The Marriage Counselor

Charlotte playfully nudged Tim when he caught him looking at the busty secretary's ample chest. The secretary was wearing a jacket and blouse, but there was no denying the presence of huge breasts pressing to be free of the constraining fabric. Charlotte wasn't jealous at all, though, as she had even larger breasts, and a killer figure to go with it. She was always the hottest woman in the room, even when there was substantial competition, like this secretary.

Charlotte had light brown hair and pale blue eyes, long legs and curves that must have been sculpted with God's own personal supervision. Her face had a playful, yet sexy quality to it, with her full lips that were always smiling.

Tim was a good looking man, with blond hair and brown eyes, standing just a little taller than Charlotte. He was above average in looks, and didn't look out of place standing beside Charlotte, although with beauty like hers it would be hard to notice anyone standing beside her. Tim smiled playfully at Charlotte pretending to be jealous. He knew she wasn't, and that Charlotte, while not egotistical, didn't see any woman as competition for attention. Besides, Tim made it clear that he adored Charlotte, and he would sacrifice anything to be with her.

"Julie, Please send them in now," came a tinny voice over the intercom.

"You can head in now," Julie the secretary said with a smile. Tim and Charlotte smiled back and walked through the oak door to the doctor's office.

Dr Castle stood up from behind his large desk to greet them. He was a tall, good looking man with chiseled features and a little grey hair on his temples, but otherwise a full and rich head of black hair. He reached across his desk to shake both Tim and Charlotte's hands. They greeted him warmly and made introductions.

"Welcome, both of you," Dr Castle said with a beaming smile. "Please, sit down."

There were two chairs, both facing the desk. Tim and Charlotte sat down. Charlotte crossed her long, sexy legs, and her voluminous chest could not go unnoticed.

"Well, then," Dr Castle said, sitting down and clasping his hands in front of him on the desk, "what brings you two to see me?"

Tim and Charlotte looked at each other with slightly embarrassed smiles. It was hard to know where to begin.

"Um," Tim began nervously, "we're, uh, happy, mostly. In our marriage, I mean, day to day." Tim looked to Charlotte for support, and she reached out a hand, and he placed his in hers. "But, in the bedroom, it's, uh, not been going well."

"Don't be embarrassed," Dr Castle said reassuringly. "It's perfectly natural. We'll work out what to do. Charlotte, what is your take on the situation?"

"Tim and I have known each other for a long time," Charlotte said, her sweet smile radiating beauty, "and he has always been good to me, so the sex is not that important to me. I think he pressures himself to be great in the bedroom, maybe too much."

"I see," said Dr Castle. "In a situation like this, where the couple are supportive but something is not quite right, I find that they are often holding back on saying things in front of the other person out of fear of appearing unsupportive. It's a good thing to want to be positive for your spouse, but good intentions can lead to being a little less open. For that reason, I'd like to talk to each of you separately. Would that be alright?"

Tim and Charlotte looked at each other, and nodded, then turned back to Dr Castle and agreed.

"Good, good," Dr Castle said. "Then I'd like to start with Tim. Charlotte, would you mind waiting outside for a while?" Charlotte smiled and agree, then, with a kiss on Tim's forehead, left the room. "Now, Tim, I think I can right away see a problem, as it's quite common in a situation like yours. Would you mind if I took a guess?"

"No, please do," Tim said.

"Charlotte is an extremely beautiful woman," Dr Castle said. "So beautiful that you must feel very lucky to be with her. And because you feel like she is so precious, you feel a pressure to provide for her, to perform for her, to keep her satisfied. Would you say that's true?"

Tim thought about it for a while. "Wow, you're good at this," Tim said at last. "She gets hit on all the time by other men. Almost constantly. So I know that she could be with any man in the world, so I try to not be just any man. I want to love her like no one else can."

"That is a noble aim," Dr Castle said. "You're a very good man to feel that way. However, I think you can see that putting so much pressure on yourself to be better than every other man is a lot to ask of yourself. Your body is trying to tell you something by not living up to an impossible ideal."

"But," Tim said, "how can I stop trying to please her without making her less happy? I feel like if I don't try my hardest, she'll be less satisfied with me."

"Ah," Dr Castle said, leaning back in his chair, "that is the very thing we're going to have to work out. That is going to take work and time, it won't come easy. And you're going to have to put your trust in me that I am here to help you." After that, they began to talk for the next half hour about Tim's feelings to Charlotte. Tim revealed he had longed to be with her for years and years, never wanting another woman. He felt pain when she had other boyfriends, and agonized that he had become merely a friend. When the opportunity presented itself to become more than he friend, it was the happiest day of her life.

"I'm glad that you've got such commitment to your wife," Dr Castle said. "Your deep love for her is going to make this process go very well in the end. Now, however, I'll need to ask you to leave so I can speak to Charlotte and get her side of things."

Tim agreed and stepped out the door as Charlotte stepped in. They smiled at each other but didn't say anything. Charlotte could see that Tim was a emotionally drained, and she thought it was best to let him stay in his reflective mood.

The oak door shut as Tim sat in a chair in the waiting room. He felt that there was some promise with Dr Castle's help. Tim had always held back from confessing to Charlotte how much he needed her because he knew that being needy was not attractive. Even though he knew Charlotte would never judge Tim poorly for being so devoted to her, he just couldn't be too honest with her about it. It felt good to finally confide in someone about the power imbalance in his relationship with Charlotte.

Tim waited for what seemed like an eternity. Finally Dr Castle buzzed the receptionist and said "Julie, please send Tim in now."

Tim headed in through the oak door, and when he sat down beside Charlotte, he could see she was uncomfortable. Her eyes weren't reddened, so she hadn't been crying, but her hair was a little out of place and she looked a little bothered. Tim assumed they must have touched some deep places, just as he had done in his turn with Dr Castle.

"Today has been extremely productive," Dr Castle said. "I think I can see what each of you needs, and I'm sure we can go forward and get to where we can resolve this situation properly. Are you both interested in continuing?"

"Yes, definitely," Tim said right away. Then he noticed that Charlotte did not answer right away. Tim looked at her and noticed she was biting her lip and looking down. "Charlotte?" Tim asked softly. Charlotte looked up at Tim and he noticed that she looked like she wanted Tim to do something, but he was not sure what.

"Charlotte," Dr Castle asked, his voice taking on an almost stern tone, like a teacher addressing a student. "Do you want to keep doing what we did today?" Charlotte looked at Dr Castle, and then back at Tim. Her eyes now did redden, and glistened as tears formed but didn't actually fall from her eyes.

"Yes Dr Castle," Charlotte said. Tim reached out his hand and she put hers in his. He squeezed it lovingly.

"I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that you are both ready to undertake this journey." Dr Castle said happily. "Please schedule an appointment next week with Julie, and I'll see you soon.

Tim and Charlotte left, and as they did, Tim noticed another couple waiting in the waiting area. The wife was quite beautiful, with deep brown skin and almond shaped eyes. Her breasts weren't as large as Charlotte's, but this woman was very beautiful. Tim wondered if they had the same problem as he and Charlotte did.

That night Charlotte was distracted and uncomfortable. They didn't have sex, which was not unusual, as that was why they were seeking counselling. However, as they lay in bed in the darkness, they talked quietly about Charlotte's obvious discomfort.

"What did you two talk about?" Tim asked.

"He told me that I was so beautiful that I needed to understand the effect I have on men," Charlotte said.

"That doesn't sound so bad," Tim said, "and it is true."

"Yes, I know I'm attractive," Charlotte said hesitantly, since she was uncomfortable with being immodest, "but, Tim, I'm not sure we should go back to see Dr Castle."

"Why not?" Tim asked.

"He stirred up feelings in me," Charlotte said, "Feelings that scare me." Tim thought about that for a long time before responding.

"I've never been to a therapist before," Tim said, "but I think that the idea is to confront ideas that are uncomfortable. I think as long as you think there's some truth in it, you should explore your feelings." Charlotte quietly cried in the dark, and although Tim could only barely hear it, he knew that's what she was doing. He held her tight and comforted her. "I'm willing to go through anything to make you happy, baby, but we won't go back there if you don't want to. Think about it for a few days, and let me know."

The next day at breakfast, Charlotte still didn't want to go back to see Dr Castle, and wanted to call to cancel their next appointment. However, Tim was insistent that she hadn't thought about it for long enough. Charlotte cried a little more, and got angry at Tim for not understanding her feelings. However, Tim was gentle and understanding, and calmed her down. He asked her to just be a little more patient, since the feelings from the first appointment were still fresh. Just wait one more day and if she still didn't want to go, then he would definitely cancel, no more questions asked.

Tim turned out to be on to something, as the next day when they spoke about it, Charlotte wasn't as sure. She kept asking Tim if he was sure he wanted to go back, and she seemed to be looking for him to make a decision. It was if she wanted him to call it off. She needed him to call it off because she wasn't feeling strong enough. Tim, however, took this as a sign that whatever issues she and Dr Castle had discussed, they needed to be addressed, so Tim said they should go back.

As the days went by, Charlotte's attitude changed. She not only agreed she wanted to go back, she started to become impatient for the next session. She said she could see now that she needed to undergo Dr Castle's therapy, and that it would be for the best. Tim was excited, as it meant that maybe the issues that were between them were finally on the way to being solved.

At the next session, they sat together in Dr Castle's office. Charlotte was looking extremely hot, in tight jean shorts and a white tank top. She was showing a lot of skin, and Tim could hardly take his eyes off her. In spite of being married, and in spite of his difficulties in the bedroom, he still felt excitement when he looked at Charlotte, and when she turned up the sexiness, he was just as captivated as any other man.

"Can I go first this time?" Charlotte asked Dr Castle.

"No," Dr Castle explained. "There is a procedure to this, and I'm afraid it's important that I talk to Tim first. Please wait outside. We will try not to be too long.

Charlotte walked out of the office, and Tim turned to watch her perfectly shape ass swing from side to side as she went out the door.

"Now, Tim," Dr Castle said, "I want to hear more about how you and Charlotte met. She's quite a catch. How is it you came to be with her?"

"We were friends since junior high," Tim said, "but just friends. Of course, she was a cheerleader and dated the most popular boys. I knew her because I tutored her in history, and we got to talking. After a while, she would confide in me, and she thought of me like a brother. That was kind of rough, because I wanted her so bad. I would cry at home knowing that she was out on dates and probably having sex with these other guys, and then she would even tell me about it after."

"She would tell you about the sex she had with other boys?" Dr Castle asked.

"No," Tim said, "not directly. She would tell me more about the relationships and what was going well and what wasn't. I don't think she knew how much it would hurt me to hear about her having sex with other men, but she just didn't talk about it because it was a little too private, even though we were close. Of course, I could figure out from the things she said what was going on."

"It must have been emasculating for her to treat you like one of her girlfriends," Dr Castle said.

"It was," Tim agreed. "For years, from junior high all the way through to the end of college, she was with other men, and sometimes I would even be out with them and have to see her being happy with other guys."

"Did you masturbate," Dr Castle asked, "while thinking of her?" Tim squirmed in his seat. It was uncomfortable and embarrassing to talk about, but he thought he needed to not hold back.

"Yes, a lot," Tim said. "I had a few dates and a couple of relationships. They never went that well because deep down I only wanted Charlotte. So I ended up masturbating a lot."

"Tell me, Tim," Dr Castle leaned forward, "did you use any triggers for your masturbation?" Tim looked confused, so Dr Castle went on, "Ah, sorry, I sometimes use psychological terminology when I should be more clear. A trigger is something you use to evoke the image of Charlotte. Often it's a picture, but sometimes it can be an article of clothing, or a memento of some kind."

"I have a scrapbook," Tim said.

"A whole scrapbook?" Dr Castle said, surprised.

"It didn't start out like that," Tim added quickly, "I mean, I had some pictures of her that we took together, hanging out. And then there were some pictures of her from the high school annual, and then she did some modelling and stuff for a while, so I had some magazine pictures. They were in a box I kept."

"Then later you assembled it into a scrap book?" Dr Castle asked.

"Charlotte did," Tim said, and seeing that Dr Castle wasn't following, he continued on. "When I finally became Charlotte's boyfriend, I showed her the box of pictures I had, and she loved it. She was so flattered. She was the one who put them all into a scrap book. It didn't fill up the book, though, so then from that point on, it became a collection of all sorts of things we did together. Instead of pictures of just her, it was pictures of me and her. I know a scrap book seems like something a girl would do, but actually I like it because it kind of tells a story. It goes from me just hopelessly longing for her to actually getting the girl. We still keep it updated, so it's got lots of memories in it."

"I understand completely," Dr Castle said approvingly. "Would you say the scrap book has become symbolic of your relationship with Charlotte? That it reminds you of your success, your journey from hopeless unrequited love to having got the girl, and affirms her relationship with you?"

"Yes," Tim said, realizing that was true. He hadn't ever specifically thought of it that way, but now that Dr Castle was describing it that way, Tim could see that's exactly what the scrapbook was, a symbolic representation of his relationship with Charlotte. "I guess a part of me still can't believe that I'm with such an incredible woman. She's not just beautiful, but fun and friendly, and looking at that scrap book reminds me that yes, I actually am with her."

"I would like to see that scrap book next time you come in," Dr Castle said, "but for now I just want to hear the end of the story. You were friends with Charlotte for so many years, and then how did you turn the corner to become her lover?"

"It was just after college, and she just had a really bad break up," Tim said. "A lot of the guys she was with treated her badly, they all wanted to show her off as a trophy and not get to know her. After this one breakup, she came to me for comfort. We ended up sleeping together, and I think it happened just because she was vulnerable. The next day, though, instead of regretting it, she said that maybe she had been going for the wrong type of guys. Maybe she needed a guy who was nice. So from then on, we've been together. We got married eight months later."

"I see," said Dr Castle, thinking deeply. "Would you say then, that you feel like you ended up with Charlotte because of time and circumstance in such a way that won't happen with any other woman? That women as beautiful as Charlotte date other men, and that if you hadn't grown up alongside her, you'd never get this close? That if you lose Charlotte, this kind of opportunity won't happen again?"

"Yes," Tim said weakly. Tim couldn't believe how Dr Castle seemed to just cut right to the point and say things that captured how Tim felt. "I guess I do feel like that. It makes me not very confident around her. I worry about losing her."

"That, Tim," Dr Castle said, "is part of the problem. Next time you come in we'll pick up from here and talk about your fears of losing her. However, our time is up and I must see Charlotte now. Before I do, though, I'm going to recommend some medication for you."

"Medication?" Tim asked, surprised. "You think my problem might be physical?"

"The issue is that you are too mentally stimulated," Dr Castle, "or to put it one way, thinking too much. Which in turn causes you to be physically under-stimulated. I'm just going to give you a very mild medication that will help alleviate that imbalance. Just to help things along a little. It's a natural medication, and there are no side effects."

"Alright," Tim said. "Are you going to give me a prescription?"

"No need," Dr Castle said, and then he pointed to a small machine on his desk. It kind of looked like a white plastic coffee maker, and was about the same size. "I'm certified to dispense a limited amount of medication. This little machine here fills and sorts capsules, so I can give you the pills directly. I prefer that over going to pharmacist, because then I can control exactly what I'm giving out. Just come back in after my session with Charlotte and I'll have them ready for you."

Tim nodded and shook Dr Castle's hand. He went out to the waiting area where he hugged Charlotte, feeling her massive and firm breasts pressing against him, and then she disappeared inside.

This time Tim brought a book to kill the time while Charlotte was with Dr Castle, but it still seemed to take forever. Tim almost got up to walk in and check to see how much longer they were going to be, but when he did, Julie, the receptionist stood up and said she would check for him. Tim sat down, and then Julie came back out and informed him they wouldn't be much longer.

Finally, Julie ushered Tim in, and he found Charlotte sitting in a chair in front of Dr Castle's desk, while Dr Castle was in his chair, working with his pill dispensing machine. He was holding a small orange plastic pill container held underneath an overhanging part, the same way one would hold a paper cup underneath a water cooler. The machine made a rattling and whirring sound as small white pills were dropping into the orange container. After only a few moments, the machine stopped, and Dr Castle placed a white cap on the container.

"I've explained to Charlotte about the pills," Dr Castle said, handing them to Tim. "She's going to make sure you take them. Two in the morning, two at night."