Chapter 287

We spent about half an hour there with the dog. After some coaxing, Riley finally agreed to leave the neighborhood. When we stepped outside, I stopped carrying her and held her hand instead. Carrying her all the time quickly made me feel hot. Moreover, I wanted to take the chance to help her build some courage. I wanted to help her relax and feel comfortable with the psychotherapist. So I took her for some ice cream first. Then, we spent about an hour at the amusement park. Finally, I had Alan arrange for a session with a psychotherapist, Ava Harold. When we arrived at her clinic, I immediately had a good feeling about it. Her clinic didn't feel anything like a hospital. It was more like an art space that was designed to make people feel at ease. Riley didn't resist the place at all. In fact, she thought we were just there to have fun. However, it wasn't until I met Ava that I found the process of treatment difficult. Ava said, "Mr. White, I don't mean to go against you. But bef