Chapter twenty one,

a beignet after therapy sessions

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"HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY, NAOMI?" Her therapist had gently asked her a notepad was to be seen in her lap as well as with a pen in her left hand, preparing to write down any notes of todays session.

Naomi exhaled her very own breath, it's already been a year since the death of her dad and siblings, a year of peace for her. It was all so new to her.

A soft smile had appeared on her very own lips, speaking to her therapist, "I'm doing really good, actually so great." She rambled, the smile wasn't leaving her lips.

It was the truth, she was so happy.

Hannah smiled at her patient who was just sitting across from her in a very light purple dress, as it's already been a year since she has known the girl, and the improvement she has made this year has been incredible, speaking gently to the girl, "That's great to hear, Naomi. How is your relationship with your boyfriend?" Part of their session was to also speak upon her relationship with her boyfriend.

Naomi squealed in excitement, also mostly because this midnight it will finally cross them of finally being together for over two years, she spoke in quite excitement, "It's so great, he's so amazing. Meeting him in that record shop will always be the best part of my entire life, he had given me hope that day." She didn't want to cry anymore, especially because these were happy memories, Chad is the light to her dark tunnel especially when she was suffocating that year, he made her feel what she hadn't felt in those nineteen years.

Love. Love. Love. Love.

Hannah gently smiled, "That's wonderful, Naomi. . ." She exhaled her breath, writing all that down in her notepad before questioning her, Naomi had noticed the look she was giving her and was nervously and patiently waiting for the question, "Are you still struggling to fall asleep?" Her eyebrow raised.

Naomi had fiddled with her fingers, a guilty look on her face, "I have my moments, it's just sometimes, uhm I hear our house floorboards creaking, it just makes me wake Chad up to go and check. . ." She exhaled her very own breath before she continued rambling, "It makes me feel so guilty because sometimes he has to go to work, and I'm waking him up because i get so scared, scared for no reason." A tear had rolled down her eye.

Naomi had wiped her tear away, sniffling at what she revealed. No matter how many times that Chad reassures her it's okay, she still feels guilty.

Hannah had sincerely spoken, "Does he ever get mad that you wake him up in his sleep and make him go and check?" She gently asked her.

Naomi shook her head, "No. He usually finishes checking up around the house, and comes back to our bedroom with a cup of tea for me, and he just pulls me to a comforting hug afterwards, and we drift off back to sleep and he just wakes up hours later for work not before he makes sure to kiss my forehead and face cheek, and telling me that he loves me." She revealed.

   Hannah nodded her head, closing her notepad and reassuring the girl, "You have no reason to feel guilty, Naomi. He loves you very much, and I've seen it with my own eyes. He's patient with you, and very understanding. And, if he's not getting mad then you have no reason to feel guilty, Naomi. Everything he does is out of love because he loves you." She calmly told the girl.

Naomi nodded her head, "I understand, it's why I also love him, so much." She had gently smiled.

Hannah gently smiled, "How's your friendship with his sister?" She retorted.

Naomi fondly smiled at Hannah, "It's going great, she's going to a college nearby, and lives with us. She's the closest person that i have to a girl friend, I have a friend who still lives in New York, Sam with her sister." She revealed.

Hannah was aware of Samantha Carpenter, specifically the youngest sister, Naomi rambled on how about Tara Carpenter is still pissed that she isn't in jail, and also dismissing the sexual abuse that she endured.

"Have you rekindled your friendship with Tara Carpenter?" Hannah had calmly asked her.

"No, and I don't want to. . ." She revealed to herself, "I've always had people go on making horrible decisions for me, specifically my dad and brother that for once I'm finally choosing something for myself, and what's good for my mental health, and Tara Carpenter isn't good for my mental health. I'm grateful for the good times that we did have, but she made me feel like shit, especially when she didn't believe me." She had wiped her tears away, exhaling her breath.

"And you don't have to rekindle your friendship with her, Naomi. You're entitled to do whatever you desire, because it's your life and no one else should ever have a say in your decisions. . ." Hannah complimented before she continued speaking, "You've progressed so well, Naomi. I'm so proud of you. Though, it doesn't mean that we are ending our everyday sessions, though we can begin to minimize the sessions, and I can begin to see you two times a week." Hannah retorted.

Naomi was completely flabbergasted, considering that she felt that she would have never progressed in therapy, but hear she was listening her her therapist complimenting her, and speaking about how she progressed.

"Really?" Naomi felt her voice cracking.

"Yes, Really. I'm so proud of you, Naomi. You've come a long way." She complimented the girl before glancing at the clock, "It seems that our time is up, so I'll see you next week?" She raised her eyebrow just to confirm with the girl.

Naomi nodded her head an excited chuckle escaped her lips, "See you next week, Hannah. Thank you for everything." She complimented the older woman.

   The older woman smiled fondly before exiting the room, all while Naomi had exhaled her breath, she felt so much relief. Most of all, she felt safe and not afraid.

   Her monster was gone, all were gone.

   She had gently grabbed her black purse, exiting the room and had headed towards the waiting room where she seen Chad and Mindy bickering about a bag of chips, "I've progressed in therapy!" She announced in excitement, all while the twins dropped the hot Cheetos bag on the floor.

   Chad was the first one to approach his girlfriend, picking her up and spinning her around that made her giggle, "I'm so proud of you, Naomi." He placed a gentle kiss on her lips, that simply made her blush immensely like one of her tomato's that she's growing in her backyard, especially considering that she wasn't even flinching when her boyfriend had picked her up like this, she usually had quite the tendency to flinch even when she didn't even want to, especially when it was him who never meant harm.

   Naomi had felt her feet land back on the floor, all while Mindy had shoved her brother out of her way and had pulled Naomi into an enormous hug, "So proud of you, Naomi. I told you that you were doing great." She smiled as she pulled away from the hug.

   Naomi had felt so much love at all the compliments she was being given, "I have to call Sam and Sydney tonight! I didn't think that I would progress in therapy, but I am." The smile never left her lips, "We should celebrate by having a beignet and coffee." She glanced at her boyfriend and friend.

   Beignets were always her favorite from Louisiana, her mom had always taken her to get beignets, and they would sit in the street and just watch street performers play the most angelic jazz music.

   Mindy who had mysteriously butted in, "Actually, I've got plans for tonight, but you two should celebrate. . ." She glanced at her brother as he made a romantic dinner plan for Naomi and him that only she was aware of and wanted to give them privacy for tonight, "We can always celebrate tomorrow, and that way I can make the morning fun!" She gently told the two.

   Chad scoffed, "I'm fun too."

   "Right. . ." Mindy rolled her eyes before approaching her friend and giving her a gentle kiss on her cheek, "My friend just got here, but I'll see you both tomorrow, so have fun." She had lightly teased them.

   "Okay, have fun. Just make sure to call us, and I hope you have your pepper spray with, Mindy." Noami reminded the girl who nodded her head as she ran out of the door, Naomi scrunched up her very own nose and given her boyfriend a strange look, "That was weird. . ." She confusingly said.

   Chad had gently pulled her near him, wrapping his arms around her waist with his chin that was gently placed on the top of her very own head, "Yeah, but that's Mindy for you, you wanna head out to get your beignet?" He raised his eyebrow.

The thing is that he had planned their anniversary date tonight, and already bought her the beignets that are waiting in the house, that's covered in roses and all he has to do is light up the candles, but has to find a way to make sure his girlfriend gets distracted for a few minutes, so he can do it quickly.

Naomi nodded her head and instantly intertwined her hand with his, "Yeah. Let's go."

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𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞, hope you
liked this chapter.

Next chapter is the epilogue,
and I start Davina Kayoko's
book.

Naomi finally progressed
in therapy, it's already been
a year. Im so proud of her.🥹💗