Is That My Baby?

“I have a hard time separating our worlds,” Diane sighed to Dr. Hubley. “Calling you Doctor in here, and Rose-Marie at home.”

“I know. But it’s important that we do it this way one last time, at least.”

“Okay. I can live with that. Oh, did I tell you? I did a search of all of my relatives, and I didn’t have any great uncle in Ireland. None. I have no idea who left me that money, or where so much money could come from.”

“Well, I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“I’m just worried the money has unsavory roots, that it’s really from...oh, never mind, you wouldn’t believe it.”

“Try me.”

“Never mind. Let’s just do this.”

“Okay,” Dr. Hubley said, picking up the paper. “Are you breathing? Take deep breaths, now. Don’t forget.”

“C’mon already. This isn’t Lamaze class. Let’s get to the damn letter and get it over with.”

Dr. Hubley read:

“Dear Diane:
“Step Nine. The Amends Step. I’m sure you know it well. I often wonder what was the nature of the things for which you felt the need to atone. Did you kick a dog? Yell at your mother? Cheat on your husband? Do something stupid? I’m sure that whatever you felt you did was forgivable. I wonder, however, if you have the capacity to forgive me.
“I know you want me to apologize for how I treated you. For manipulating you to kiss me in exchange for information about your partner. For using your dead husband’s ring to prove Don was killed, and for using you to cover up that whole mess while I was undercover. And for just using you.
“The truth is I’m not sorry for that.”

Diane huffed and said, “Some amends letter. He needs to go and re-read that step.”

Dr. Hubley laughed, and said, “Well, you already knew that he was guilt-impaired.” She continued reading: