Falling for Danger

Unraveling Truths

Tori

My next patient was due and when I glanced up from my notes as the door opened, I was stunned into silence. My usual welcoming smile and greeting felt caught in my throat as I just stared at Naomi, completely taken aback. Naomi Carlson looked uncertain as she fiddled with the strap of her handbag. She wasn't here as a friend. This wasn't a casual visit. This was different. It was so strange to see her looking so unsure, her usual confidence was gone.

“Hi, Tori,” Naomi greeted softly. I wasn't sure how to respond. Naomi wasn't just someone I had seen in town, she was a friend. She was someone whose life intertwined with mine in countless ways. But as the silence stretched on, I realized that I was making things worse. I cleared my throat as I stood up and smiled. I gestured to the small couch.

"Naomi, please, take a seat," I said as I sat down on the armchair across from the couch. Naomi hesitated for a moment before she finally sank down on the couch. She then looked around the room, almost as if she was seeing it for the first time. I had decorated the space to feel as warm and welcoming as possible, but I could tell she was anything but.

"I'm sorry this is weird," Naomi finally said as she broke the silence. "I mean, I know it's weird coming to you," her voice was soft, barely above a whisper. Immediately, my professional side kicked in, and I smiled as I tried to ease her nerves.

"Naomi, whatever you want to discuss...it is completely confidential. I'm here to listen, without judgment," I told her just as softly. Naomi nodded, and it seemed as if she was a bit more relaxed as the tension eased from her shoulders.

"Thank you...it's just...I feel silly, and I didn't know who else to talk to..." she said as she took a shaky breath. I nodded as I waited. I could tell that she was feeling overwhelmed. Trapped by her feelings that she couldn't quite put into words. After a moment, she finally gazed over at me, her expression hesitant. "I guess...I have been feeling like everything is just...too much," she revealed. Naomi paused, her gaze dropping to her hands which were twisted together in her lap.

"And it's ok to feel that way," I said when she didn't continue. "You are not alone in this, Naomi," her lips pressed together, and then she took a deep breath.

"It's just that everything feels so...like it's just...Abigail and Asher are at this age where they need constant attention, and then there’s Hope, who barely sleeps. I thought I could handle it, but some days, I feel like I’m barely holding on," she explained, and the exhaustion in her voice was unmistakable, and my heart ached for her. Naomi was always so composed. So put-together. And seeing this vulnerable side of her, it reminded me that even the strongest people had breaking points.

“I can only imagine how demanding that must be,” I said gently. “Raising three young children, all with different needs, and balancing that with everything else…” Her gaze flickered back over to me and there was a hint of gratitude and relief in her eyes.

"It's not just the kids..." she then admitted. "It's my body...after Hope was born, I just...I don't feel like myself. I look in the mirror and I don't even recognize who I am anymore,"

"And it is perfectly natural to feel disconnected from your body. Especially after all the changes you have been through," I knew that many underestimated the toll that motherhood took. Not just physically, but emotionally. So many expected mothers to be perfect, to bounce back as if nothing had changed. But I knew Naomi was struggling. The reality was so much more complex. "Your body has done something incredible, bringing three lives into the world, but that doesn't mean it is easy,"

"I know...it's just...when Erik looks at me...I can't help but wonder...does he miss who I was before? And...I mean, I know he loves me, but I feel like I have let him down," the vulnerability in her words was almost palpable, and it took every ounce of professionalism I had to keep my face neutral and my voice calm. Erik was her husband, a CEO who was composed and driven. But here, in this room, I wasn't talking to the wife of a powerful businessman. No, I was talking to a woman who felt insecure.

“Have you spoken to Erik about how you are feeling?” I asked gently. Naomi quickly shook her head.

"No. I… I don’t want him to feel burdened. He’s always working so hard, and I know he loves me. But these thoughts, they just won’t go away," she said and I waited. "But then I'm not even sure if it's him I am worried about or if it's all in my head...like...maybe it's me who cannot accept who I am now," her self-doubt was weighing her down.

"Naomi, what you are feeling is valid. None of this is easy, and you are carrying all of these feelings on your shoulders,"

“I didn’t expect to feel this way. I always thought I could handle anything life threw at me. But lately, it’s been…hard,"

“Sometimes, the strongest thing you can do is admit that you’re struggling,” I said. “You are allowed to ask for help, even from the people who rely on you," Naomi slowly nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Thank you, Tori. Really. Just talking about it…it feels like a weight has been lifted, even if it’s just for a moment," she said, and I nodded. I knew that helping Naomi work through her feelings wasn't going to be easy. And as our session came to a close, I promised to help her and be there for her every step of the way. Naomi had gone out of her way to make me feel welcome in Chasea. Now it was my turn to help her.