The Girl Who Forgot Love

Ava woke with a ne

fragile, but

nt dow

ere already i

offee. Her dad was r

l mornin

Ava felt

down at

id. Her voice was

looked up,

r mom said, a cautio

tter today," he

aid. "I've be

k a dee

d to talk to someone," Av

rents

coffee pot. Her dad l

le

l their fear.

t time she'd needed professio

er mom began, her

. "I'm not... broken. Not in that way. But I

t them, her

er," Ava said. "I w

yes filled

s face c

ound the table, and

, despe

voice thick with emotion. "

k, burying her fac

's arms wrap aro

hug. Wa

oney," her mom said, her voice cho

a said, her own

for a long moment, c

attered but

Ava's mom came

ece of paper

gy. "There's a new psychologist in town. Dr. Liam Walker. He specia

e name sounded

The Walkers? You remember them? Liam just moved back af

em. Nice people. Their son, Liam...

en him since

said. "I'l

t up. "Oh, Ava, t

tightly. "I'm s

armth spread

right decisio

rself standing in front of a b

Walker'

doctor's office. It looked l

ep breath and

oor o

wenties, tall, with kind

asked. His voice

said. "Dr

e said, stepping

ne as the outside. Soft colors, comfortab

lt pe

ce. It was filled wi

f sunflowers hu

cker of a pleasant memory. Child

am – leaned bac

voice gentle. "Tell me

ted. Where

omplicated

things worth ta

s something about him... a calmness,

an. About the betrayal. About

, the emptiness where her f

ing lost, about not kno

aze never wavering. He didn'

, a strange t

d childhood anecdote he mentioned

ly, Av

e barely a whisper. "Liam W

ne, warm smile tha

he said. "It's bee

ared a

telligent boy who used to let her tag along, wh

years ago. She'd forgo

Dr. Liam Walker.

t believe it

t it?" Liam said,

his expression be

" he said. "Our shared history won't affect my professi

d yourself and build future resilience. We won't force the retrieval of painf

At the kind eyes,

se of trust. A

he could help her