Karen was reading the magazine a little too intently as she waited outside his office. She was not alone in the waiting area, sharing it as she was with an older lady who looked like she was about to cry at any moment and a teenage boy who kept up a constant rambling conversation with himself.
If it was simply their presence that made her nervous she would not have felt so churned up inside but, truth be told, she was far more concerned that things had gotten to this stage at all. She'd always been a little prone to black moods, her mother had called it "artistic temperament" even though she had never created anything in her life, but in the last year they had become more regular and distressing. This therapist was not cheap but he'd been recommended by her doctor as being highly regarded, albeit that he was new in Lexington and therefore was actively searching for clients. One short phone call to his very pleasant receptionist was all it had taken to arrange this appointment and Karen hoped that it would be one of the very few she'd need.
A few minutes passed before the receptionist approached her with her trade mark smile.
"Mrs Edwards? Doctor Grey will see you now. Through that door please."
Karen entered the room and was greeted by the sight of a very distinguished, if surprisingly young, man writing notes at his desk. As she approached him he looked up, smiled and indicated that she should take a seat in a very lavish chair that would have graced any dentist's surgery.
"It's nice to see you Mrs Edwards. Your doctor has sent me some preliminary paperwork but I'd like to start, if I may, by getting you to tell me what you think your problem is. We can chat around things as they arise, I'll feedback where appropriate and generally we can get a good grasp of the situation by the end of the session. I'll make recommendations at the end for a plan of action we can follow, which again will be amended as the sessions progress. Sound fair?"
Karen was disarmed by his friendly, confident and straightforward manner and she smiled with relief. She had only just met him, of course, but she really felt this man could get to the root of the problem without too much trouble. She settled into the incredibly comfortable chair and began to tell him her life-story.
Doctor Grey began to make notes as she talked, maintaining every air of the polished professional even as his eyes began to subtly wander over his patient. She was 40, married to her childhood sweetheart and with two daughters aged 18 and 20. The scenario did not sound promising to him because it should have presented him with a middle-aged, frumpy housewife who would have been of no interest to him at all. As his eyes continued to subtly evaluate her, however, it was clear that this was a very beautiful lady who had the figure of a sweet teenager. A gym regime and a healthy independent spirit had made the years wash over her with very little erosion to show for it. She would be a highly rewarding challenge.
Doctor Grey diagnosed her within the first 15 minutes. She was basically sound but, like a lot of intelligent people, tended to over-think life and spiral into depressions as a result. His main challenge was to try to keep her interested in a return session, for she had no need for one and unless he was subtle he knew she'd reach that conclusion fairly quickly herself.
"I'm happy with your account so far Karen."
The use of her first name made her jolt for a second but then she realised he was simply trying to make the situation more friendly.
"I think we might benefit from going over a few points now in more depth. I have often found that aroma-therapy can help in relaxing patients as we go into more painful areas of their experience and, with your permission, I'd like to ask you to lie back in the chair whilst I fetch some oils we can use."
It seemed like a perfectly fair request and Karen looked around the chair for the recline button. Once located, it allowed her to recline the chair all the way back into a couch and she settled in as she listened to Dr Grey moving around.
Grey was over at an ornate storage locker as he spoke. With a practised hand he quickly mixed some aroma oils with a special concoction he had developed. With the oils masking the ingredient it was undetectable to any patient and the effects had never failed him yet.
"I'm going to give you a handkerchief with some of this oil on it, Karen, and from time to time I would like you place it over your nose and take 5 breaths, inhaling deeply and slowly each time. It will help you to relax more if you also close your eyes as we talk."
The doctor had moved over to the couch by the time he had finished speaking and he handed Karen a white, silken handkerchief, which she cradled in her hands. She was beginning to regret wearing a skirt today because it was hard to keep her legs together whilst on the couch but, with the skill that every woman learns from puberty, she was able to become comfortable without any fear of accidental exposure. She closed her eyes and inhaled from the handkerchief, instantly feeling a very mild calming sensation enter her body that made her pleased she had not objected.
Doctor Grey began talking over her youth again as he slowly paced the office. Another few minutes passed as the professional exchange continued, with Grey making a mental note of how many times Karen had inhaled from the handkerchief. His ingredient had two main effects that he was watching for. It worked primarily on seratonin, producing enhanced levels, which created sensations very similar to afterglow if inhaled for enough time. The second effect was on the thrill-seeking part of the brain, making it as instantly addictive as crack-cocaine.
Grey watched with satisfaction as Karen began to inhale more and more often as the conversation continued. He watched her complexion redden and knew that she was as relaxed as if she'd just slept with her favourite film star.
Karen was completely alert to her surroundings but was feeling more relaxed than she could ever remember. Every time she felt the sensation begin to wear off she knew she simply needed to inhale again and a new wave of calm would descend. Grey's voice was soothing, the chair was more comfortable than her bed and she just wanted this session to go on forever.
Doctor Grey kept talking as he quietly moved towards a hidden MP3 player. He brought the conversation to a place where the MP3 could take over and then hit play, seamlessly substituting his pre-recorded speaking with his own. To Karen, in a half-world of daze, it seemed that he had simply moved to the back of the office behind her.
The pre-recorded speaking began.
"I want you to listen for a while now as I've come to some preliminary conclusions that I want to tell you about. Please hold any questions until I am finished and then I'll be happy to answer them."