Page 83 of Always on My Mind

Lila pushed her glasses up her nose. “Are you now?”

“Yeah. You’re a psychic, too, right? You believe in all that?”

“I’m not a psychic, but I do believe in past lives,” Lila said. “I’m a past life regressionist.”

“Exactly. Tessa actually saw a past life regressionist, so she already knew, but for me to see it, I had to get a boot to the head—”

“Hold on a moment, Jamie. Is your girlfriend Tessa Gallagher by any chance?”

Jamie’s eyes blew wide. “No way.”

Lila nodded, a smile parting her lips. “My, my. The universe certainly has a way of working out. Tessa was my client last summer. Your first therapy session was only a few weeks later.”

“Shut up!” Jamie gasped. “That’s unbelievable!”

“And yet, here we are.”

“Wait, are you allowed to tell me that?”

“Certainly. Past life regression isn’t officially recognized as a medical practice. I’m not beholden to the same rules that would protect you from my telling her that you are my therapy client.”

“Interesting.” Jamie got to her feet again. “There’s no way that’s a coincidence, though. This has to be a sign, right? Do you believe in signs?”

“I believe few things are purely coincidental,” Lila said. “I can’t say for sure what is or isn’t a sign, but it’s clear that you and Tessa are continually linked to one another.”

“I’ll say,” Jamie agreed. “That book you let me borrow, the Emily Dickinson one, it was mine in a past life. A gift from her, actually. It triggered some feelings for me when I first held it.”

“Well then, I’ll allow you to keep it,” Lila said. “It’s rightfully yours.”

“Are you sure? It’s a first edition, it’s incredibly valuable.”

“Do you want to keep it?” Lila asked. “Be honest with me, and with yourself.”

Jamie didn’t need a moment to think. The answer came bursting out of her. “Yes. I want to keep it.”

“Then it’s yours.” Lila grinned. “And what a wonderful exercise in expressing a direct desire.”

“But that’s so small. Of course how I feel about a book is simple. Everything else is complicated.”

“When you first kicked a ball, did you get it in the back of the net?” Lila asked.

“No.”

“Exactly. Like all things, setting boundaries and expressing your needs and wants takes practice. You practice in here with me, the same way you do at training. Then apply it when you go out and take on your relationships, the way you do at a match.”

Jamie blinked, taking her seat again. “Wow. Thank you, Lila. I’m sorry I thought you were a kook when I saw that on your website.”

“I know I’m your therapist, Jamie, but some things can remain inside thoughts,” Lila said, though the corner of her mouth ticked up, betraying her amusement.

“Right,” Jamie said on an exhale, heat rising in her cheeks. “Sorry.”

“Love the honesty. Let’s work on timing, shall we?”

“Yes, let’s.”

“Wonderful. But first, I want you to answer this next question without thinking about it. There’s no right or wrong answer, but what you say will be where we put our focus in the next few sessions.”

Jamie nodded. “Got it.”

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