Chapter 2- Dr. Dev

Chapter 2.

Dr. Devereaux playfully twirls around in her office chair trying to elicit a laugh from the small boy who she knows would rather be anywhere else than in her Philadelphia office. Well, except for one place. No kid wants to see a child therapist, and the ones in her office are the victims of some of the most heinous assaults that exist. Assaults and crimes against children.

The little boy tugs at his shoe laces nervously, to one admire the fresh white newness of the sneakers that were a gift, along with his new outfit that he wore at the trial of the child molester who stole his innocence. And two, as a defense mechanism to take his mind far away from the place he knows Dr. Dev will make him visit, the dark hole for which he is in her office to talk about having escaped.

Dr. Dev tugs at her newly graying hairs streaked through the otherwise long chestnut mane that falls on her back and rests just above her tailbone. She does so not nervously, but as a gesture of kindness to the boy, one in which he won't consciously recognize, but perhaps subconsciously will register and make him feel less awkwardly about his own anxiousness and mannerisms. She's been in her profession long enough, thirty-five years now, to know the subtle intricacies that can make a child comfortable while divulging to her these painful truths and atrocities they were subjected to. She wishes this were the case when she first began, and sometimes the regrets of her initial ineptitude at her job, that ultimately claimed the life of one of her patients, eats her alive. It also has since garnered her many awards of recognition of being the best child psychologist in all of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania alike.

Dr. Dev smiles and hands the boy a comic book.

"Do you read comic books? Do you like them?"

The boy, for the first time, sits up in his chair with a stifled yet first display of confidence. "Yeah, I like them. Well, I used to read them, but I haven't in awhile." He said with a small glimmer of hope in his eyes that the predator almost claimed completely, but Dr. Dev now knows can be revived.

"Can you tell me what this one is about? I ordered it, but have never read it before, you'd really be helping me out to fill me in."

The boy began telling her the backstory with great detail and pride of his knowledge, and even smiled a few times. Surprisingly even sharing a laugh together once. Dr. Dev continued to ask questions as the boy's wonder was piqued he happily shared the superheroes powers. The superhero in the story could fly, and the boy told Dr. Dev all about the ways in which he could manipulate his powers. Once he was finished telling Dr. Dev all he could remember about the superhero, he turned to her with a curiosity in his eye this time.

"Dr. Dev, if you had a superpower, what would it be?"

"Wow, that's a good question. Hmm, I think I would like to time travel."

"Where would you travel to first?", asked the boy.

"I'm not really sure, but that's also a very good question. I will think about it for the next time I see you and tell you then though."

Dr. Dev hated lying to the boy, but she knew it wouldn't do anyone any good to tell him she knew exactly what day she would travel to. That day not all that long ago in the beginning of her career. That's a superpower Dr. Dev has wished she had ever since then, but sometimes even heroes make mistakes even if they have all the power.

Dr. Dev, exchanging that same curiosity in her eye, asked the boy, "What would your superpower be"?

Without missing a beat, the boy replied, "I would be the invisible boy".

"And why is that?" Dr. Dev pressed.

Looking down at his now completely unraveled shoelaces, the boy responded, "So then I wouldn't have to see myself in the mirror, and no one else would have to look at me either."

Dr. Dev, with a hurt in her heart, knew it was time to end the session. It's always best, she knew, to end the session positively and without leaving her patient in a vulnerable place.

"Well, I loved seeing you, and I want to see you again next week, so do you think you could make yourself available to me to be seen? Or do you want to use your superpowers on me too?"

The boy smiled sheepishly, and mustered out, "I liked seeing you too, and yes I'd let you see me. Superpowers should only be used to fight bad anyway, and I think you're good, so I wouldn't use them on you."

Dr. Dev picked up the comic book and passed it to the boy in a disinterested fashion, "Do you want to take this along? I don't really have time to read it anyway."

The boy now trying to contain his excitement took the book and walked out of Dr. Dev's office a little taller than when he went in.

Dr. Dev made her way back into the office after walking the boy to his anxious mother.Anna, her longtime receptionist, looked at her in disbelief.

"Did you really just give him your beloved and signed first edition comic book?!" Anna prodded.

"Don't tell him that; he needed a reason to be seen. Now go home, and hug and kiss those kids of yours for me, Anna."

Dr. Dev finished her assessment, locked her office and made her way out the back entrance of the office filled with the regret she carries with her daily, and sighed reflecting on the boy she hopes to save like the child she didn't.

As she made her way to her vehicle, a feathered masked flashed before her eyes, and she hit hard on the felt floor of the white van before it quickly screeched away.