Page 37 of The Birthday Girl
Tahlia set her cup down, focusing her gaze on his eyes. “I woke up without a single crisis waiting for me, and I had a good night’s sleep.”
Dr. Farrell gave a slight nod as he set his folder on the table’s edge, careful not to intrude on Tahlia’s space. “That will do it. Those days are rare, so you should celebrate them when they come.”
“I am,” she said, leaning back into the booth. “That’s why I am here instead of the office.”
The waitress appeared to top off her coffee, and Dr. Farrell gave her a polite smile before ordering rye toast, strawberry jam, and black coffee. Once the waitress disappeared, he turned hisattention back to Tahlia, his expression softer than in their usual sessions.
“You know, we haven’t had a session in a while. Why is that?”
Tahlia stirred her coffee, trying to buy herself a second. “Because I don’t need one.”
Dr. Farrell leaned back, his tone mild. “That’s a good thing. Not needing me usually means life is cooperating.”
“Exactly.” She gave a quick nod, as if that closed the subject.
He let a pause stretch, then added, “And when life cooperates, how does that usually feel for you?”
Tahlia raised her brow at him, but the challenge in her eyes softened. “Free. Like I can breathe without something sitting on my chest.”
He nodded slowly, as though agreeing with her. “That sounds… different from the last time we talked.”
“It is different,” she admitted, almost without thinking. She took another sip, then frowned at herself. “Things aren’t weighing on me the way they usually do.”
Dr. Farrell stirred his coffee slowly, his eyes still on the cup. “That sounds like a welcome change. What makes the weight feel lighter?”
She exhaled through her nose, half a laugh, half a release. “I’m not waking up dreading the day. I don’t feel like I’m constantly waiting for something to go wrong. It’s quiet… at least for now.”
He glanced at her briefly, then back at his coffee. “Quiet can be unsettling when you’re used to noise.”
“It can.” She took another sip and shook her head. “But I’ll take it.”
He smiled faintly. “You make it sound like you don’t trust it.”
Tahlia smirked, meeting his gaze. “That’s because I don’t. Calm is just trouble holding its breath.”
Dr. Farrell tilted his head, his voice low and even. “Or maybe it’s you who’s holding your breath.”
Tahlia’s smirk faltered, but only for a second. “And what makes you so sure of that?”
Dr. Farrell rested his forearms on the table, casual as if they were talking about the weather. “Because people who don’t trust peace usually haven’t allowed themselves to feel it. They wait for trouble because it’s the only rhythm they know.”
She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly. “And you think that’s me?”
“I think you’re telling me you’re waiting on something to happen,” he said. His tone was gentle, not accusing.
Her fingers drummed the mug. “Maybe I am. Maybe it’s safer to expect it.”
He gave a quiet hum, studying her face without pressing further. “Or maybe you’re bracing for an impact you can’t avoid.”
Tahlia leaned back, her slow smile returning. “You’re good at what you do, Doctor. Sometimes too good. I almost let you trick me into saying more than I should.”
He lifted his coffee in a mock toast. “Almost doesn’t count.”
She chuckled under her breath, shaking her head. “Almost doesn’t count, but it’s close enough. You’d love to know what’s really sitting on my chest.”
Dr. Farrell kept his voice even. “If you want to tell me, I’m listening. If you don’t, I’ll enjoy my toast.”
That made her laugh again, softer this time. “You’re slick. You always find a way to make me feel like I’m in control when you’re the one steering the wheel.”
