The Charlton Affair Read Online Free PDF Page B

yes, darling,” she whispered.
    Soon he was too busy to speak. Marita made sure her hands were also active. She wanted all of his attention.
     
    *****
     
    Doctor Martin Briggs looked at Phoebe expectantly from over the small round glasses perched on his unremarkable nose. His pleasant, nondescript features vaguely reminded her of someone familiar, but she wasn’t sure whom. She felt comfortable in his warm presence, so it must be someone nice, she thought.
    “My parents were always busy,” Phoebe continued, “Dad’s a stockbroker and Mum’s a school principal.”
    Doctor Briggs nodded, taking notes, “And your older sister?”
    “She’s an engineer. She works in all sorts of remote places.”
    “Ah, yes, often the children stay close to home or they go very far away. You live one suburb from where you grew up, yes?”
    “Yes. Michael and I purchased our house in Hamilton a couple of years ago. Before that I lived in a flat a couple of streets away. I’ve always lived around there,” replied Phoebe.
    “And you said earlier that you’re questioning your marriage? What’s making you unhappy with your husband?”
    “As you said to do, I’ve been paying attention to my feelings. I’ve noticed that I’m not looking forward to seeing him like I used to. I’m actually happier when he’s away. But, it’s not so much that as…” Phoebe faltered, embarrassed, not wanting him to think she was mentally unhinged.
    “Is it the woman in your dreams?” Doctor Briggs enquired gently.
    Reddening, Phoebe nodded.
    “It’s not just that,” she admitted.
    “Yes,” he queried gently.
    “Um…well. I’ve met someone.”
    His eyebrow rose gently.
    “She, er…,” Overcome with embarrassment, Phoebe was unable to continue.
    “You’re attracted to her?” Doctor Briggs suggested softly.
    Phoebe nodded, grateful he didn’t make her say it.
    “I see. Tell me more,” he said blandly.
    Encouraged by the absence of any judgment or condemnation in his demeanor, she told him how she felt when she met Charlie. How amazed she was by the intensity of her attraction, despite not knowing the woman. She explained how confused she was by her feelings. Not wanting him to think she was having a psychotic event, she didn’t reveal that Charlie was the woman in her dreams. She never wanted anyone to know that.
    Sympathetically, he explained that sometimes people who had been made to bury their emotions as children took a little longer to become established in their personal identities. He reflected her feelings back at her in context, allowing her to see that anyone would feel scared and confused in her situation. It didn’t take the pain away, but at least she didn’t feel like she was going crazy anymore.
     
    *****
     
    A courier dropped off the package and Amanda signed for it. It contained two copies of the updated Michael Rawlins brief along with a signed client agreement. Amanda took a copy into Charlie’s office and placed it on her desk. She could attend to it when she was back from her meeting.
    In the mean time, Amanda logged the briefs into the system, filed the client agreement, and recorded her administrative chores against Michael’s account. She took up the second copy Darren had thoughtfully provided and started to read. She noted Darren had included a hard copy of Michael’s LinkedIn profile as background material.
    Taking a legal pad and a pencil, she jotted down things to follow up and other relevant information. Her first note was to verify his qualifications. Next was to check the online RP Data property information service for the couple’s Australian property records. Amanda noticed he also had investments in New Zealand. Noting the amounts, she also made a note to check the New Zealand properties.
    She turned over to Michael’s and Phoebe’s last three years of tax returns and their superannuation account information. Noting the details, she moved on to the insurances.
    Amanda was astounded to