said standing tall in her two inch heels putting her nearly above the man's height.

"Won't you please sit down" she says after they shake hands. She notices he is unshaven and wearing a tee shirt and sweatpants. His patient summary listed him as a broker. This was not a good sign.

She takes in all the information she can from looking at him as he barely looks at her.

"First time in therapy?" she asks with a sympathetic smile. "No worries, there is no shame and some of my clients actually tell me they enjoy it." There is something in her tone that is unexpected.

She lifts a notepad from the table next to her and puts it on her skirt covering her thigh which is crossed over her other leg.

"So Mr O'Rourke what brings you to me?" she asks and then sits back with her pen in hand and looks attentively at the man.

 

[BeachBum25]

Almost immediately, Michael felt regret for being here. He wasn't crazy. He just needed some time to get his shit together. Well, he was here now. He would deal with it for now, but he probably would not come back for a second session.

After shaking the therapist's hand, and actually looking up, briefly, into her eyes, before looking back down at the floor. Michael sat down in the chair and folded his hands in his lap. His eyes remained down as he listened to the therapist.

"Yes, first time." He nodded to her when she said that some of her clients tell her they enjoy it. He looks up briefly as he notices the therapist reach for something. He sees that it is a pad, and he starts to think that she is about to write down his life story, or that which he is going to share.

Without looking up, "My sister said I should talk to someone about what is going on." Michael paused, and when the therapist remained silent, he continued, "Colleen, that is my sister, said that I needed to move on from my former fiancee, and she heard that you were very good, so, here I am."

Michael wasn't sure what else he should say. Was she expecting him to just spill his guts, or was she going to ask questions and try to draw it all out of him? Well, she was going to have to earn her fee. He wasn't sharing anything unless directly asked to.

 

[wickedpen]

Rene looked at the man. She was used to this reluctance.

"Men are supposed to keep everything inside?" she asked as though she was asking what street they were walking on.

She watched him nearly roll his eyes as he looked away. She wrote on her pad then looked up. "What do you do for a living Mr O'Rourke?" Her tone is measured and her accent is downright seductive. She smooths her skirt and folds her hands over her pad interlacing her long fingers. She wears no rings and or other jewelry that is visible. "I am not the enemy. We are just having a chat. You are free to go, if you wish. But I assume your sister knows you well enough, better than me, so we might as well fill the hour." She stops and waits.

 

[BeachBum25]

Michael looked up at the therapist. There is something about her voice that has captured his attention. He isn't sure if it is the accent, or if it is something else, but she is breaking down his barriers... at least a little bit.

"I am still here. I have not run out, so, I am open to talking with you. Well, a little anyway." He paused and considered her question. He had said that he would respond to her questions; he just wouldn't open up and spill everything. He said she was going to have to work for it, so, he would answer anything she asked directly.

"I am an Account Manager for Stuckert, Yates and Wilson." He contemplated telling her how long he was there, but she had not asked that, so he withheld that information.

He looks at her. Michael takes notice of her beautiful face and her striking gray hair. He also notices that she wears no jewelry. He is surprised not to see a wedding band. Then he thinks, that is probably done intentionally. Men probably open up more to single women; therefore, not wearing the ring means that men will be more open. Well, I have you figured out Ms. Therapist.

 

[wickedpen]

"Good" she said noncommittally. She looked at him, studying his features and general disheveled appearance.
"An account manager for Stuckert, Yates and Wilson doesn't normally look quite as" she paused looking for the right words, "uncaring" she finally came up with. "I know Stuckert, Yates and Wilson, I keep some of my assets there and my account manager is always impeccable." She does not ask why or anything else just makes the observation, watches for a reaction and then scribbles something in her notebook.
"Well Mr O'Rourke you are clearly holding a lot in. Is this how you usually handle things? Emotional things? Or is it something else? You look like a man who had lost his way" she says. "If I were to deduce from your appearance and demeanor it would be that you either lost your job, were arrested or were unlucky in love." she says as though she were a detective on the trail of the truth.
"I assume Mr O'Rourke since you are open to talking to me, at least, that you might entertain a personal question. How long has it been since you had an orgasm?" she said. It was as though she asked how long it had been since he drank tea. She did not flinch in the least, completely comfortable with herself, her surroundings and her question.
Seeing the surprise on her face she said "Surely an account manager at Stuckert, Yates and Wilson is not rattled by a question about his last ejaculation?" her accent and attitude brought images of the head mistress at an English boarding school. Her easy calm face brought what normally would be tremendous tension in the room down to nearly none. She sat with a slight smile on her face patiently awaiting an answer.

 

[BeachBum25]

Michael listened to the therapist talk. She ran through a few questions, but before he could say anything she mentioned his appearance. However, there was no question when she mentioned how he looked, so, he did not feel obligated to respond in any way.

Her direct question surprised him. Obviously, that surprise showed on his face by the way she followed up her question by saying that such a question should not rattle a person who holds a position like his. He looked directly at her. There was no emotion. He was wondering for a moment if she was playing games with him, but there was no sign of it in her expression.

"It has been about a month." His answer was short and sweet. The therapist's demeanor had him relaxing a little, but he wasn't ready to give too much unsolicited information. Additionally, he had no idea what her question was about. Why was his last ejaculation relevant to anything that might be going on?

They both sat silently for a moment. His eyes wandered a little. For the first time he allowed himself to notice how attractive the therapist was, but that thought only went through his head for a moment, and he was back to the thoughts that led him to being here in the first place.

 

[wickedpen]

Rene Fulton sat looking at this attractive, but disheveled man surprised at his answer. Surprise is not something Rene experiences often in her world of control and introspection.
"Huh" was all she said as she scrawled on her notepad. She looked at him in silence as he held her gaze then faded back into himself.
"A man like yourself, young, fit, wealthy. I would imagine would at the very least exercise himself more often than that." she said not as a question but more of a statement.
"How is work going for you?" she asked.

 

[BeachBum25]

He was surprised by her reaction. He was even more surprised by her assessment of him. Michael did not expect that Rene would be describing him in such terms. when she mentioned wealthy, he looked at her inquisitively. He wondered if she had done some homework on him prior to his arrival; after all, she did mention that she had some assets at SYW. Maybe, she was just making an assumption because he was an account manager there.

"Work is going very well. I am having no problems there. I get along well with everyone, and business is very good." He provided more information than he had planned to, but the information that he provided it was rather basic.

Michael watched the therapist write notes on her pad. What exactly could she be writing down? He wasn't giving her much information.... maybe that was what she was writing down.

While watching her write her notes, Michael noticed Rene's legs below the hem of her flowered dress. Her calves were well-toned. He stared at them for a moment before refocusing on her face and looking into her eyes... awaiting her next question.

 

[wickedpen]

"Going well" she said as she scribbled on the pad.
"OK" she said as if coming to a conclusion. "You are sitting in a therapist office on a Friday wearing sweats, unshaven and have not had an orgasm in a month. This leads me to think you are not doing as well as you let on. Michael, what you say in this room will not leave this room. Anything we do in this room is protected by doctor patient privilege. As a therapist it is my job to talk to people. More importantly to listen when no one else will or there is no one you want to tell whatever is bothering you. So I understand you are answering questions I ask you so" she says leaning forward enough for you to get a sense of her breast size as her dress cinches around her thin waist. "What is going on Michael?" she asks, her eyes drilling into his like a sergeant drill instructor dressing down a recruit. "Why are you sitting here like a frumpy loser when there is money to be made and pussy to be fucked out there?" she says as calmly and coolly as a wall street wizard in a movie.

 

[BeachBum25]

He listened and then took several moments to digest what the therapist had just said to him. He had not been dressed down like that since his senior year in high school when he was the star on the school's football team and the coach was blaming him because they were losing the championship game at halftime.

The things that Rene was saying did not match up with her reactions. Her demeanor was calm and cool; her words were aggressive and challenging. Michael was trying to make sense of it. When he combined the words that she was saying with the new information that was being processed through his sight, mainly her thin waist and her breasts, Michael started to look at the therapist in a new light.

"I appreciate that everything said here is confidential. I am not sure that there is anything anyone can help me with. I have never asked anyone for help before. I always handle my issues and problems on my own. That is what I am doing now. Yes, I know that I look like a slob, but it was not my intention to be out in public. My sister, however, can be quite demanding, and, since I am living with her and her kids for the time being, I decided I should do as she said. So, here I am."


Michael sat quietly for a moment; contemplating what he should share with Rene. He wondered how much would be enough. "Okay, here is the deal. I was supposed to get married tomorrow. Yep, tomorrow. That all changed last weekend when I got an interesting piece of news, which resulted in me cancelling the wedding and moving out of my house."

 

[wickedpen]

Rene did not look up as Michael spoke, taking down all the interesting facts. It was almost an uncomfortably long time before she looked up and spoke in an almost stream of consciousness way.
"Sister is a powerful force in your life, got you here. A month since you had an orgasm but were about to get married? Must not have been attracted to your fiance or excited to be getting married, at least not enough to masturbate, assuming she was pregnant. Does explain your appearance and demeanor." she stopped and studied her notes to either work the problem or make sure she had everything down. Then she asked "Did you win the game?" she asked and looked at him for the answer.

 

[BeachBum25]

Michael stared at Rene as she rambled through what he had told her. Well, some of it he had told her; other information, although accurate, he had not shared with her. How did she know about the pregnancy? Was it something she was assuming based on the information he had provided?

Was she a mind reader? How was she able to pick out things about him that he hadn't shared? How did she know that he had thought back to being chewed out by his coach? Either she could read his mind or she was really good at what she did.

"Yes, we won." He answered her question despite not knowing how she knew about it. "So, do you also want me to respond to your ramblings, or should I just wait until you ask questions about it?" he leaned forward in his chair while maintaining eye contact with her.

 

[wickedpen]

She met his eyes and scribbled on her pad.
"So you are a winner Michael. You have been a winner your entire life, yet now, a day before the happiest day of your life, you are sitting here. Looking at me and trying not to discuss the reasons." she said and paused. She could see he was thinking and not ready to open up yet.
"You are wondering how I knew about the game? There is always a game Michael. No one gets to your position without facing adversity and overcoming it. Most likely in some sporting event. It's not rocket science what I do Michael, just like it won't be rocket science when you put some of my assets into winning positions when we are done." she said as her words weaved like a giant snake around them threatening yet comforting, as they were reaching the same page.
"Now tell me about your wedding" she said flatly.

 

[BeachBum25]

"Well, the wedding was supposed to be tomorrow at the country club. It was supposed to be the party of the year. We had gone out in high school.... grew apart when I went away to college. When I returned to take the job at SYW, we sorta got back together. Things grew from there. I thought she was the one, and I thought she thought I was the one. That was, until last weekend."

He paused for a moment. He was becoming emotional. He had been keeping his emotions pent up and he was still trying to keep them inside, but they were leaking out a little. He felt his eyes well up a little.

Taking a deep breath, "she cheated on me. I never suspected it. Never thought she would do such a thing. Found out about it last weekend. She cheated with my best friend... the guy who was going to be my best man." He stopped again and looked down at the door.

 

[wickedpen]

"So you lost" she said calmly. She studied the man. She had seen many captains of industry to low level peons try to keep emotions bottled up but given the chance they just wanted to let it out.
"You are feeling that loss, how she looked at you. How she made you feel. But that is not all. You also lost your best friend. This is not easy, for anyone." she continued in her calm therapeutic tone. "I imagine you are angry, sad and even have lost confidence and that is OK. You did not do this, she did. You are still the man who won that game. You just have to determine how best to come back."
She paused and nodded to a box of tissues next to the couch.
"Do you think they love each other, or are they just fucking?" she asked point blank. Seeing his reaction she said "I am a believer that just ripping the band-aid off is better than trying to ease away the pain." Her white teeth gleamed behind her wet pink lips as she smiled at you. The tip of her tongue subtly slid across her upper lip.
"Give me more Michael" she said in a low gravelly tone. "Get it out so we can look at it and deal with it."

 

[BeachBum25]

"Yes, I lost. It isn't the first time. It won't be the last time. This one, however, hurt more than the other losses. It was like a teammate threw the game.... like I was betrayed. You are right. I am angry. I wouldn't say that I am sad, but I am definitely angry. As far as the loss of confidence is concerned.... I can't comment on that, because I have spent the last week sitting around pissed off."

He thought for a minute about Jenn and Kevin. Did he really think they loved one another? He never thought about that. "I don't know what they think about each other. Love? What the hell is that? I thought I knew. Obviously, I was wrong."

She was urging him to share it all. He was still hesitant, but there was something about the therapists smile that was putting him at ease. "We had agreed to stop having sex for the month before the wedding. It was her idea. She said it would make the wedding night that much more special. Hah. Special... either she was satisfied getting it from him... or being pregnant had squelched her desire... or both."

He paused. He looked into Rene's eyes. It was the first mention of Jenn being pregnant. Rene had hinted at it earlier, but that was the first time he had mentioned it. "Well, um.... are we running out of time? Is my hour almost up?"

 

[wickedpen]

"Don't shut back down Now Michael" Rene said feeling he was almost there. "Tell me about Kevin and how you really feel about him. Have you spoken with him? Do you want to punch his lights out?" she said growing more excited. Then she paused.
"And Jenn..." she started slower, more measured. "Do you miss her? Was it a physical as well as a societal relationship?"
Her training terminology was awkward at times but she got a bit of a thrill breaking things down into their basic parts.
"Did she make you smile more with her clothes on or off?" she said to lighten the atmosphere.

 

[BeachBum25]

Michael looked at Rene. She was trying to coax more out of him. He felt like he had already shared enough, but it, obviously, wasn't enough for the therapist. She wanted more from him. He felt like she was pushing his buttons, and that she knew just what buttons to push to get a reaction from him.

"Why would I talk to him? We have been friends since elementary school and he does that. What would I have to say to him? Not only has he ruined the relationship I had, he has ruined his marriage. What the fuck could I ever say to him?" He paused. "Pardon my language. It wasn't necessary. I have nothing at all to say to him. If I was face to face with him, I would end up losing my job and getting arrested because I would hit him, and I would hurt him."

Taking a deep breath, he thought about what Rene asked him about Jenn. "Do I miss her... hell no. She made a choice. I can live with it. I just need time to deal with it." Michael paused to think about the rest of Rene's question. He exhaled. "There was a physical and emotional piece to our relationship. However, now the thought of her makes my stomach turn."

 

[wickedpen]

Rene looked at him with a neutral gaze.
"You seem to be more angry with him than with her?" she said as a question but did not wait for an answer. Pardon me for asking but did you ever have any relationship with him, more than just friends?" She knew this was a bombshell of a question and most men explode at even the implication of anything with other men but it was also a technique she had used in the past.

 

[BeachBum25]

He smirked. What the hell was she trying to do. "No, doc. I have never thought of a male in that way. We were the best of friends.... we had each other's backs.... I loved him like a brother, but nothing more than that. Of course, that is all in the past."

Michael thought about what Rene said about him being more angry at Kevin than Jenn. "No, I am not more angry at him than her. I am equally angry with both of them. They both did what they did as consenting adults. My anger with males is portrayed differently than my anger with females. I would never hit a woman. Him, oh, I would definitely hit him, but my anger... my anger is equal toward both of them, and I do not wish to see or talk to either of them ever again."

He felt a little bit of a weight being lifted from his shoulders. Talking about it was helping him. "My sister has told me that Jenn has been calling her... telling her she wants to talk to me... asking me to call her. She even stopped at my sister's house. Fortunately, Colleen kept her away. If I see her face to face, I would say some very hurtful things. Not that I would be sorry about that, but it would be an ugly scene. So, it is best to not meet either of them.... ever again."

 

[wickedpen]

Rene looked at him with sympathy. "Was the sex that bad?" she asked. "I mean when people break up they often hate each other on the mental side but secretly want to get back in the sack at least one more time." she explained.

"So I guess there is one more thing we should discuss before you leave." she said with a smile so pure it seemed to brighten the dullest day. "You need to purge yourself, it's unhealthy with all that anger. Usually break up sex handles it but you seem too far gone for that. Any friends that might lend some benefits to you?" she asked. "This was wild as no one ever talks about this side of therapy." she continued "Sex is so powerful in the human being that it is really difficult to deal with the rest of life if it is not at least maintained with regular orgasms."

She put her pad on the table and leaned forward, uncrossing her thighs and leaning forward with her knees together under her skirt, her heels together that. She slipped her glasses off her nose and folded them and placed them on the notepad.

"If I have one suggestion for you Mr O'Rourke, it is to get laid, or at least wank that bugger once in a while. You are way too uptight." she smiled as she said it and her eyes slid down from his face to his sweatpants then back.

"And next week, how about a suit? I do have standards to maintain." she said with a wink.

 

[BeachBum25]

"The sex was good, I guess. Right now, I really don't think anything positively about her. All I can think about is that she is carrying my best friend's child, and to me, that is disgusting. I don't want anything to do with her. No, I don't want one more time with her. If that makes me crazy... so be it."

He looked at her as she talked about getting laid, or at least masturbating regularly. He smiled at her, and allowed his eyes to wander down to her legs. She kept them closed as she uncrossed them. His eyes moved back up to hers.... pausing briefly at her breasts before regaining eye contact.

"Well, we will see what happens with the sex thing." Pausing for a moment. "I will be in a suit the next time we meet. When I first came here, I thought I would be one and done, but you have changed my mind about that. I am going back to work on Monday, so, our next appointment will have to be after work. I am sure that my suit, and the way I look in it will be up to the high standards that you expect to maintain."

He smiled at her and stood up. He extended his hand and shook hands with her. "Thanks for your help doc. I feel a lot better as I leave than when I came through your door. I appreciate you pushing me." His eyes wandered over Rene again.. this time as she stood up.

 

[wickedpen]

She took his hand and shook it.
"Very good then" she said standing. "But if you will indulge me, I think I may be able to give you something to make our acquaintance a little more meaningful. Her eyes locked on his. Her left hand moved slowly to press her palm through his sweat pants against his cock.
"I hate to see a client leave in such a state" she said as her fingers began to feel the rapidly hardening flesh through his sweatpants.