Page 54 of Sins of a Husband

“Yes, of course.” He nods.

“Good.” I stand from the couch and pick up my purse, hooking it over my shoulder and gripping the strap. “It was nice to speak with you finally, Dr. Burton. Have a pleasant day.” I smile as I leave his office.

Chapter Forty

DR. BURTON

The door slams shut.I let out a sigh of relief and walk over to my computer. My fingers automatically type 'Dissociative Identity Disorder' into the search bar, a term I've heard of but never encountered in my practice as a therapist. The cursor blinks impatiently as I scroll through patient cases and medical articles, trying to understand what just happened in my office.

Dahlia calls herself Katherine’s sister, but she’s not. She emerged from the depths of Katherine’s subconscious, taking over to protect Katherine from the devastating trauma her mother inflicted on her.

Dahlia is braver, stronger, and more resilient than Katherine could ever be. It was uncanny how different her voice was from Katherine’s. Every word and movement seemed calculated and precise. She radiated a confidence I had never seen before. It was eerie how different they were, leaving no doubt in my mind that the woman who spoke to mewas notKatherine.

I need to do some more research before Katherine callsto schedule an appointment, so I press the intercom button on my desk phone.

“Cancel the rest of my appointments for the day. But if Katherine Tate calls, put her through.”

Chapter Forty-One

KAT

My hands trembleas I shake a white pill into my hand and chase it down with some water. I take in a breath as I grip the bathroom counter and lower my head. I need to talk to Dr. Burton. I have to tell him about the storage unit and what I found.

I enter the bedroom, grab my phone from the bed, and dial Dr. Burton’s number.

“Dr. Burton’s office. How may I help you?”

“Hi, this is Katherine Tate. I was hoping to get in to see Dr. Burton today. It’s an emergency.”

“Hold one moment, Mrs. Tate.”

The staff probably thinks I’m crazy, too.

“Hello, Katherine. It’s Dr. Burton.” I found it strange that he answered the call.

“Oh, Dr. Burton. I was hoping to get an appointment with you today. Something happened last night that I need to tell you about.”

“I’m very booked right now and am currently behind on my patients. How about I stop by your house tonight, andwe can talk there? It sounds like you need to speak with me today.”

“I do. My house will be fine. What time?”

“Will seven o’clock work?”

“Seven is fine. I’ll see you then, Dr. Burton.”

I gather my things, toss them inside my bag, and head down to the lobby to check out, even though I rented the room for two nights. After handing the valet guy my ticket, and he brings the Bentley around, I climb in and drive home.

With my heart racing in anticipation, my hand trembles as I insert the key and turn the doorknob. I push the front door open and slip inside, my senses on high alert as I scan the foyer and every corner of the house for any signs of an intruder. It doesn’t look like anyone has been here since I left yesterday.

I’m hungry. So I go to the kitchen and open the refrigerator. There isn’t much because I haven’t shopped recently. I notice cheese slices, so I open the cabinet and see the loaf of bread is still good. I make a grilled cheese sandwich. As I carefully slide the sandwich out of the pan and onto a plate, my hand reaches over to the block of sharp knives. I pull the biggest knife out, noticing my reflection in the shiny blade. My fingers give way when I see a distorted version of myself, and the knife falls onto the Caesarstone island, making a loud sound. I jump back and place my hand over my racing heart. I’m no longer hungry, so I push the sandwich away.

I feel like I’m in a daze. I’m losing my mind, and I don’t know how to stop it. I walk up the stairs, grab a blanket from the corner of the bedroom, crawl on the bed, and cover myself. If I sleep for a while, maybe I’ll feel better when I wake up.

I slept most of the day, which was fine by me. The less I’m awake, the better. Dr. Burton will be here soon, so I brew two cups of coffee. The knock at the door startles me—everything these days startles me. I walk over and invite Dr. Burton in. He removes his black coat and matching Fedora and hangs them on the coat rack.

“Let’s sit in the living room. I made us some coffee. How do you take yours?” I ask.

“Just black.” He sits in Oliver’s wingback chair facing the couch.

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