The Therapist Pt. 02

"Thank you," she pocketed the money, "but if I want a photograph I will pay," she stepped back and nodded at her, "I will see you on Tuesday?"

"Yes, Tuesday," she smiled.

Aludra turned about and left the room.

Valerie stared after her for a few moments as she sorted through the translation. Aludra might have come from a refugee camp in Jordan but she didn't consider herself a charity case. She worked three days a week as a babysitter/receptionist and the rest of the time she was at university doing a law degree part time. There were times she almost wanted to put the woman up in the spare room but that would be crossing the boundaries of the employer/employee relationship.

She turned to look at the photograph again. It was nearly three and a half feet by two feet, Robbie had liked it so much he took the photograph of him with a fish out of the frame and donated the frame to her. Valerie stepped across to the wardrobe and lifted down a photo album at the very back of the walk in wardrobe. It was only a quarter full but all of the pictures were of her in that outfit. Some of these pictures would never see the light of day because they were much more erotic than even the one on the wall. Towards the end of the session she'd gradually lost her clothes until she was sitting on a chair with her legs pulled up in front of her and the blouse wrapped around her.

What would Karen think of these? Valerie sat on the bed and flipped idly through them.

Perhaps you should show her.

She winced as the thought intruded on her. Where had that come from? Valerie stared at her reflection in the mirror.

What am I doing?

***

She still didn't have an answer to her question that night as she put Damien to bed. Downstairs she could hear Robbie shouting at the television.

"Don't just fuckin' stand there, take him down!"

Valerie winced as Damien looked up at her. A few seconds later a second 'fuck' could be heard and she sighed as she tucked him in.

"Good night," she leaned over and kissed his brow, "I'll get you some milk."

"Fuck," Damien smiled.

Valerie didn't reply to that one but she did descend the stairs rather quickly not long after to find Robbie sprawled out on the couch watching a rugby league match.

"Robbie, enough," she yelled, "you're teaching our son how to swear, I can hear you up there."

"Sorry," his eyes shifted to her for a moment, "I didn't know I was shouting so loudly."

She threw her arms in the air and headed for the kitchen to fetch a glass of milk for Damien and a wine for herself. The outburst had annoyed her.

She slipped a hand into her pocket and felt the piece of paper she'd put it in her pocket for safe keeping. A forum for open marriages? The idea had piqued her interest and now that Robbie was in front of the television it would be the perfect time to check out this forum.

The log in details worked perfectly and she chanced a look at the bedroom door . So now she was Karen on a website she skulked about as she'd put it earlier.

So let's do some skulking.

It had a bewildering array of topics from open marriages through to posts for the LGBT community and everything in between. There were links to videos, pictures and articles. One video in particular caught her attention. Two women engaged in sex, it was an advertisement for a dating site but there was something about the few seconds of video that stirred her. Granted they were acting for the camera, there was also makeup to take into account but there was a spontaneity about it that caused her to shift slightly.

Her phone rang just then and she jumped. The number was very familiar and she smirked.

What are the odds off that? She swiped the screen.

"Hello, you. Your ears must be burning."

To be continued...