Flash Nano 16 At the Shrink's

 Flash Nano 16:  The prompt is tell a story where the narrator is lying.

 At the Shrink's

I admit it. I still don't want to tell him why I'm here.

The shrink has done everything possible to make this room comfortable, the soft cream walls, terracotta trim, floral curtains picking up the colors, the sink-your-feet-into-it rug.

There are plants not flowers.

My chair is comfortable. It matches his. He’s wearing casual clothes, looking every bit like a host who welcomes guests. His office is soft. “Last time you talked about your parents’ divorce.”

I sigh and start retelling how my mom worked as a nurse and my father had his own web design business working out of the home. After school I stayed next door so my dad could work. I felt shoved aside." That admission should make the shrink happy. I didn't feel shoved aside. I felt angry.

I look at my shrink to see how he’s reacting to my retelling. Blank face. Good, I can go on like this using up my hour. I wouldn’t be here at all if my husband didn’t insist I come. He threatened divorce if I didn’t. That’s a laugh.

“Tell me about the day, you told me last time,” He’s checking his notes.

I try and look like I can’t remember.

“When you told your mother about your father’s infidelity.”

The man is annoying. “I can’t remember my exact words. I was only nine for God’s sake.”

He lets silence reign in the room. I like alliteration. I give up first. “It was something about me asking my mother if the nice lady who visits dad every day will live with us.”

“…and…”

He doesn’t usually prompt.

“They fought for a while. Then my father moved out. That’s all.”

Time’s up. I gather my coat and purse and head for the nearest coffee shop. I’ll never tell him or anyone, that I did see a woman knock at the door when my mother was working. My father said that she was a real estate dealer, a client, but he never had clients coming to the house.

I was mad at him. He wouldn’t take me to get an ice cream. He said he had too much to do as he always did, so I thought I’d get him in trouble.

It worked.