Page 47 of The Breaking Point

“I used to feel jealous,” I admit. “He never once planned a single trip for the two of us. No weekend getaway. No couple’s thing. Just them.”

He studies me for a beat. “And how does that make you feel?”

I roll my eyes at the phrasing. “It makes me feel sucky,” I say. “I’ve spent so long complaining about how he’s not involved or not present. Turns out I was the one who pushed him out.”

The words sting more coming out of my own mouth. But they feel true.

Dr. Brett watches me quietly, giving me space. Then he speaks, voice calm but direct. “Why do you think you did that?”

I shake my head, slouching deeper into the sofa. “I don’t know. I didn’t even notice I was doing it.”

He nods slowly. “Do you think it has anything to do with your fear of abandonment?”

I sit with the question, chewing the inside of my cheek. It sits uncomfortably in my chest.

“Maybe,” I say. “I mean, I always wanted to be everything for the boys. For Aiden. So, they’d be happy.”

He leans forward slightly, fingers folded together. “Why do you think that need to be everything felt so urgent? Why did it become so extreme?”

“I don’t know,” I say again, softer this time.

He waits. “You do.”

My breath catches and I feel heat behind my eyes. “Okay,” I snap, voice rising. “I was afraid of making them unhappy.”

His tone remains even. “And what did you believe would happen if they were unhappy?”

“They’d leave me,” I say, too quickly. The words just tumble out.

There is silence. A deep kind. Heavy but not unkind.

My hands curl into fists against my lap. “Oh my god,” I whisper. “I smothered them. I was trying so hard not to be like my mother that I... I became worse than Aiden’s.”

My voice cracks. “I complain about how she criticizes the way I raise the boys. But I did the same thing to Aiden.”

Dr. Brett stays quiet, just watching me with those steady eyes.

I wipe under my eyes, more frustrated than sad now. “I complain a lot.”

Dr. Brett nods gently. “This is a safe space, Kate. You’re allowed to say the hard things here.”

He pauses just long enough for me to breathe.

“You’re not being judged. You’re being honest. And that’s progress. Awareness is the first step toward change.”

Then, his voice softens even more. “You’re not a bad person for trying too hard. You were trying to protect yourself. Trying to protect your family. It just came out in ways that caused distance instead of closeness.”

“I have to go on a date today,” I say, a little flatly. “With Aiden.”

Dr. Brett tilts his head slightly. “Part of the couples work?”

“Yeah,” I nod. “But we’re not allowed to talk about therapy or the kids. And honestly... I don’t even know what else we have.”

He studies me for a moment, then speaks with calm certainty. “Kate, one of the most common reasons relationships begin to fracture is because we forget that humans are constantly evolving. Our priorities shift, our perspectives deepen, our needs change.”

I stay quiet, listening.

He goes on, “The trick isn’t to stop those changes. That’s not possible. The trick is to remain intentional about sharing the journey. To keep rediscovering your partner, even as you both become different people over time. Growth doesn’t have to mean growing apart. But it does require presence. Curiosity. Willingness.”

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