Haunted By The Past

A NEW VENTURE

In the back courtyard of Bella Carismo’s cottage-style brick home, three women celebrated the Friday evening and sipped Bordeaux. The setting sun glinted off their wine glasses.

“It’s great that you guys want to help but I just need more time,” Bella said. She peered into her wine with fidgeting hands and wondered if she was even good enough to attract more clients into her counselling practice. She was not great at marketing, given her introverted nature.

The wind howled as Bella shared a laugh with Liz and Jamie, the effects of the wine simmering in her body like the warmth of a gentle fire. The spring air smelled of post-rain dampness and freshly cut grass.

Liz shook her head and laced her long-dainty fingers around her wine glass. She was barely able to fit on the white, plastic chairs due to her tall, lanky figure. Her smiling hazel eyes and jet-black hair made her all the more striking. Liz radiated confidence and filled up the space with her presence. “I know it’s only been a few months since starting your counselling practice, but I’m happy to help now.” She gave Bella a reassuring smile. “If you want to expand it, hand me your business cards and I’ll talk to my connections at the centre. The other social workers there might know of people who need counselling.”

“I can do that. Sure,” Bella said.

Jamie flicked a wave of short red hair, settling comfortably into her chair due to her short stature and average build. She smilingly handed Bella a long list of tasks, her grin softening the usual searing intensity of her brown-eyed gaze. “I’m happy to give you a list of priority tasks that you can start with. Firstly, I’d begin with contacting all the local doctors, and then you can hand out your cards at the local community centre. Then perhaps do a book signing for your book. I’ve actually already made a list for you.” She stretched out her right arm and handed Bella an A4 piece of paper with a long list of tasks.

Bella’s shoulders slouched. “I guess I’ll have to do that sort of thing, even if I hate doing it. At least I have a website and advertise on social media.”

Liz gave her an encouraging smile. “I know it’s hard, Bella, but you have to do those things to help you expand. You need to get yourself out there and make yourself known, be a presence in the Williamstown community. I can help you do that. The best way is through networking. Get out of your shell, girl.”

Bella remained silent as the wind quieted down and darkness settled over them. She sipped the remaining drops of her wine and stared out over the tropical trees dancing in the air above her high timber fence.

Bella had opened her own counselling practice three months ago. She had inherited the money from her late aunt Faye, who had died a year ago of an aggressive cancer, and Bella used the money to buy a small, quaint building for her new business.

Liz interrupted her thoughts. “Anyway, I say that whatever you decide, don’t take too long. This is your full-time job now and it does take a fair bit of marketing until you can make a name for yourself. I mean unless you want to go back to your dragon employer.”

Bella shook her head. “No, thanks. I’ll do just fine where I am.”

Jamie took hold of her hand. “I think that you can look at my tasks at your own pace. Don’t rush through it. Take it one baby step at a time. I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed with all this. We are here to help you. If you need financial assistance, please let me know.”

Liz brought her caviar dip topped cheese cracker to her mouth. She wiped stray crumbs after devouring it. “Anyway, back to other exciting things, Bella. I’ve been invited to a party celebrating my colleague’s twenty years at the centre. She’s asked me to bring my friends, so you are going to come, right? Please don’t say no like you usually do.”

Bella’s stomach flipped. “I’ll think about it, but you know I hate celebrations.”

Liz touched her on the shoulder. “Look, I know that stuff with your dad was cruel. You should probably talk to someone about it.”

Bella nodded, pushing down her thoughts of her father. “I will, but after all this crazy stuff with the business settles down.”

Liz cleared her throat. “I promise you it’ll be fun. Just a few people, not too crowded.”

Jamie interrupted. “Leave it alone, Liz. If Bella doesn’t feel comfortable going to this celebration, then leave her out of it. You will have me there.”

“Hmmm,” said Liz.

Bella looked fondly at Jamie. God Bless Her! She shuddered. If only Bella could put the past behind her and move on with her life, she’d be a happier person.

AMBIGUITY

Early Saturday morning, Bella stretched out her arms. She yawned, lifted off the quilt cover, and got out of bed to begin her strict routine. The room was minimally furnished with a round timber bedside table and desk lamp, bay windows featuring Venetian blinds, and a small armoire. She moved to the study opposite her bedroom, stepping onto the cold floorboards with her bare feet. She bowed down and sat against a wall with her back pressed against a cushion, a large feather-down pillow to sit on, and another smaller pillow to rest her legs. Closing her eyes, she meditated for twenty-minutes.

Bella rose and prepared breakfast, then showered. As she moved towards the living room, she picked up her laptop from the round coffee table with a range of “Psychology Today” subscriptions stacked in an orderly pile and rested back on her tan leather couch. A smart TV was built into the wall and a cabinet sat below it. She looked fondly at the photograph of her aunt Faye on it every morning. The photo reminded her of the bond they’d shared when her aunt was alive.

Bang! Muffled voices echoed nearby. She flinched at the noise. Probably, the neighbours, she thought. Nothing to worry about. She was being silly again. Williamstown could be loud at times. There was no point in checking out every noise.

She turned on her laptop and waited for it to boot up. Clicking on her email, Bella waited for messages, hoping that she had enquiries from her social media advertisement. She worked mainly with adults who presented with a range of issues including stress management, depression, anxiety, anger management issues, and some types of personality disorders. Bella realised that even normally functioning people experienced mental health issues on some level, but they were able to manage them.

Mostly junk mail filled her inbox, some of which she unsubscribed from. One of them had the subject line, You Don’t Have a Clue. Out of curiosity, she opened the email.

To the questionable psychologist,

I saw your advertisement about your new counselling practice and am intrigued. Can you really help people when you’re such a loser? Don’t get too cocky in your new business. I doubt it’ll last long.

Bella pulled at her hair and took deep breaths in an effort to calm herself. She closed the email and paced across the rug, her bare feet hardly feeling the warmth and thickness of the fabric. She clenched her hands and fought back images of self-doubt. It was just a stupid email! Her advertisement was bound to attract the unstable. There were plenty of them in the world. She should’ve known her advertisement would attract the wrong kinds of people. Maybe this person was bored, with nothing better to do than getting their kicks out of upsetting people. It could also have been a prankster who wanted her reaction. Well, she wouldn’t react to trolls as they were plentiful. It was just a spam message with no real significance. She was letting it get to her, making her mouth dry and her stomach feel heavy.

Bella decided to leave the email where it was. She’d deal with it later. She got ready for her Tai Chi class. Every Saturday, she had Tai Chi as it was a sport that gave her a sense of security. She’d been attending for the past year and savoured the freedom of movement and the way it relaxed her.

It was silly to worry about a stupid email message that probably meant nothing. She gave it no more thought as she picked up her bag and car keys and headed out the door.

As she walked outside, her kindly elderly neighbour, Beatrice, was watering her roses in the front garden. She had been a widow for the past year, and Bella had spent the odd occasion having tea with her in her home.

The short woman with grey hair and prominent wrinkles waved. “Hello, dear. Going out?”

“Hi, Beatrice. Yes, my Tai Chi class.”

“Have a lovely day. Don’t forget to come by for tea soon.”

She smiled. “Of course. I’ll let you know. See you later.”

“Goodbye, dear Bella.”

Bella stepped into her white Toyota Corolla parked at the front of her house. She opened her window, turned on the motor and was ready to drive off.

***

The alert that the email had been opened popped up on the phone screen. A few minutes later, Bella stepped outside and into her small car. I’m going to make your life a living hell, bitch! Bella wasn’t worth the ground she walked on. I’ll take my time with you. Nice and slow. No mercy. Bella was going to get the biggest surprise of her life. The cell phone dropped onto the passenger seat. Bella’s car disappeared around the corner. Time to make Bella pay, for everything.

A VISITOR

Bella fiddled with the lock on the door. Her shoulders slumped, sighing at the dreaded Monday morning. It took her a while to get going, but she’d be fine later in the day.

The grey building had red awnings above the windows with a sign to the right that displayed, Bella’s Counselling Services. The building was in the middle of Williamstown, close to Bella’s favourite bookshops and retail stores.

She unlocked the front door and stepped inside. The interior of the building was well-furnished with its white-washed walls. A waiting area greeted her, filled with a mixture of small armchairs and plastic chairs, magazines, and business cards piled on a glass tabletop. There was a rug covering the floorboards in the waiting area. Above the reception counter on the wall, 3D butterfly decals protruded in two rows. Each insect had two pastel colours. The largest was yellow and black. Two butterfly crystal figurines sat on either side of the counter. It had been her receptionist, Mari, who had wanted to bring a bit of colour and vibrancy to greet clients in the area. The butterflies added aesthetic appeal and brightened the place, and Bella was grateful for the decorating idea.

Bella’s office contained a white ergonomic chair and a large desk. An array of stationery, a telephone, and manuals lay neatly across the edge of the desk, and a filing cabinet held case files and assessment test results. Diagnostic tools, psychological inventories, and books sat on a towering bookshelf, and her Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology hung on the nearby wall.

Bella almost tripped on the round rug set in the middle of the room. She regained her bearings then hunched over to grab a case file from the cabinet. She placed her bag in a lockable steel cupboard then sat at her desk, peering over the notes of her first client of the day. Bella had time before the client arrived in an hour. Bella’s workday would be over by early afternoon as she only had a few bookings. If she didn’t find more clients, it would be a struggle financially. She would have to dip into her savings.

Bella turned over the pages. The client had been abused by her violent husband. Luckily, he was in prison now. The woman was slowly learning to manage the flashbacks and nightmares of the abuse. No children involved, thankfully, but it would take her a while to trust another man again.

Bella understood abuse only too well. Her mind took her back to another time, another place, when her old school acquaintance, Bridget Mardot, had called her a few weeks ago wanting to make amends after bullying Bella for years. Her friends, Dawn and June, gave her a few good experiences at school that got her through the bullying. The conversation with Bridget was clear in her head. “Hey, Bella. It’s Bridget from high school.”

Bella’s hand gripped the phone, her breath stopping. “Why are you ringing me?”

“Listen, I know it’s been a long time, but I’ve changed and want to make amends. I feel badly about what I did to you. Can we meet?”

It took Bella a minute to get her head around this. She figured she had nothing to lose. Maybe closure was best. “Okay, where do you want to meet?”

“At the usual cafe the school kids went to close to the port. Say one o’clock next Saturday?”

“Okay, see you then.”

Bella hung up with a heavy heart and took a calming breath to fight off the images that had haunted her for years.

She had shown up at the cafe near the port, but Bridget had stood her up. She called her a few times after that, but the call went straight to voicemail. Typical. It was probably better this way.

Bella returned to the present. She smiled at the progress her client had made. Initially, the poor woman would cry inconsolably for half of their session. Now, after one month of weekly counselling, she was able to deal with the disturbing images without completely breaking down.

Light footsteps and a voice jolted her out of her reverie. She turned around and smiled at Mari, who only worked with her on a casual basis whenever she had clients booked in, as she couldn’t afford to put her on full-time at this stage.

“Hello, Mari.”

“Hi, Bella. How are you going with getting more clients?” Her smiling blue eyes drew people in, and her brown hair with copper highlights was damp. Mari mentioned how she was always rushing in the mornings, hence her wet hair. She was twenty-seven years old, the same age as Bella, highly intelligent, nurturing, and efficient in her role as receptionist. Hiring her had been the right decision.

Bella put down her case file and rose. “I have some marketing ideas, and I promise once I can afford to pay you full-time, I will. Bear with me.”

Mari nodded. “No worries. I’ve got my website work that gets me by. Happy to help.” She cleared her throat. “I’ll let you know when your first client comes in.” She waltzed out of the office humming to herself. If only Bella could be that chirpy in the mornings.

Bella walked over to the staff room and picked up a mug. She filled it with coffee, sugar, milk, and then water from the boiling urn before sitting down and sipping it slowly. Mari walked into the room. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Bella, but there’s someone here to see you. Her name’s Claudia.”

Bella’s head jerked up from her coffee. A sudden coldness hit at her core and her heartbeat raced. What more could this woman do to me? “Thanks, Mari. I’ll be out front in a minute.” She swallowed and put a hand over her chest, calming her thoughts. It’s all fine. It’s all fine. I can handle this.

She walked back to her office and locked away her case file, then straightened her stationery. Her finger flicked over the desk, and she felt dust lingering. She grabbed a tissue from a box on the shelf and wiped the dust from her desk, careful to clean under the stationery items.

Bella straightened her blouse, took a deep breath, then walked to reception. The woman sat on an armchair, flicking through a magazine. When Claudia saw Bella, her serene expression shifted, and her brows bumped together. Those cold, grey eyes, the rigid strawberry-blonde hair tied up in a bun, and the ash-black business suit made her appear exactly as she was. Aloof and clinical.

Bella forced a smile. “Hello, Claudia. How are you?”

Claudia’s eyes raked over her from top to bottom. “Fine. I can see you’ve made somewhat of a name for yourself.”

Bella ignored the flutter in her stomach and regained her breath. “It’s still new, but I am doing fine for now.”

Claudia peered at her watch then rose from the seat. Her eyes flickered over to Mari. “Is there any chance of some privacy? I have somewhat of a proposition for you.”

Bella was sick in the stomach. She couldn’t go back there again. She wouldn’t.

“What kind of proposition?”

She moved ahead of Bella, searching for her office. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather speak in private.”

Bella nodded then led her to her office, dawdling a little. Whatever Claudia had to offer, it couldn’t be good.

AN OFFER

Bella wanted to hide under a rock or be at the beach. Anywhere but here right now. This woman was nothing but trouble, but she had to stay on her good side. She sat down while Claudia smoothed out her skirt as she sank down on the chair opposite.

With a resigned sigh, Claudia said, “I’d like you to come back to the practice.”

Bella winced and wondered about her ulterior motive. “I already have a job, my business here. But thanks for the offer.”

Claudia clasped her hands together and looked around the office with sharp focus. “I guess it’s okay here in what you call an establishment, but I thought you might like to make real money. My practice is expanding, and I need extra staff to handle the caseload. I could use your expertise.”

Bella peered down at the floor, her feet suddenly feeling constricted in her closed-toe wedge shoes. She fiddled with the collar of her blouse and fought back the images of the time she’d worked for Claudia just over one year ago. Why would she want to return to a toxic work environment again? She’d learnt from her bad choices and couldn’t face working with her again. “Thanks for the offer, Claudia, but I’m fine where I am. I’d like to expand my own practice closer to home.”

She nodded, but the coldness in her eyes was unmistakable. “I understand but I’m still in Newport, not that far from here. And I’d be willing to offer you a lot more money than what you were previously earning. We’re doing well so I can afford it. At least think about it. I’ll call you in a few days.”

Bella clenched her hands together, nails digging into her skin. She refused to go back to that nightmare. “As I said, I’m fine where I am.”

Claudia tapped her foot on the floor, pressing her lips together. “I guess we should make amends for the past. I know I gave you a high caseload and you were burnt out. Then you were attacked by your patient, but I apologised for that. I really am sorry. I see my mistake now and I appreciate how hard you worked, but, in the end, you became less productive. It won’t be the same again.”

Bella dared to speak the words. “And have you forgotten how that patient who attacked me was your patient beforehand?” It had been the last straw for Bella when she decided to quit. “This client was triggered because of your lack of boundaries. Did you know that? How could you visit his home and get involved in his business and family? He told me all that. He threatened to go to the Psychology Board, but I convinced him otherwise. And what about your other clients? Your lack of boundaries with them too? I imagine you’re still doing that. Are you? It’s too risky for me to work for you. It could cost me my licence.”

Claudia avoided her eyes and shook her head. “No, I realised the error of my ways.”

She avoided her eyes. “You can be reported to the PBA, Claudia. You know that.”

“And who’s going to tell on me? You?”

Bella had considered it once or twice, but she didn’t want the stress. She’d had enough stress to deal with in her lifetime. All she wanted was to help people within the boundaries set for clinical psychologists. She looked into Claudia’s eyes and knew she was lying. She was still getting overly involved with her clients, and a strong part of Bella wanted to report her to the PBA, but she worried that Claudia might retaliate in some way. She didn’t believe she was strong enough to fight Claudia, particularly with her connections to unscrupulous family members who were crooked politicians. Even if Claudia didn’t fight back, her family no doubt would. In the end, karma would surely get her.

“No, not me.” She took a calming breath. “Did you forget that when I resigned, you told me never to come back to you?”

Claudia rose from her seat, ignoring her comment. “At least give it some thought. I’ll contact you in a few days or so.”

Bella got up from her chair and walked Claudia out of the office. Mari stared at her quizzically, but she turned her attention again to Claudia and opened the door for her. “Goodbye, Claudia.”

Claudia turned around. “How about we say, see you later for now.” She handed her a business card. “Here’s my number, in case you lost it. But I’ll be in touch and hope to get a yes from you. Take care.” She took long-legged strides towards her car parked at the kerb.

Bella walked back inside the practice with a heavy heart.

Mari was putting away files in a filing drawer and smiled. “Are you okay, Bella? You look a bit frazzled.”

“I’m fine, thanks. Please let me know when my client comes in.”

Mari nodded. “Of course.”

Bella headed back to her office with a deflated posture and closed her eyes briefly as she reached for the case file of her first client. A strong tremor shook her body as she recalled the day her ex-patient beat her. In spite of her challenging experiences, Bella had been able to create an inner safety net. Her inner demons propped up at times, but she had moved on and was starting to build a new life for herself.

THE NEW CLIENT

Later that day, Bella grabbed a file from the cabinet. She flicked through the prepared case folder and turned to a lined blank page. She started writing notes for her next client when her phone rang. “Thanks, Mari. I’ll be right there.” She finished up her notes then walked into the waiting area where her next client stood, green eyes smiling regardless of her sagging posture. “Hi, Sonia. Come on through.” The middle-aged woman struggled to walk even with her cane as she followed Bella into her office.

Bella enjoyed working with Sonia. She was a fighter, and optimistic in spite of her challenges.

They took their respective seats while Bella held on to her note pad with pen in hand. “How’s your week been, Sonia?”

“Oh, you know, can’t complain. John’s been a great support with the girls, and I’m lucky to have the support of my boss at work…”

“I sense a but in there somewhere,” said Bella.

Sonia smiled. “Even my parents are great in spite of their age, and the girls help out with jobs at home. I only wish I didn’t have this damn rheumatoid arthritis. It’s a damn curse. I struggle to get out of bed every morning and can’t even wash my hair at times. It’s embarrassing when my daughter has to wash it because of the pain.”

Bella reflected back her pain and frustration until Sonia’s mood lifted. “Have you tried the mindfulness meditation exercise and pacing activities we discussed last week?”

“A little, but it’s been busy this past week.”

“Hmm. Let’s create an activity schedule, which works even for busy people.” Bella smiled and the woman’s posture lifted.

In the last few minutes of the session, Sonia said, “I’m sure you know what I mean about my family always being there for me. I mean, it’s not only support, but definitely the right kind of support. That’s all I can ask for. I’m lucky to have had an amazing childhood with my family. I’m grateful for that.”

Bella ignored the hollowness in her stomach. She ignored the headache and the blurred vision threatening to swallow her whole as she held firm to her client’s words. Why couldn’t her own parents be like that? Loving and supportive?

After the session, Sonia was a new woman with a spring in her step as Bella showed her to the door. Mari interrupted her. “Oh, you have a message from this man enquiring about counselling.” She handed Bella the note with her scrawled handwriting.

“Thanks. I’ll call him back.”

Mari drew her eyebrows together. “Is everything okay? You look sad.”

Bella nodded. “I’m fine. Just tired, that’s all.”

Mari gave her a reassuring smile as she sealed an envelope and placed it in her in-tray. “All these problems. It must get to you sometimes.”

Bella shrugged. “I love the work, and helping people has its own rewards.”

“Well, that’s good, I suppose.”

Bella made her way back to her office and dialled the number of the caller. A flutter rose in her chest. She always got a little nervous speaking to new people. “Hello, is this Jackson?”

“Yes, who’s this?”

“This is Bella Carismo, the psychologist. You called my office earlier today to enquire about my services.”

“Yes, I need counselling. Can you help me?”

“Can you tell me about your issue?” She waited at least ten seconds before getting a response.

“I don’t know. Just anger, I guess.”

Bella swallowed. She could hear the tension in his voice. “Can you tell me more about that?” Again, a moment of silence pervaded her. “Jackson?”

“Sorry, aahm. I guess I get a bit aggressive, more verbal, aah...not so physical or anything like that.” He didn’t sound very convincing to Bella. He went on, “I’ve tried others but they’re too busy right now. You sound pleasant. Can you please make time for me?”

The sound of desperation in his voice made her curious. She was glad to have a new client as she needed the money and business. With each new client, she could make a lot of gains developing her business through word of mouth, which was her best advertising. Yet she sensed there was more to this client. Only time would tell. Her imagination sometimes tended to work overtime. “Okay, Jackson.” Bella gripped the phone, the weight of it pressing into her hand. “I can make time for you. Is next Wednesday at one p.m. suitable?”

“Of course. I’m pretty flexible with work. Thank you.”

She hung up after giving him the address details and stared at the phone for a couple of minutes. She smiled to herself for having secured a new client. It could only get better. Within minutes, she picked up her desk phone. “Mari, can you open up my calendar and add Jackson’s appointment for me.”

“Of course. What’s the date and time?” Bella was grateful to have Mari arrange her schedule on her online calendar. It gave her the time for more productive work. She was a godsend.

A GRISLY SCENE

Detective Senior Constable Marco Petrazini stepped across rough, uneven ground strewn with stones, pebbles, dust, and rubble, making his way around the Brooklyn tip. He joined the officers already there and his partner, Tim, who was short, overweight and wearing a severe gaze. Marco assessed the scene before him. He grimaced at the rich smell of blood as he assessed the victim. “Hey, Tim. You’ve spoken to the officer on the scene?” He took out his notepad.

He nodded. “I have. The body was found at seven this morning by the manager of the site.” He pointed. “He’s over in the building, throwing up.”

“We’ll need to talk to him. Any witnesses or other staff present?”

“No, the other guy who works here starts in an hour. He was alone.”

Marco knelt and bent down close to the naked body, careful not to touch it. That was the medical examiner’s role. The woman’s body and bone structure hinted at beauty, but her face had been disfigured with puncture wounds. He noted multiple stab wounds around the abdomen, some shallow and some deep. A small sentence had been carved into the top part of her chest, ‘You’ve Been Marked.’ What did that even mean? The body looked bruised and battered, with rope markings around her wrists. Her skin was grazed and cut around the ankles too.

Tim moved towards the body. “What are you thinking?”

He rose from his position. “This poor woman had obviously been tortured before being killed. A slow kill to prolong the killer’s pleasure. Asserting their dominance over the victim with the stab wounds and the torture.” He turned to an officer. “Let’s cordon off this area and don’t let anyone inside the perimeter. We’ll need the ME to examine the body, and to contact Crime Scene. We also need to raise tarps to protect this area. If it rains, we’ll lose whatever evidence there is.” The officer nodded. “We need prints and an ID, and check missing persons cases, too. The torture was prolonged so I’m assuming she’s been gone long enough for someone to miss her.”

Marco took a few photos and a video of the body with his phone then interviewed other officers on scene. His partner, Tim, created a rough crime scene sketch.

“The perp has to be pretty strong to dump the body here. Probably used a van to transport the body.”

“She definitely was dropped here like a piece of rubbish. Exposed and mutilated,” said Marco. He grimaced and stroked his throat.

Crime Scene Unit eventually arrived, and Marco and Tim headed inside the building to interview the manager. The perp had used a secluded location with no visible witnesses, no security cameras, and no passing traffic. This killer was calculating. Marco made a note. Wind, debris, and dust most likely contaminated the scene, but they’d protected it as much as possible.

The interview with the manager proved fruitless. Nothing was revealed apart from what they already knew. They got the details of the other staff member and would interview him later to rule him out as a suspect.

Marco left the scene with Tim and stepped into the car. He sat in the passenger seat while his partner drove them to the police station. His heart wrenched at the thought of that poor girl’s loved ones being delivered the bad news. Hopefully, they’d get an ID soon and could then notify the family. They wouldn’t be able to claim the body until it was processed and examined for evidence.

Halfway through the ride, his phone buzzed. He picked it up, identifying the name on the screen. “Hi, Mum.”

“Marco, I was ringing to see if you were coming over for dinner tonight.”

He sighed. “I was about to call you, Mum. I think I’ll be having a late night.”

“Oh, Marco. You must eat. I will prepare something to fill your stomach, and when you get here, I’ll warm it up for you. A man in your position must eat.”

He shook his head, watching the half-smile on Tim’s face. “Fine, Mum. I’ll try to get there as soon as I can, but don’t wait for me for dinner. Eat whenever you’re hungry.”

“Okay, and maybe one day you will surprise me by bringing a lady friend.” He moved the phone away from his ear, his mother’s screech almost busting his eardrum. “I mean, when are you going to give me grandchildren, Marco? When? I’m not getting any younger.”

He ignored her. “Bye, Mum. I’ll see you tonight.” He hung up and turned to Tim, who chuckled as he drove.

“I think the next universe heard your mum shouting like a madwoman. She really wants to be a grandmother, Marco, so hurry up.”

He put his phone into his side pocket. “She’ll be waiting forever. Who has time for a relationship when we keep getting cases like this?”

“Part of the job being in the homicide squad,” said Tim. “Besides, you like your women but you’re afraid to commit. You love the thrill of the chase, a taste of different woman, like a traditional yet typical Italian. Romance until it gets boring, right?”

Marco leaned back in his seat. “Hey, I’m only twenty-eight and was just promoted to detective, so I have my career to think about first.”

“Sure, sure. Whatever!”

Marco swallowed, realising that he was definitely not ready for a serious relationship. He loved all kinds of women and treated them with the respect they deserved. They were a unique bunch with endearing qualities, and men would never be able to live without them.

ERROR IN JUDGEMENT

The following Wednesday, Bella held a notebook, her legs crossed, as she sat opposite her new client, Jackson. He had a blonde crew-cut, bright green eyes, and well-manicured hands. He appeared to be in his thirties.

They were already half-way through the session when she sensed he’d relaxed a little. She started to feel uncomfortable when his eyes trailed hers, and she had to break eye contact with him. His eyes scanned her from head to toe. It was as if he could see right through her. Many times, she had to look away or peer at the floor. She was frustrated with herself for feeling that way. She was a professional.

“I guess you can say that a friend of mine’s been a great support with my anger.”

“And your parents?”

Jackson squirmed in his chair. “I’d rather not talk about them, if you don’t mind.”

“That’s fine, Jackson. Let’s talk about the source of the anger, or when it started.”

His lips set in a grim line. “Probably from my first relationship. I...I... guess. I got so angry that I pushed my fist into a wall. When she, aah, broke it off. I stopped myself from hitting her.”

Bella continued to probe into his life and other relationships, trying to establish a pattern of type, but he had held back on a few things. This was natural for a first session.

“So, if I understand correctly, you feel the anger when your girlfriends decide to break up with you? Is that right?”

He nodded. “I guess that’s it. I don’t like it when they leave me. It hurts too much, and I don’t know how to deal with my feelings then.”

Bella nodded. “We can work on that in the sessions if you’re open to it.”

“I’d like that,” he said.

“Tell me about your work. What do you do?”

“I’m an electrician by trade and run my own business.”

Bella finished writing the last of her notes and shifted in her seat. Her shoulders ached, and a tension headache settled around the top of her head. They scheduled an appointment for the following week when they both rose from their seats. “I’ll walk you out.”

“Thanks.” Jackson smiled and his eyes scanned her again from head to toe. The muscles in Bella’s face tightened.

When she returned to her desk, she flipped open a page and wrote out her case notes. She assessed him as having Borderline Personality traits that had impacted his work, health, and relationships, but there was a greater mystery in his background. Did she really want to go there? Particularly with the way he had scanned her from head to toe, first in the beginning of the session and then at the end. He was definitely a charmer, but he wouldn’t be charming Bella anytime soon.