Touch Therapy

Jeremy Watts glanced down at his watch for the eighth time in less than fifteen minutes shaking his head in disappointment. This was the third meeting his wife had been late to in the last month, and her lack of regard for their work together was beginning to wear on him. The lobby of the office building where he stood was mostly empty with just a few folks milling around waiting for the elevators and a pair of guards sitting behind a marble desk on the far wall nearest the doors.

The revolving doors leading into the lobby began to spin, and Jeremy sighed with relief when his wife, Allison, emerged and walked up to him.

"You're late," he pointed out trying not to sound testy and failing.

Allison wrinkled her nose into an expression of disgust, "I had to wait for the movers to pick up the rest of our stuff."

It was a legitimate reason for once, and Jeremy took a breath admitting as much, "O.K. let's just get inside the counselor is waiting."

The office of Dr. Patricia Cox, he and Allison's marriage counselor, was quite homey looking in the waiting area. They took a seat on a long leather couch while the receptionist went back to inform Dr. Cox they had arrived. Jeremy stole a surreptitious glance at his wife out of the corner of his eye while she absently flipped through a magazine. The two of them had been together since college marrying four years after they graduated. He thought his wife had changed very little since those earlier days when they had been in school together though both were rapidly approaching their twenty-ninth birthdays.

Allison was a tall woman, better than five-foot-nine-inches with long, straight blond hair that hung down to the middle of her back. Her brown eyes conveyed a warmth that sometimes failed to register in her voice which always seemed to be tinged with impatience. When Jeremy had met Allison in college, they had both been big on the campus party circuit. In those days Jeremy had lived with a reputation for being able to out drink anyone and had left more than a few broken-hearted girls sitting in their dorm rooms crying. He had the kind of beach boy good looks, tanned and handsome, with blond hair and blue eyes that drove the women wild. Allison had been the first girl he had ever met that could match him drink for drink and wouldn't fall for his usual lines. She had led him a merry chase before finally agreeing to go out with him. They had come together quickly after that and Jeremy had to admit he was utterly smitten.

It didn't hurt that Allison had a body to match her face with long legs and a decent sized chest that she wasn't afraid to show off in a number of daring outfits. The sex had been phenomenal maybe the best he had ever enjoyed. The two them had become inseparable. The Ken and Barbie of the campus party patrol.

When graduation came, things had continued between them unabated, and they spent the following year traveling through Europe soaking up the culture and the booze in equal measure. It was after they returned that things started to become a little rocky between them. Jeremy had begun to realize that the party couldn't last forever, and at some point, they would have to put their educations to work. He had been the first to find a job, and following his lead Allison had joined the ranks of the employed shortly after him. They moved in together and still enjoyed an active and vigorous sex life, but Jeremy was starting to sense some discontent from his long-time girlfriend. He had thought at first that perhaps she was just concerned that they had been at this for so long, but he was showing no signs of taking this relationship to the next level.

Jeremy had proposed to Allison on a warm spring day in front of the same spot on campus where they had first met. She had accepted although her enthusiasm level had not shown quite the excitement that Jeremy had expected. The ceremony nine months later had been attended by all their family and friends and by all accounts was a real success. The newly married couple seemed destined for great things together. In the months that followed, however, Allison had chaffed at the long hours the two of them had to work as well as what she considered the lack of fun that they had always enjoyed. It wasn't long before she started to drag Jeremy back to the same bars they had haunted as students. He didn't mind at first as they were both still young, and there was no reason not to celebrate the end of a long workday with a few drinks. The problem was that Allison never seemed to want to stop at a few. On more than one occasion, he found himself having to tote his inebriated wife home after a night out.

The trips to the local bar scene started to move from a few times a week to a regular occurrence, and on nights when Jeremy was too tired or just not interested in going Allison began to go without him. This led to Jeremy getting hauled out of bed in the middle of the night to fetch his wife from another party where she had enjoyed a bit too much fun. It began to occur to Jeremy that Allison seemed like she didn't want to grow up as if the party they had started together in college would go on forever.

The two of them had started to fight about Allison's habits to the point that Jeremy had begun to fear that their marriage might be in trouble. He had eventually gotten Allison to agree to marriage counseling as a way to salvage what had started as a promising relationship.

"The Doctor will see you now," came the voice of the receptionist as she opened the inner door.

Jeremy followed Allison inside where they took a seat together on a different but very similar couch. Dr. Patricia Cox was a smiling middle-aged woman fond of pantsuits and long gold chains. She sat in her heavily cushioned chair holding a clipboard in her lap as her two clients settled themselves in front of her.

"So, Allison and Jeremy, how are you two doing this week?"

"The same as usual," replied Jeremy with a side-long glance at his wife.

"I see. How about the homework I gave you to do? Did talking about the things you appreciate about each other bring about any good discussions?"

"It might have if Allison would ever bother to do the homework."

"Hey! That's not fair I had to work late a bunch of days last week, and I was tired," shot back Allison.

"You worked late one night, and all the other times you were out with friends partying it up."

"It's not my fault you've become such a stick in the mud. You're welcome to come with me. You used to be fun. Do you remember when we had fun together, Jeremy?"

"There is a time for fun, Allison, and a time to work. I don't think you know the difference."

"O.K that will be enough of that guys," cut in Dr. Cox, "this bickering is exactly what we had agreed we wouldn't do."

Jeremy and Allison both looked abashed as Dr. Cox fixed them with a motherly glare, "Now, Allison, you did agree to do the homework. A marriage hits bumps sometimes, and it can take an effort to pull it over the hump so it can move forward. Jeremy has been doing his part, but it is dependent on you to do the same."

Allison hung her head for a moment looking embarrassed, "I'm sorry. I know I agreed. It's just that I thought marriage was about compromise. Why can't Jeremy meet me half-way."

"What do you see that looking like, Allison?"

"You know he could come out with me sometimes instead of always claiming he is too tired or has work to do."

"I do go with you," cut in Jeremy.

"Oh wow! You went like once in the last two weeks."

"I went twice you don't remember the second time because you got so wasted I had to carry you to the car."

"I DON'T THINK..." started Allison raising her voice.

"AGAIN! Folks lets keep this civil. Right, Allison?" said Dr. Cox.

"What about the touch therapy I recommended? Have you been doing it?"

Allison made a face that clearly showed what she thought of that idea, "I have to be honest Dr. Cox, it seems kind of silly to me."

"It's all part of the process, Allison. Trust me that you and Jeremy can both benefit from it if you would engage properly."

The next forty-five minutes rolled by with very little being accomplished and Dr. Cox called an end to the session reminding the couple that they both had to be committed to the therapy for it to work. Jeremy made an appointment for the following week while Allison stood outside the door talking on her cell. He came out as she hung up and he handed her a reminder card with the date of their next meeting written on the front.

"Who was calling?" asked Jeremy casually.

"My sister. I told her all our stuff was safely in storage and we would be starting our stay with her tonight."

A few months earlier Jeremy had found a house for sale in a neighborhood close to town, and he had convinced Allison that it was time for them to stop living in apartments and settle somewhere to which she had reluctantly agreed. Unfortunately, during the inspection, they had discovered some mold that would need to be remediated before the couple could move in. Since the former owner had agreed to pick up the cost, Jeremy hadn't made a big deal out it during the sale, but it did mean they needed a place to stay for the week since they had already given notice to their landlord. Allison's sister had graciously offered to let them stay with her and her husband even though they lived in a small one-bedroom apartment. It would be cramped quarters, but it was only for a week.

"That's fine."

Allison turned to leave.

"Hey, Allison, I'll see you tonight," said Jeremy hoping for some acknowledgment from his wife.

"Are you trying to make sure I'm not going out after work?" asked Allison wrinkling her brow.

"What? No. I was saying I would see you later. I'm not trying to start anything."

"Whatever. I need to get back to work."

His wife was through the spinning doors before he could think of anything else to say.

The rest of his workday went by at a snail's pace, and he was more than ready for it to be over when the clock struck five. Jeremy drove over to his sister-in-law's apartment with two suitcases in his back seat containing everything he would need to survive in the immediate future. There was no sign of Allison's car when he pulled in front of the apartment complex where his sister-in-law lived, but he wasn't going to sit there and wait. He exited and walked up the small sidewalk to the front door ringing the bell. The door swung open to reveal Allison's sister Emily standing there looking up at him.

Anyone who had ever met the two of them would have been hard pressed to find a family resemblance between Allison and Emily. They would never have been confused for sisters on the street by a stranger. Where Allison favored the Scandinavian blood of her father her little sister was the spitting image of the girl's mother. Emily stood just a shade over five-foot tall with short raven black hair that was cut in a single layer so that it fell perfectly around her face. When she had been a teenager, Jeremy had mercilessly teased her calling her "Hootie" because of her large, round eyes that seemed to take up her whole face. As she blossomed into womanhood, Emily had grown into her looks, and now those large eyes fit her face just fine. As a matter of fact, Jeremy was having a hard time not starring at just how gorgeous Emily's big, blue eyes looked in her round face not to mention her soft, full pink lips that were pulled back in a smile.

"Hey, Jeremy! It's good to see you."

"Hey there, Hootie. It's been awhile."

"Are you still going to start that shit?" said Emily with a fake frown.

"I'm just messing with you. Come here, Emily."

Jeremy pulled his diminutive sister-in-law into a hug quietly enjoying the feel of her overly large chest pressing into his stomach. Allison had a nice rack, but Emily had sprouted as she grew older and now her once barely there breasts were easily the bigger of the two sisters.

"Where is Shawn?" asked Jeremy mentioning Emily's husband of just over a year.

Shawn West was not exactly on Jeremy's list of most liked people. He had met the fast-talking executive on more than a few occasions both before and after the wedding and always thought there was something a little off about the guy.

"He's away...on business," said Emily.

Jeremy frowned picking up on something strange in Emily's tone, but she had turned her back to him and headed into the apartment before he could question her further. He retrieved his bags from the car and carried them in placing them off to the side.

"I'm afraid there isn't much room. It's probably a good thing Shawn is going to be away because one of you would have ended up on the floor at least this way you can have the sofa, and Allison can bunk with me in the bedroom."

"That's fine, we just really appreciate you giving us a place to stay."

"Don't worry about it. What is family for anyway?"

Jeremy went over to check the sofa deciding that even with his six-foot frame he should be able to fit on it without too much trouble. A short time later Allison arrived toting her suitcase.

"Hey sis!" shouted Emily throwing her arms around the bigger woman.

"Hi! Shrimp!" said Allison mockingly patting her sister on the head.

"You're going to be staying with me in the bedroom so you can put your stuff in there."

"Awesome! I can scare the shit out of you with ghost stories, so you won't sleep like when we were kids."

"You better not!" laughed Emily as Allison walked into the bedroom.

"Hey, I have a great idea! Why don't we celebrate our first night in our new temporary home with some beers down at Ryan's Pub?"

Emily and Jeremy looked at each other before Emily spoke, "Well, I thawed a roast. I thought I could put it in the pressure cooker."

"We can eat at the pub they have great food. Right, Jeremy?"

There was a moment of tension in the air, but Jeremy didn't want to aggravate things after the session that morning.

"I guess we could get some food and have a few drinks if that's o.k. with Emily."

"Sure...Why not I guess."

The threesome took Jeremy's car and drove downtown to a busy section of the city that featured bars and pubs down both sides of the street. Jeremy had a hard time finding a place to park and ended up dropping the girls off to get a table while he parked the car some distance away and walked back. This was one of the things Jeremy hated about going downtown during happy hour it was just so crowded. He eventually reconnected with the girls in a smoky pub where they had found a cramped table in one corner. Emily was on a bar stool, so tall her short but shapely legs dangled well off the ground. Jeremy joined the two girls who had already ordered the first round.

"To my baby sister! Thanks for being small enough that we can all fit in your apartment," toasted Allison laughing.

"I resemble that remark," said Emily taking a drink from her beer.

The group ordered some food though Allison seemed much more interested in the liquid refreshment than the meal. She finished her beer well before Jeremy and Emily and was on to her third by the time the food arrived.

"Maybe you should slow down a little," commented Jeremy quietly between bites.

"I'm fine. You two just need to catch up."

Emily frowned, "I think Jeremy is just pointing out..."

"I don't need a lecture from you too," snapped Allison.

The table grew quiet except for the sounds of eating.

"I swear everyone acts like it's a crime to have a little fun!" said Allison sharply.

"No one is saying that you can't have fun, Allison," said Emily.

The rest of the meal was completed in silence, and once it was cleared away, Allison was quick to order another round. It was eventually up to Jeremy to point out that it was a weeknight, and they had to work in the morning. Allison agreed, but she pouted all the way to the car and rode back to Emily's apartment in silence. When the group arrived home, it took a while for all three to get ready for bed using the single bathroom. Jeremy went last, and after brushing his teeth and changing into a pair of soft, cotton shorts and a t-shirt, he bid the two women a good night.

It had been some time since Jeremy had slept on a sofa, and it was more restricting than he remembered. He tossed and turned trying to get comfortable as the night dragged on. The moon had risen high enough to shine through the front window when a dark shape emerged from the bedroom and tip-toed into the kitchen getting a drink of water from the fridge. In the light from the refrigerator, Jeremy realized it was Emily. Instead of returning to the bedroom though Emily covered the short distance from the kitchen to the living room stopping just a few feet from where Jeremy lay.

"Jeremy?" she whispered.

"Yes, I'm awake."

"Sorry, I was checking to see if you were comfortable. I can get you another pillow."

"That's o.k., Emily, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I know that couch can't be too wonderful to sleep on all night."

"I imagine you are having plenty of fun trying to acclimate to having your sister in your bed," laughed Jeremy.

Emily chuckled, "When we were kids I used to call her the Octopus because of the way she would sprawl all over the bed."

There was a moment of silence before Emily spoke again, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Is everything o.k. between you and Allison?"

Jeremy sighed in the dark not sure how much Emily would want to hear or even if he should tell her about his problems with Allison.

"I only ask because she mentioned that you and she were seeing a marriage counselor."

"Oh...Well, I guess if she brought it up. Yes, we've been having some trouble with things. I guess we don't see eye to eye on what it means to be married and in an adult relationship," offered Jeremy.

"You mean she still wants to party like its 1999, and you want to settle down."

Jeremy winced at how easily Emily had been able to sum things up.

"Something like that, yeah," he admitted.

"She mentioned something about Touch Therapy? I gather she thought it was kind of ridiculous."

"It's just some homework that Dr. Cox, our counselor, wanted us to do. It's about reconnecting with your spouse starting with non-sexual touching. You would be right to think that Allison doesn't put much stock in it."

"How does it work exactly?"

Jeremy rubbed his jaw but didn't see any harm in it. He sat up on the couch swinging his legs around.

"Sit here next to me."

Emily joined him on the couch turning so that her body face toward his a look of curiosity on her young face.

"Put your palm against mine," instructed Jeremy raising his left hand in the air. Emily did as she was told. Her hand was much smaller than Allison's barely covering half Jeremy's palm, but her skin was warmer and very soft.

"Now what?"

"Just hold still..."

Jeremy began to run his fingers slowly down Emily's palm and then back up a few times before he slipped his fingers into hers holding her hand tight for a count of ten then releasing it.

"Now you do the same thing," he said with a nod.

Emily followed his example running her tiny fingers up and down his palm. It tingled, and he felt a distant shudder run up his back. When she joined their hands together, he marveled at how small hers was in his though it wasn't at all uncomfortable if anything holding hands with Emily felt very nice.

"This feels...nice..." whispered Emily echoing his own thoughts.

"It's supposed to help rebuild a connection between spouses that have been having trouble."

"I might have to show Shawn," she commented absently.

Jeremy started to ask what she meant, but she dropped his hand suddenly as if a shock had hit her.

"I should get back to bed. Thanks for the lesson, Jeremy."

"Goodnight, Emily..." he said to her departing back.