Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 221

Domestic Chaos

1 Week Later

The therapist's office smells like cinnamon. It kind of tickles my nose, reminding me of Christmas and Thanksgiving.

I sit, tucked into a large, pale pink armchair that squeaks every time I move, with my legs crisscrossed and my arms tight across my chest.

Her name is Cami, and she's young. Maybe like in her late twenties. Her hair is dyed a soft cotton candy pink, the ends curled slightly. She's wearing a chunky yellow cardigan that I

kind of want for myself and I almost feel like I'm talking to a friend.

I tell her about the accident, about my relationship with my brother.

Her neon green nails click gently against the arm of her chair as she waves and gestures,

which she does often.

“That's a lot,” she says in an empathetic whisper.

I blink at her. That's an understatement. I manage a small smile. "Yeah. That's one way to

put it.".

She laughs easily, not in a fake way, but the kind that sounds like warmth. Like sunshine.

I'm not sure if I like her yet.

But I don't dislike her either.

She doesn't push. Just lets the silence linger. I'm kind of thankful for that because I'm not

sure I can get into anything having to do with Zaid, Jake or Aiden.

"Do you still talk to your mother?"

I shake my head. "A lot more has happened since the accident. She's in Arizona. I'm here,

I don't-"

I swallow, tightening my arms around myself.

"We don't have to dive into

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Domestic Chaos

mother mostly, about her neglect and her alcoholism. I open

kind and a little glassy at the corners, and I can tell she's feeling it. Not just

I'm wrung out like a rag. And even though I only gave her pieces of the full story, it feels like I've bled out half

thing to go through. Watching her lose herself in grief while being forced to grow up far beyond my years made me lose so much of

Cami validated it all.

I do

cry all the way home, wanting to

like

this.

cardboard. Boxes are stacked

others with sticky notes

shred of

my shoes and wander to the kitchen, pour myself a glass of

still shaking from earlier.

this aching part of me that wants to sink into

happened. I remember how good it used

way he rolled his hips

way he kissed me and told me loved

it so much

myself I'd

water slowly. Let

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Domestic Chaos

pictures and scraps of paper. The beginnings of a hunt for a family I've never met. A name here, an

mattress and let my

a knock on my door. My heart does this stupid skip thing because

I say, voice softer than I

hand. His hair is messy, shirt slightly wrinkled. He looks tired, in the same

"How was it?"

can only nod over

my face and sits beside

back?"

often as I can." My