Ashley: "I'm here to see Arthur Carlin." I tell the receptionist at the front desk.

Receptionist: "Ok just fill these forms out and then we'll call you back to see him." She smiled at me handing me a clipboard with papers and a pen on it.

I fill out the forms and give it back to her. It wasn't long before I was called back. 

Arthur: "Hello Ashley, I'm Arthur Carlin. You can call me whatever, Art or Arthur." Wow he seems really nice.

Ashley: "Can I call you Mr. C?" I smile timidly.

Arthur: "Ya that sounds pretty cool." He pointed to a couch in his office motioning for me to take a seat. He sat in a big executive looking chair across from me. His office was smaller but it felt homey. On his desk I noticed a picture of three kids. One of then was Spencer and I remember Glen and Clay too.

Ashley: "Are those your kids?" I smile at him.

Arthur: "They are indeed. That is Spencer, Glen and, God rest his soul, Clay." He said sadly but still smiling. I actually remember hearing about one of the students at our school dying. I guess it was a wrong place at the wrong time type of thing.

Ashley: "I'm sorry for your loss. I know how it feels to lose the people you love." I say surprised at myself. I never open up like that to anyone. It's just he's really easy to talk to.

Arthur: "Ya it's really hard sometimes, and other days it's easier because you don't think of them and then you feel guilty when something reminds you. Then you feel ten times worse, but Clay would want his brother sister and I to move on with our lives. And that's why I started Counseling teens and young adults. To try and stop it from happening to someone else." He smiled at me. "So what brings you in here?"

Ashley: "Lots of stuff actually." Mostly your daughter. "I wanted to get my sister off my back and I am sick of having nightmares about stuff from the past." Why am I telling him this stuff? "I actually don't tell anyone about my nightmares." One I had recently just popped into my head and I start to feel like I'm going to cry. No I'm not going to be one of those people that cry n their first session. Ok I'm done. I think he could tell I was shutting down.