Saving Easton (Oakside Military Heroes Book 2)(41)

Chapter 27


Easton





I turn and pace the hallway in front of my therapist’s office door yet again. Allie gave up following me several turns ago, and now just sits at one end watching me. I can't blame her, because she has no idea what’s going on, or what my emotions are, because I don't even know.

All I know is today is the day. I'm going to tell Dr. Tate everything.

The night after my fight with Paisley, I couldn't sleep. I laid in bed just praying, that if she were to give me another chance, I'd do right by her. That means opening up about what happened to me to Dr. Tate and to her, so that's what I’m doing today. Later next week, I’ll be talking to her brother, too.

"Okay, Allie. You ready?" I ask her, and she stands up, walking over to the door.

I open it, going inside and taking my seat. My heart is racing, and Allie climbs into my lap, licking my face, as if saying I'm here for you, and we got this.

"Good, girl," I pet her, as she calms down.

"Hello, Easton." Dr. Tate says.

I nod.

"How are things, since the last time we talked?" He asks, like he always does.

"That's not what I want to talk about today," I say, before I lose my nerve.

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

"My time as a POW.”

Shock crosses his face that he masks quickly with a smile.

He sits back in his chair with his clipboard.

"Okay, I'm listening."

"Can we ask Noah to join us? He deserves to hear this too, and I'd rather only say this twice today."

"Twice?"

"I’ll be telling Paisley later today as well.”

He nods and calls in Noah.

I start at the beginning, and then tell them everything. From the beginning of the deployment, to the moment I was rescued, until I ended up here at Oakside. My appointment is normally an hour long, but he had Lexi cancel his next two appointments and lets me keep talking until I'm done.

The moment I'm finished, it feels like a weight has been lifted off me. My chest wasn't as constricted, and I could breathe easier, better. Taking a deep breath, I look over at Noah, not sure what I'm going to see on his face, but I don't expect the pride on his face.

"How do you feel?" He asks.

"Better," I say, not sure how to describe exactly how I feel.

"Well, I think this is a good point to stop at. I heard your lady is waiting on you. Why don't the three of us meet at the same time day after tomorrow?" Dr. Tate says.

I nod and head back to my room, stopping to let Allie out. She seems to know Paisley is waiting for us because I can't remember seeing her ever pee so fast. She doesn't even sniff around, she just goes right to her favorite spot, squats, and then runs right back to me.

When I walk into my room, Paisley is sitting on the couch looking worried, and Molly keeps trying to get her attention. The moment she sees me, she jumps up and rushes over to me.

"Is everything okay? Lexi said you were still in your therapy appointment, but your appointment was three hours ago."

The moment she's in arm’s reach, I pull her into me.

"Everything is fine. I just opened up to Dr. Tate and Noah about my POW time, and I'd like to tell you now, if you'd listen.”

"Oh, Easton. Of course, I'll listen.”

Closing the door behind me, I follow her to the couch. Molly climbs up on one side of Paisley, and Allie climbs up between me and Paisley. Then, I turn to face her on the couch and begin.

"The day it happened, I felt in my gut something was wrong, but I didn’t know what or where, or if it was anything. Even though I've run everything over in my head multiple times, I can’t figure out where the leak came from, but there was a leak. Someone slipped our location that’s the only way they would be in the exact spot where we were crossing. We’d been watching that deserted road, and it hadn't been used in weeks."

Allie stretches out, and I start petting her feeling more at ease, as I rest my other hand along the back of the couch.

"We were ambushed. They killed two guys, and the others got out with some injuries, but they only took me. I'm not sure why me. Best I can tell, they thought I had some information, which I didn't. Why they thought I'd have it, is another reason, and I think there was a mole among us. Every day I prayed the mole was one of the guys that died that day, and that he got what he deserved. To this day, the Marines have never admitted to their being a mole; not that they would." I take a deep breath.

Paisley reaches over and takes my hand in hers.

"They used chloroform and knocked me out. When I woke up, I was in a cement room, and the only thing in it was me tied to a chair. There were no windows, nothing, but a drain in the floor. The only time there was light was when someone came in the room and turned on the overhead bulb. Until then, I didn't know what dark truly was. They kept me tied to the chair without food for about two days best I could tell. Every time they walked in, they would give me water.

At first, they were nice, and then realizing there was a language barrier, they brought in a translator. They first tried to bargain with me and brought in a bed, chaining me to it with enough chain I could move around and get off the bed to use the pot they gave me for a toilet, but not enough to get to the door, where they would stand."