Part 1

Context: You've been with your fiancé for over a decade now. Eccentric, excitable, and boasting a rather unique career in being a wildlife photographer, you two were high school sweethearts that everyone expected would last forever. But how can you do that when his career, and the unfortunate characters in it, constantly come first? You promised yourself that, this time, if he missed an anniversary, ditched you for his job and friends, you'd walk out that door and never come back. He didn’t seem to believe you… until you were long gone.

Setting: A therapist’s office/an unnamed bar

Tags:[AMM4A][Lovers to Exes][Therapist Speaker][Negligent Fiancé Speaker][Dudebro Speaker][Hurt Fiancé Listener][Hard Angst][Hurt][Realization][Uncertain Future][Desperate][Fight/Argument][Maybe…?][Sad][CW: Neglect/Animal Angst]

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[T] = Your gender-neutral therapist

[F] = The ex-fiancé

[K] = Kyle. Certified dudebro

[Scene opens in a therapist’s office]

[SFX: A clock gently ticking away]

[You sit down in a very comfortable chair and your new therapist smiles gently at you]

[T] “Welcome to your first therapy session, and my thanks for coming in.”

[...]

[T] “I know it’s never easy… Please, settle in. Can I get you some water?”

[Pause…]

[T] “Of course. Whatever makes you comfortable. If you’re raring to go, please tell me what brings you in today?”

[SFX: The clock ticking to fill in the:]

[Pause…]

[T] “Going through a rough breakup with your fiancé, hm? How long were the two of you together?”

[Pause]

[T, sympathetic] “Ten years is a long time to invest in someone… Can you give me a little bit more information on the situation?”

[SFX: A pen scribbling over paper to fill in the:]

[Pause]

[T] “I see… Being a wildlife photographer is certainly an interesting career. It makes sense he’d be gone quite often, but it also makes sense that he should be able to make time for you… How was he at home, when it was just the two of you?”

[Pause…]

[T, sympathetic] “He was the man you fell in love with. I see… Have you two ever tried therapy together?”

[Pause.]

[T] “No? Did he ever go anywhere specifically when you fought? A safe space, of sorts?”

[...]

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Scene transitions to an unknown bar]

[SFX: Dive bar ambiance]

[Your ex-fiancé sits at the bar with one of his oldest friends]

[K] “Can’t believe it took over three months to get you to come back out to the bar, man.”

[F] “...My fiancé dumped me, Kyle. I haven’t exactly been doing great… Between my parents angrily demanding to know how I fucked up the best thing that ever happened to me, and their parents being quietly sad but ‘wishing me the best’, I… am not OK.”

[K] “Ahh, don’t worry about it. The other boys will be here soon and you’ll forget all about it, eh?”

[Pause]

[T, with a sort of ghostly reverb on their voice] “Ah. He’d go to the bar to meet his friends.”

[F] “Yeah… They still haven’t texted me back… Haven’t called…”

[K] “Psh, so? Sounds like good riddance. Uh, yeah, one bourbon on the rocks for me. Thanks.”

[SFX: A drink being poured]

[T, still with the reverb] “It sounds like his friends aren’t very fond of you… Or weren’t, as it were.”

[Pause…]

[F, bitterly] “Kyle, I’m really, really not in the mood to hear you or the others bad-mouthing them. They left a literal journal full of receipts of me being shitty… This isn’t on them.”

[K] "Oh, it so is, dude. Just because your ball and chain lasted a decade doesn't make them any less wrong for you, bro."

[F] “...What are you talking about, Kyle?”

[K, taking a swig] “Man, that’s just this lifestyle! If your partner can’t deal with it, then the problem sorts itself out. I’ve had two wives and three girlfriends dip after a few years. Your partner being stubborn was their own fault.”

[SFX: Bar ambiance to fill in]

[Pause]

[F] “What…? No. No, my fiancé wasn’t torturing themselves to make a point, Kyle. They… were waiting on me…”

[Kyle scoffs but says nothing]

[F, getting angry] “You assholes have told me they weren’t on my side for YEARS. Telling me that they’re stifling my dream out of jealousy, or some other weird, toxic shit that I’ve put up with out of good faith that my ‘friends’ have my back!”

[K, scoffing again] “Look, man, high school sweethearts or whatever don’t work out. Ever. People grow and change, and you’ve become the man you wanted to be. The pain will prove worth it, or whatever.”

[F, standing] “The man I wanted to be was a man that was a good partner and lover to someone who has supported me through the lowest moments of my life!!”

[K] “And yet, here you are in a bar, with your mates, instead of couples therapy or whatever.”

[...]

[F] “...fuck you.”

[SFX: Him angrily storming out of the bar]

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Scene opens back in the therapist’s office]

[SFX: Notes being scribbled]

[T] “Was there anything traumatic that ever happened in his line of work?”

[Pause…]

[The therapist wrinkles their nose, even if it is subtle]

[T] “...Yes. I suppose he would see a lot of instances of ‘having to watch animals being eaten alive for his job… Do you think that this is something that, potentially, caused him some trauma?”

[Pause…]

[T, sympathetic] “If he loves animals then, yes, it would be very difficult. It might even cause some trauma bonding between him and his crew. Regardless, that isn’t an excuse to treat you how he did. It sounds like he needs to take similar steps you have in order to find a healthy path forward.”

[Pause…]

[T] “You’re very kind to not wish him any ill will, despite your frustrations… If you think that he would be willing, we can always set up a session together. Couples counseling is within my wheelhouse and it honestly seems like you two could benefit from it. Don’t feel like you have to make a choice now, of course. Plenty of time to think about your next steps later on. Right now, I want you to have the tools to find a path that works for you.”

[...]

[You think back on every time he would come home. No matter what state he was in, he’d always rush to find you]

[F, with the reverb that says it’s a memory] “Baby! There you are! Oh man, come here, right in these big old arms!”

[His laughter echoes, hurting worse than you thought possible while making you smile]

[F, still reverbed] “Man, we ran into the sauciest lions down near the Okavango Delta! See, they apparently got trapped in the Delta and had to hunt Cape buffalo for dinner, so they are JACKED! One nearly dragged Jack off, hehe, WOO! What a trip! But that’s my trip, I wanna hear about you, how’s your day been? What did I miss?”

[Pause…]

[F, startled and reverbed] “Your birthday…? Oh no… Honey, I am so sorry, I thought…”

[You push the thoughts away]

[T] “Everything alright? You looked a little lost in thought for a moment or two.”

[...Pause?]

[T] “How do you know when someone can actually change or not? Well, change is a hard thing for everyone and anyone. Human beings simply do not like change, it’s not in our nature, though many defy that. For me, I believe that a person can change when I see the work being done as asked. If I ask them to respect a boundary and they do, that is work being done. If they say they will not miss any more important events and they make good on it, there’s proof. Really, you need to ask yourself if you are willing to risk that hurt again, dear… If you’re willing to give him another chance and accept the pain that may come from him failing.”

[...]

[The therapist leans forward in their chair and pushes their pleasant little spectacles up]

[T] “Is that a chance you are willing to take?”

[...]

[SFX: Your phone ringing with the ringtone you picked out for him - VA’s discretion, should be the same as it is in Part 1]

[The scene fades out as your phone lights up. It’s him…]

[To be continued]