Sarah studied the contents for a few minutes. She didn’t look pleased.
She looked at me and spoke sadly, “I can make a working hypothesis but to confirm that I would need a couple of things which I suspect you may not like.
“If I assume Dorothy had her reproductive health checked, if it came back positive, she would assume, you have a problem. We can confirm or repudiate this if you have tests yourself.
“This other counsellor and I don’t agree on much. I dislike her attitude to men and how it damages her clients’ relationships. There are a number of complaints outstanding against her at our registry which I’m sure your investigators have found. I believe she should lose her licence.
“This clinic, which doesn’t have the best of reputations, often send females there. I would suggest your wife gets retested at another facility. It would be good if perhaps you can invite her to the same one as you so you both are tested at the same time. Say you’re concerned that your troubles started when she was involved with the other clinic.
“The second part, I need to know more about your relationship. Did you acquiesce to whatever Dorothy wanted? Did you do stuff for her rather than what you wished to do? Could she have misconstrued what you did as weakness instead of love?”
I thought for a few moments, “I suppose I did overcompensate for not being there by agreeing to most of the things Dorothy wanted. She picked the holidays which were seldom any of the ones I suggested when we discussed our plans. I accepted what restaurant she wanted, the hotel. I only dug my heels in when she suggested we take my mother with us.”
Sarah smiled, “On Monday, you said you never forced yourself on Dorothy? Did you never try to get her to be more adventurous, dirty even?”
I laughed, “I did try but the frozen north was warmer so I stopped. She seldom drinks much but on occasion when she had, I was even allowed to eat her to several orgasms and I did once touch her rosebud. She slapped me.”
Sarah smiled, “Belinda was confused by what Dorothy said. This counsellor spurts this shit.
“In business you are successful, you have earned respect from many not only for your expertise but also as you treat people well. At home, Dorothy may see you as subservient to her as you acquiesce to her all the time. This counsellor will have played on that and told her to take control of you. The teasing with others, the denial of sex, her behaviour with Mike and the others.
“She repeatedly told Belinda this was the first time you have said no to her. She wasn’t expecting that. She expected you to roll over and allow her to have her way.
“Now she may love you and believes she’s doing this for love. I have an idea in my mind how it was presented to her, but I’d need to speak with her.
“Can you arrange those tests for both of you and have her come with you next week? I know you will not be happy but it will clarify her action quickly.”
I thought for a long time. Sarah gave me the time as she knew it was a very difficult decision.
I spoke firmly, “I can, I think, see what you suspect. I know I can’t go on like this. I’ll speak with her. I don’t know what she’ll say but if necessary, I’ll ensure she knows without her co-operation, divorce will be the only option.
“I have to say the thought of those tests scare me.”
Sarah smiled, “I’d be surprised if you weren’t. It’s a big step. The thought that you might be the one with a reproductive problem is a hard one for anyone to take. I suspect with that clinic, it’s not as cut and dried as that. Hopefully, the tests will confirm my suspicions that both of you are healthy, just need to reduce your stress levels about it.”
We spent the rest of the session on my mental health wellbeing. She finished with more hypnotherapy. I was certainly more relaxed. I was managing to work on it slightly when alone.
I returned to my office which took Belinda off guard. I explained what Sarah wanted and needed to see if it could be arranged. Belinda sent me for the coffees as she researched the laboratories. She was speaking with someone when I came back.
She smiled, “Tomorrow at 10.30am. The results will be ready in 72 hours. You’ll need to confirm to them that you authorise them telling Sarah the results. She’ll have them for your 4pm appointment.”
I nodded, I was like a bloody dog, nodding all the time, “Sarah wants Dorothy there.”
I felt like I imagined a condemned man must have felt heading to the gallows. I needed to speak with Dorothy.
I called her. It rang until voicemail. I hate voicemail. I spoke slowly, “Dorothy, I’ve given some thought to what started all this. It was that bloody gynaecology clinic you went to. I’ve researched them, they are charlatans. Belinda has arranged an appointment for both of us to be tested with a reputable organisation for tomorrow at 10.30am. I hope you will come with me. You can call me or Belinda to confirm or not.”
I wasn’t expecting her to answer so if I didn’t hear, I would have mine done for my own piece of mind.
Belinda surprised me with a hug. “Jeremy, don’t think the worst. The stress you were both under could have caused any problem. How do you think I schedule your time so you go to the gym and Ian makes sure you work out hard? To reduce that stress. As you’ve said, the new business is working well. You can take a step back. Have that holiday in Croatia or Madeira or both.”
I laughed, “Belinda, you can’t fool me. Sarah told me you told her you can run this business better than me. I might take you up on that. The only problem you would have is replacing you.”
She smiled, her eyes laughing, “Oh, I’ve my eye on my replacement. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t.”
Her phone went, “It’s Dorothy,” she said quietly. She walked to her office. I only heard the beginning, “Hi Dorothy, I’m making my way to my office so we won’t be overheard.”
I stayed in my office out of the way. I knew Belinda would tell me what the outcome was. When she did, I’d head to the gym. I was stressed.
Belinda came back in, she was smiling. After twenty minutes on the phone to Dorothy, I thought she would be spitting blood and demanding a bloody big raise.
She spoke firmly, “She wasn’t for doing this. I told her you were undergoing counselling and the therapist asked you both to have it done by a reputable clinic. You felt it was a big part of what has caused you to split up. By having the tests together, the results together, you can address the outcome together.
“She finally agreed but you have to pick her up. She doesn’t have fuel for her car as all her cards have been cancelled or reached their limit. I think the freezer is taking a hit as she can’t afford the shops. You will get it in the neck for that tomorrow. She let slip she had to cancel her therapist as she couldn’t pay.
“I told her, you’d take her to meet yours so you would both hear the results together for the first time. She didn’t like that until I told her I’d arranged the therapist and she was recognised as the best in marriage counselling by far. Some other counsellors sold an abusive relationship, she just works on the love the couple have for each other. If she can’t fix you, assuming you want fixed, nothing can fix you.”
I thanked Belinda and left. I had a lot to think about though the one thing I didn’t want to think about was what was foremost in my mind. I realised I couldn’t remember the last time I wanked. Would I fill a big specimen tub or just a dribble? I went to the gym where Ian made sure I worked out hard.
As I struggled for breath, I asked, “Does Belinda pay you more for torturing me?”
He laughed, “No, it’s just a perk of the job!”
I laughed. After I finished he took me to his office.
“Jeremy, these are your results. When you started eight months ago to now. Until this last fortnight, your blood pressure has been going down. It’s up slightly but nothing to what it was before. Your body mass index is down from problematic to good. You’ve lost twenty-one pounds even as you built up more muscle. You took the bleep test and went eighteen more runs. The lung capacity is up. Cardiac levels are very good.
“If you had blood tests before you started and repeated them now, I’m sure your levels will have improved drastically. I’d expect them to be in the good to great range. All that work has had a major improvement in your body and I dare say your mind as physical health is linked to mental health.
I looked them over. He wasn’t lying.
“Ian, I can’t thank you enough. I can see where I was headed. You’ve made me far better than I’ve ever been. How can I repay you?”
Ian looked at me, “Jeremy, there are many people waiting on SNHS sponsored physical therapy. The poorest seldom access it due to cost. We have the ability to offer it to many here, without charge. It wouldn’t interfere with any of our staff or classes.”