The Edge of Normal Read Online Free PDF Page B

Mr. Cavanaugh volunteers, staring down at the cup bracketed in his hands.
    “That’s good. It’s good for both of them, I think.” Dr. Lerner sips his coffee and waits.
    Cavanaugh gives the doctor a long, appraising look. His eyes are weary and blue-gray. “Jackie Burke is a good attorney, and she says that you’re the best there is at this sort of thing. That you’ve helped a lot of kidnapped kids. That you helped Beth Goodwin. And that other girl, too, Reggie LeClaire.”
    “That’s right, those and others.” Dr. Lerner holds Cavanaughs’ gaze and speaks slowly. “Survivors of prolonged captivity are rare, so there aren’t many in my profession who specialize in their treatment.”
    Cavanaugh snorts. “I found that out. Just so you know, my wife isn’t crazy about having a male shrink in our house, treating our daughter.”
    “That’s understandable. I’ll do my best to respect your concerns. We’ll take it slow and see how it goes.”
    A pause, an exhalation. “I guess that’s all we can do.”
    “You’ve been through a lot. And now that you have Tilly home again, there’s a lot of healing ahead of you. So we’ll proceed at a pace that will allow you all to feel comfortable.”
    “Well.” Cavanaugh glances away and then back again. “Okay.”
    “Good,” Dr. Lerner says with a nod of encouragement. “You’re acting very quickly to address Tilly’s emotional well-being. I commend you for that. Not all parents are so enlightened in these circumstances.”
    Cavanaugh’s eyes settle back on him. “So what happens now?”
    “I’d like to meet your family—your wife and your daughter and your son, too—and then we can talk again privately and decide on the next step. And I assure you that everything you say will be considered confidential unless you indicate otherwise. How’s that?”
    “Yeah, okay. That sounds about right.”
    “Good. So tell me, how’s Tilly doing?”
    “It’s hard to say. She’s quiet. A bit jumpy, a little clingy, I think. She seems healthy enough, but thin, you know.”
    “She has been treated by a medical doctor?”
    “At the hospital. The doctors there examined her, of course, and gave her some pills. But they’re not, like, specialists or anything.”
    “Did they give you a diagnosis?”
    “They said she’s malnourished, and she has some minor injuries. Burns,” Cavanaugh says, wincing. “They think she’s probably suffering from post-traumatic shock, you know. But Tilly doesn’t say much, and she doesn’t seem to want to leave the house.” He frowns at Dr. Lerner, adding, “That’s to be expected, I guess.”
    “It is, sure. With your permission, I’ll contact the hospital and check her records. In the meantime, you’re just beginning the first phase of what may be a long healing process, for Tilly and for your whole family.”
    “Yeah, I get that.”
    “It’s best if you don’t press her for details. Let her volunteer things at her own pace, and don’t let the legal process dictate that. She’ll talk more as she feels more secure. For now, Tilly needs to be assured of your unconditional love and support.”
    “We went on that Web site—the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children?—and it had some good advice there.”
    “Excellent. Glad to hear it.”
    Dr. Lerner notes that Gordon Cavanaugh is sitting up taller, with his shoulders less hunched. As if by mutual agreement, they simultaneously raise their coffee cups and drink, a mirror image, men of equal stature facing each other across a table.
    “There’s something else, though,” Cavanaugh says, setting down his cup.
    “What’s that?”
    “I warned you that my wife has some issues.”
    “Yes?”
    “She thinks Tilly might have a problem with you.”
    Dr. Lerner nods thoughtfully. “Because I’m a man, and Tilly was victimized and abused by a man, right?”
    “Right.”
    “I understand. That’s a legitimate concern, and I’m glad that you’re empathizing