Second Chance Boyfriend

When I woke Fable up by kissing her softly all over her naked body, the rising sunlight casting her skin a golden hue. Our bodies came together lazily, our whispered I-love-yous fueling me completely.
    Our two days pretending the outside world didn’t exist ended on a perfect note. Now we’re both back to reality.
    “Do you believe her?”
    Doc’s question surprises me. “I think I do.”
    “Mmm-hmm.”
    Shit. “It’s hard to believe someone loves you for who you are when they’ve seen all your faults and know all your secrets.”
    “But doesn’t that make it even more believable? Fable’s seen everything. She knows everything. Yet she still wants to be with you?”
    “I guess so.” I shrug and change the subject. “Adele called me a few days ago.”
    “And what did she have to say?”
    “She accused me of poisoning my dad’s mind with reasons why he should divorce her.”
    “Is she right?”
    “No. I told him he had to make that choice for himself. I’m not about to give him advice on how to handle her,” I say vehemently. My emotions turn into chaos every time I think of the woman. It’s exhausting.
    “And are they still reconciling?”
    “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to my dad since he told me he might change his mind about the divorce.” I don’t bother telling Dr. Harris how Fable and I ignored everyone else and pretended we were normal. She’d probably say we were just avoiding the inevitable and accuse me of trying to have an unhealthy relationship with unrealistic expectations.
    Yep, I’ve been to more than my fair share of shrinks. I know the drill. Luckily enough, I really connect with this one. She gets me. She doesn’t push and she doesn’t judge.
    “It’s hard, isn’t it, being in a relationship? With all of your extra baggage, do you think you can be there for Fable when she needs you?”
    Ouch. One of those tough questions the doc is famous for. “I want to believe I can be there for her. She’s strong. Sometimes I think she’s stronger than me, emotionally.”
    “But doesn’t she have her own set of problems? We all do, you know. And I remember you mentioning she doesn’t have the best home life.”
    I lean back against my chair, sprawl my legs out in front of me. “Her mom is selfish and never around. She has a little brother who’s fourteen and she worries about him a lot.” I go on and tell Dr. Harris how Owen punched me when he realized I was the one who supposedly broke his sister’s heart. I’d forgotten to mention it the last time we saw each other, I’d been so wrapped up in my father’s non-divorce announcement.
    “I’m starting to see why the two of you are drawn to each other,” Dr. Harris says.
    Glancing up, I catch her smiling at me and I frown. “What do you mean by that?”
    “Your experiences are somewhat similar. You both come from a broken home, you both carry heavy responsibilities and unnecessary guilt. You have money and she doesn’t, so there’s one difference. You run from your problems and it seems that she confronts them, from what you’ve told me.”
    “She’s the strongest person I know.” I wish I had even half of her strength.
    “Don’t you think she ever feels weak? Powerless?”
    I’ve never seen Fable anything less than mighty and strong. “I don’t know.”
    “I’m sure she does. You need her, right? So don’t you believe she needs you just as much? Her life can’t be easy. She has responsibilities, a job, a brother to take care of, and a mother to take care of as well. Who do you take care of, Drew?”
    I swallow hard. “Myself.” There’s no one else I have to worry about. I’m not good at taking care of other people.
    Look at what happened to Vanessa. She died on my watch.
    “Do you work?”
    Why is she asking me this? She already knows the answer. “School is my job. And football.”
    “But you’re taking a lighter load this semester. And the football season is over,” Dr. Harris points out gently.
    “Are you trying to make me feel guilty for not having as much responsibility as Fable does?” It’s like she’s purposely trying to make me angry.
    “No,” she says slowly. “I’m trying to make you see that she’s probably going to need you. Do you think you have the capability to be there for her?”
    “I don’t…” My voice trails off when I see the pointed look Dr. Harris is giving me. “Yes. I can be there for her. I have to be. I love her. That’s what people who are