The Marriage Act(53)

‘You’re twisting what I’ve said . . .’

‘Do you think the world revolves around you, Noah?’

‘No! Of course not. I spend my career putting other people first.’

‘And to make people listen to you, I assume you have to rely on persuasion or fear.’

‘Fear?’

‘Of the health repercussions if they don’t do what you tell them to do.’

‘I give them facts and options. I save lives.’

‘So I ask again, do you think the world revolves around you?’

As Noah’s face reddened, Luca tightened his grip on Noah’s thigh.

‘In the perimeters of my hospital, then yes, maybe the world does revolve around me; it revolves around all the staff. But not at home and not in my relationship.’

‘Are you sure you didn’t mean to say “our” relationship?’ Noah glared at him. ‘If you can’t admit the world does revolve around you, then you’re not being honest with Luca and me or yourself.’

‘So now I’m a liar?’ He turned to Luca. ‘Why aren’t you defending me?’

‘It’s in our nature to believe the world revolves around us,’ interrupted Jeffrey. ‘Human beings are born selfish. We want warmth, we want food, we want love, we want shelter, we want attention, we want to feel safe . . . when did a baby last put its parents’ needs first? Some of us evolve into more thoughtful human beings while others carry these child-like traits throughout their lives.’

Noah shook his head. ‘Now he’s calling me childish.’

‘He’s not,’ said Luca. ‘He’s challenging you.’

‘All I want is for you to recognize that you’re human and that, by design, humans are contradictory,’ said Jeffrey. ‘We say one thing but then we behave in a different manner. Once you’re honest with yourself about who you are, then you can be honest with Luca about what you really want from your time together, however long that lasts.’ Jeffrey stared Noah dead in the eye. ‘Do you want to be monogamous? Do you want to start a family? Do you really want to be married?’

‘Yes, of course I do!’

‘Can you see why your attitude might make Luca question this?’

‘Do you?’ Noah asked Luca.

Jeffrey didn’t allow Luca the chance to respond. ‘I’m asking you, Noah, but instead of answering my question, you’re deflecting. You’re putting the onus on Luca to reassure you.’

‘I always tell you how much I love you, don’t I?’ Noah asked.

‘You can be saying one thing with your words, but the tone in which you deliver them can be interpreted in an entirely different way,’ Jeffrey said. ‘Perhaps aside from the insults, that’s another reason why the system flagged up your conversations. You were too much of a contradiction for it to understand. And if you don’t understand yourself, you are setting your husband an impossible task to understand you too.’

Noah rose from the sofa and held his palms up in a surrender motion. ‘You win.’

‘I’d like to offer a suggestion that might help,’ continued Jeffrey. ‘A relationship sabbatical.’

‘You want us to split up?’ asked Luca.

‘No, no, not at all. A Positive Disengagement means separate bedrooms, no intimacy, no conversing with each other unless it’s in our sessions and with me present to facilitate conflict or unexpected emotions.’

‘What will that accomplish?’ asked Luca.

‘It’s brought my other clients breathing space and clarity. You talk to each other through me and I’ll offer you my interpretations of what I believe the other is trying to say. It might work, it might not. But at this point, what do you have to lose?’

Luca nodded but Noah shook his head. ‘You two can communicate to your heart’s content, but this is nonsense, Luca, and you’re falling for it. I need a timeout.’

‘Sorry,’ said Luca as Noah left the room.

‘It’s not uncommon. Not everyone is ready to have their truths exposed.’

Luca hesitated and looked down at his feet. ‘Can I ask you something, Jeffrey?’

‘Of course.’

‘Do you think Noah and I should be together?’

Jeffrey considered the most appropriate way to answer that wouldn’t expose his bias.

‘We still have a lot of work to do between the three of us, and that becomes prolonged each time Noah refuses to participate. I think that it would be in both of your best interests if I remained living here for the full eight weeks. But if you’re not comfortable with that, I understand, and I’ll do my best for you both with the remainder of our time.’

‘Thank you,’ said Luca. ‘I don’t want you to think we’re ungrateful.’

The butterflies that emerged in Jeffrey’s stomach carried him all the way up the stairs and back to his room where he quietly cheered and threw his fists in the air with the enthusiasm of a sports fan celebrating his team’s victory.





41


Arthur




Arthur Foley’s bravery had saved countless lives over the decades. He had led firefighting teams from the front as they’d worked their way through burning buildings or operated machinery to intricately cut people from the wreckage of vehicles. Each and every time he had channelled his adrenaline into a calm, collected, steely determination.