<SNIP>

Precisely on time, Janna arrived at James’ quarters. For a brief moment she had second-guessed her impulse with him. Professional boundaries were important, and she was mindful of keeping things professional even when she did ‘house calls’. This was different. A part of her she was still learning to understand had seen beneath the surface in her conversation with the scientist. She was an experienced therapist and had worked (and still did) with people with complex issues and trauma, and if there was one thing Janna held to it was that her instincts were not perfect but generally correct. James was accepting a subpar situation when she was certain they could come up with at least a partial solution.

She pressed the chime and waited, an inner calm radiating out from her.

~Janna Kingston, CNS

The door chime pulled Rowe’s mind back from the starscape, but it didn’t happen all at once. First he came back to the moment, sitting in his room… feet propped. Then he remembered he was expecting the visitor. He glanced a the clock and mused to himself, ‘she’s a prompt one’. Setting the padd at the foot of his bed, Rowe stood and put on the plain black tee shirt that had been draped across the back of his chair. He was dressed casually in the shirt and a complimentary pair of joggers with his feet bared because he found the sensation of the carpet pleasant despite his nerve condition. For a moment he glanced at the empty glass on his nightstand and considered putting it away, but thought it would be rude to keep the counselor waiting in the corridor any longer.

Moving silently across the room he pressed the panel to open the door. He greeted Janna with a warm smile and said, “Good morning Ms. Kingston.” Rowe used his left arm to indicate his invitation, “Come on in.” As the counselor moved into the room, James teased “I haven’t decide if I should be flattered or concerned that the ship’s counselor is making a house call this early in my Athenian tenure.”

-Rowe

A light laugh slipped out as Janna stepped in. “Oh, I wouldn’t be concerned. To be honest, I’m happy to make visits when necessary but many people get weirded out. In your case, I just felt that assessing your space and making it as healing as possible could help with your overall wellbeing.” She was dressed in her uniform specifically to maintain that professionalism, given this was not strictly a social call. “That being said, it’s goof for us to get know each other better, so that I can help you where you need it.”

“And please, feel free to call me Janna. I’ve never been a formal person and in my practice I only do so if the other person needs it in order to have the conversation.”

She gestured to the space. “So, give me the tour as it were. But show me about your daily routines and any adjustments you’ve already made to help thing.”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Rowe nodded as Janna explained her process. “Alright Janna, grand tour it is.” He said sarcastically about the spartan space that made up his home.

Indicating first to the corner where the yoga mat, lacrosse ball, and workout clothing sat neatly Rowe said, “Most every day starts in this area. Obviously heavier lifting takes place in the gym or holodeck… but I’ve found that the ‘machinery’ complains a whole lot less when I prime the engine first.”

Turning where he stood given the confines of junior officer housing, James indicated the desk and the assorted padds. “Work, personal research projects, and leisure reading are confined to that area. I don’t bring a ton of work home because I like to have defined spaces… but it does happen from time to time.”

Finally Rowe indicates the viewport, “Honestly that’s my favorite feature of this space, and I find myself lost in its majesty more than I’d care to admit.”

James didn’t mention the framed picture, the bedding, or the empty glass… he wasn’t sure he was ready for those conversations yet.

• Rowe