Houston, Texas, in Dr. Wilson's Office, on Thursday, December 12th, 2030 at 3:00 pm

Lucas

I guide Rachel through the doorway with my hand placed firmly on her lower back. We used to come into this office with so much distance between us. Even though he has always sat within a foot of me, his heart felt so far away. My stomach always felt like it was going to explode with anxiety. Now, we are walking in here with the same elation as if we were meeting a dear friend for lunch.

"Rachel, Lucas! So good to see you!" Dr. Wilson wraps Rachel in a warm hug before turning to me. Our embrace is slightly rougher, but not nearly as aggressive as when Cooper and I 'hug'.

"Good to see you too, doc," I beam at him and rest a hand on his shoulder. "And, Merry Christmas."

This was our last scheduled session with Dr. Wilson. His marriage counseling course is three months long, but it can be extended as needed. It's an exciting feeling, but I am also going to miss seeing Dr. Wilson every week and hearing all of his words of encouragement.

Dr. Wilson moves to sit down in his plush armchair. I grin at Rachel as I plop down on our new favorite velvet couch and pat the cushion next to me. She moves to sit down next to me, and I raise an arm to rest on the back of the sofa. She snuggles into me as I give her a loving squeeze and kiss the side of her head.

"How have things been since last week?" Dr. Wilson's smile is radiating joy as he looks at us.

We have him to thank for all of our comfort right now.

"Well, we took Anne and Cooper to play paintball over the weekend," Rachel says through a chuckle. Dr. Wilson's face lights up even more.

"Is that so?" He takes his glasses off and cleans them with the violet cloth he always has resting on his end table.

"Yeah, they almost had us too, but we are the reigning champions." I jiggle Rachel's arm, making her laugh and filling my heart with even more triumph.

Rachel and I have been trying to go and play at the sporting center in Beaumont once a month as a date night. We have tried indoor skydiving when it was raining, but besides that we just compete in the paintball competitions.

"It sounds like the two of you have mastered your communication with each other," Dr. Wilson says as he wipes his eyes. "Cooper sure is a class act."

Rachel and I chuckle with him as we joke about the match for a while.

"Well, I suppose we should dive into our final session together." Dr. Wilson's voice was somber yet relieved. "As much as I enjoy meeting with the two of you every week, I am thrilled to be kicking you out of my office," he laughs heartily as he grabs his binder from the table. "We are going to do something that is unique to the final session. This next exercise is crucial for your continuous independent work on your relationship." Dr. Wilson opens up his binder and flips to a new page. "I would like to ask each of you a few questions without the other in the room," he begins.

Rachel and I glance at each other nervously.

"Don't worry, it is nothing negative. These questions are simply meant to give you individual space to reflect on the events over the last year and your time with me," he explains.

I breathe a sigh of relief and rub Rachel's arm.

"I would like Lucas to go first, if that's alright with you, Rachel?"

I turn to look at her, studying her expression. She smiles at me sweetly and nods.

"Sure, where should I go?" she asks as she stands up gently from the couch.

"You may go anywhere you'd like within the building. There is in fact a coffee shop on the ground floor," Dr. Wilson smirks at Rachel and her face lights up.

"That's definitely where she's going to be," I tease as I reach up and grab Rachel's hand. "Get me something, please," I ask her before placing a kiss on the back of her hand.

She beams at me and hurries over to the door. I watch her leave; she has on bright blue jeans with rips along the legs and a white cropped sweater. Her short chestnut colored boots have fuzzy white socks sticking out the top. She has her hair half up with a brown claw clip, letting her messy curls fall. I am unable to take my eyes off of her until she closes the door completely.

"Let's get started so that you both have plenty of time to share." Dr. Wilson smiles at me reassuringly as he adjusts his glasses. His bright red sweater vest is a stark contrast against the dark velvet chair. "I am going to ask you a few questions that I have tailored to you. The purpose of these questions is not to make you feel guilty about past events, but rather to give you the opportunity to see how far you've come."

I could feel my stress being eased with his explanation as I lean back into the couch.

"Okay, I'm ready," I say as I nod confidently.

Dr. Wilson grins at my response before beginning, "You have a history of struggling with your control of alcohol use. Do you believe that this is something you have under control now, or do you need further assistance in this area?" He looks at me supportively, waiting for me to answer. I rub my hands together as I think about the last decade of my time with Rachel.

"I could see it being a problem in the future if I undergo extreme stress at work again," I begin.

Dr. Wilson's expression shifts to a more concerned look.

"But I know that I will have the courage to tell Rachel about it if it does become an issue again." I grin at him sincerely, and he nods at me.

"I appreciate the honesty," Dr. Wilson says as he scribbles down some notes. "What kind of role do you think alcohol played for you in those times of extreme stress?"

His question catches me off guard for a moment as I realize that I have never really talked about it. I clear my throat a few times as I tap my thumb on the back of my hand.

"It was a numbing agent," I answer quietly, feeling ashamed.

Dr. Wilson picks up on my guilt and adjusts his position in his chair.

"That is one of the most common reasons for substance abuse," he states. "Your actions towards healing are what matter in this, don't dwell on how it started."

"I won't." I nod firmly, trying to show him how proud I am of where I'm at.

He grins at me earnestly before moving his pen down to the next question.

"Do you believe that you have your physical aggression under control?"

I widen my eyes at him as he stares at me. I don't like to think of myself as aggressive, but I know that's exactly how someone would describe my previous actions.

"I was a very insecure man before," I begin as I rub the back of my neck. "It was an underlying issue that I had never realized I was going through until that night with Nathan." I take a deep breath and try to push the memories of that night out of my head. "And then I never brought it up, and lost my cool with Sam years later."

While the night of the fundraiser was a turning point in our relationship, it felt like it could've been a breaking point as well. Rachel could have written me off after I hit Sam, proving that I was never going to change.

"However," I hesitate, trying to put my words into an order that makes sense. "Both of those events occurred at times in mine and Rachel's relationship where we weren't...okay." I run my hands through my hair and rest them on top of my head. "The place that she and I are in right now is completely different. Her response to my actions that night with Sam made me truly believe in myself. She made me believe that I was acting righteously, that my choices were justified in the moment." I bring my elbows down, dropping my hands in my lap.

Dr. Wilson sits quietly as he fills in the blank space below my name.

"Have you ever been so jealous that you thought you were going to explode?" I blurt out, causing Dr. Wilson to stop mid note.

He glances up at me and sets his pen down.

"Yes," he replies, his voice deep. "I have. While it is not a pleasant feeling to experience, I tend to lean towards the explanation that supports the emotional part of the brain. We are human, and we love fiercely. Sometimes that intense infatuation for someone gets replaced with anger." He crosses out what he was writing and finishes up his new note quickly while he smiles at the page.

"I don't ever want to feel like that again, that's for sure," I chuckle lightly, trying to soften the mood.

"Do you think that that is something within your control?" His expression was that of genuine curiosity, like he didn't have an answer himself.

"To some extent," I say through an exhale. "I can control how I respond to the feeling, and I can control how I communicate how I'm feeling to Rachel."

Dr. Wilson smiles broadly at my answer, but doesn't write anything down.

"That is an excellent way to look at it." He beams at me before glancing down to find his next question."I have another question for you, and then I have some advice based on your answer."

I nod at him and clasp my hands together.

"Can you make a promise to Rachel that you won't leave her in the manner that you did before your most recent mission?"

My breath catches in my throat as his words hit my ear. I should have expected this kind of a question in the last session, but the thought of it hurts me to my core.

"Yes, I can." My voice is a whisper, but firm.

Dr. Wilson studies my face for a moment before he smiles.

"I believe you, Lucas." I can feel my chest beaming with joy at his faith in me. "And I truly think that Rachel will believe you, too."

I stare at him, trying to figure out what he means by that.

"I want you to do something for her, putting action behind your promise." He raises an eyebrow at me and I listen to him intently. "I cannot tell you what that something is, because I don't know Rachel in the way that you do. But I trust that you can figure it out on your own." He looks at me with all the sincerity in the world.

"I think I know exactly what to do, doc." I smile at my shoes as the most perfect idea pops into my head.

"Excellent. I have just one last question before I send you on your way. It is something that I ask all of my patients. Why do you love Rachel?"

The vagueness of his question is alarming at first, but I find myself smiling as I think about the opportunity I have to boast about my wife.

"Rachel is, umm..." I say slowly, trying to figure out where to begin. "She's just the most positive and uplifting person to be around." Dr. Wilson's eyes light up at my words. "My life changed forever when I met her. I know that I wouldn't be an astronaut if I didn't have her undeniable support and encouragement," my eyes begin to well up as I speak. I take a deep breath and collect the rest of my thoughts.

"I have never cared about anything as much as I care about her. I have never seen something as beautiful and as intoxicating as she is, and I've had the privilege of watching a supernova from space," Dr. Wilson has his hand over his mouth, grinning immensely. "She's way out of my league, and I feel like a rockstar every day that she chooses me."

I nod my head as I stare into my lap, fighting back the tears that are pushing their way out of my eyes.

"That was wonderful, Lucas. Thank you for sharing. Do you have any questions for me before I have you go and find Rachel?" I think for a moment, wondering if there's any wisdom in his head that I could use right now.

"Could I ask you a personal question?" he tilts his head at me and sets his pen back down.

"Of course, it only seems fair," He smiles gently as he waits for me to ask him.

"Why are you a marriage counselor?"

His smile broadens as he takes off his glasses and sets them on his binder.

"There was a time in my own marriage where we needed support. The person we went to was not helpful in any way other than showing us what we weren't looking for in a therapist," he chuckles and rubs his chin. "I was a carpenter before this, and decided to look into online programs for marriage support. Through my research I compiled questions and activities for my wife and I to try, and we figured it out together."

I smile at his storytelling, feeling grateful that he has someone like I do.

"I decided to go back to school and get my license, so that I could help others overcome the inevitable pain and distance that occurs in any relationship, regardless of the people and their actions." He leans forward and smiles at me. "Does that answer your question?"

"Yes, perfectly." I stand up and reach my hand out to shake his. He grabs it firmly as he rises from his chair. "Thank you for everything, Dr. Wilson. I don't know how to repay you for what you've done for us."

"That is not necessary. Thank you for all that you have taught me through our time together as well, Lucas."

I feel a slight burning in my chest as I think about how I am truly going to miss meeting with him every week. I'd like to consider him a friend after this.