"How can we help you?"

The man in the white coat with the Clean Start Inc logo had a concerned look on his face; one that was a mixture of sympathy and attentiveness. Jan thought it was fake, a professional affectation. But, this interview represented hope, and - right now - Jan needed hope more than anything.

"I have a problem." Jan looked at the name tag dangling from the breast pocket of the white coat. "Doctor Wessler."

Doctor Wesley smiled and nodded. "Of course. That's why you've come here. We can help you. Go on, please."

Jan looked around the office, taking the time it afforded her to gather her thoughts. "I've just come out of a bad relationship. Really bad." She looked at the doctor, as if seeking his permission to continue with her story.

He nodded. "And you want to forget it?"

"I do. I want to forget it." The words tumbled from her mouth, like rocks falling into a pool.

"And what do you want top forget about this relationship?"

"All if it. Every. Last. Fucking. Thing."

Doctor Wessler sat back in his chair and assumed a thoughtful look. "We can certainly do that for you. But there are various tests we must carry out first. For a start, we will need to do a full neural audit. Then we will have to establish the memetic chains for the memories in question and isolate - "

"I don't care!"

The doctor blinked in surprise. "I'm sorry?"

Jan glared at him. "I said, I don't care. I just want it gone from my life."

"But you could -"

"It's very simple. I don't care. I don't want to remember anything about ... I just don't want to remember. If I lose some other memories, then that is just fine by me."

Doctor Wessler stared at Jan for a couple of minutes. "Fine," he said at last. "As you wish. But first." He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a pad of forms. "This is a release, absolving Clean Start Inc of any responsibility in the event that something untoward should happen. If you sign this, then we can see about starting your treatment."

Jan took the form, then held out her hand for a pen. Doctor Wessler obliged her, and she signed the form with a flourish. "There. Now, how soon can I get started?" How quickly can you get these memories out of my head?"

Wesley consulted his diary. "We can begin the treatment next Tuesday. Will that be soon enough?"

"No. But if it's the earliest you can do?"

"It is."

Jan stood up. "Then I'll just have to wait. Goodbye, doctor."

"Until next Tuesday."

As she left the doctor's office, Jan felt as if a great load was about to be lifted from her.