"So, why are you here today Jennifer? Or would you prefer Jenny?" She smiled. Jenny squirmed. This was exactly the kind of woman who made her feel uncomfortable. The therapist was completely at ease with herself, her pant suit draped on her elegant body like a photo shoot was imminent. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Jenny's eyes roved over the therapists form desperately searching for an imperfection. There! She had a small stain on the cuff of her shirt! Absent-mindedly dipped into her coffee this morning no doubt. Jenny relaxed, this woman was human after all. "Please call me Jenny." She said quietly. Used to the long paused new clients brought with them the therapist smiled warmly over her glasses and waited patiently. "I don't think it's right to prefer the world in your head to the one going on around you, do you?" This abrupt eruption from Jenny did not startle the woman, she merely raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Jenny continued, "It was my day off yesterday. I didn't have anything planned." The words rushed out of Jenny now to fill the expectant silence. "I spent four hours lying on my bed with my eyes shut. Not sleeping, just imagining. I think I would have lain there all day if I hadn't needed the loo!" Jenny laughed nervously, clutching and unclutching at her scarf ends. Her eyes scoured the room looking at the knick knacks and medical detritus scattered around the room, assiduously avoiding the other woman's eyes. "What were you imagining?" Her question jolted Jenny and she glanced at the speaker reflexively. There was no scorn in those eyes, just mild interest. Jenny relaxed then coloured, her ears suddenly feeling very hot. "Ah well.. it's a bit embarrassing actually." Her cheeks flushed and she furtively looked back at the therapist. She seemed unfazed so Jenny continued, "I was on holiday, on a yacht, a cruise." As she spoke, her hands relaxed and she entered back into the trance that had kept her captivated for four hours the previous day. She could almost smell the sea air, the scent of the mediteranian filling the air. "There was this man. Good looking but so grumpy and quiet he sort of didn't seem good looking you know? We got talking, well had an argument about something actually and I stalked off, neither of us very impressed. Of course I was desperately attracted to him at the time I just didn't know it!" The therapists gentle throat clearing  recalled Jenny to the present. Colouring again she continued briskly, refusing to get caught up again in her embarrassing scenario. "Anyway, there were a series pf encounters then in the end we got together. I mean there were sub plots and several characters with back stories. I edited and revised and canned some plot lines, there were miunderstandings and suspense. My point is, I think I put more effort into this day dream than I ever have with someone real, and that's what worries me."

"I see" the therapist scribbled something down discretely. "Well, it's nothing to worry about. Plenty of people indulge in fantasies occasionally. I've been know to daydream myself" she smiled.

"Oh, okay. Then I guess I don't need to be here then." Jenny let go of the breath she had been holding. "Well thanks, for listening, I feel much better!" She got up to go. 

"Just one last question Jenny. This daydreaming isn't getting in the way of your real life at all is it?" 

Jenny's shoulders slumped. She turned back to the therapist guiltily. "It only happened the one time, I called a co-worker Ben. That's his name, the name of the man on the crui- of the man I day dreamed about." A slip of the tongue was all it was. Grant had been very confused to be fair and Jenny hadn't helped by continuing with "ben-d down and touch your toes!" Accompanied by the action it made a confusing situation more awkward. Jenny had muttered something about a new exercise routine she was trying and then scarpered on the pretence of having her break. She had drifted off again and Jenny was brought back once again by the therapists gentle throat clearing. 

"Perhaps you would benefit from a new hobby. Something to meet new people" from which Jenny inferred she meant real people "you've got a good imagination, how about a writing group? Or a book club?"

"Oh. Yes I could do that. I'll think about it ok bye." The words tumbled out of Jenny's mouth as she groped for the door handle cringing with embarrassment. Jenny shut the door firmly on her way out and sidled up to the reception desk. The receptionist looked up with a sympathetic glance, obviously used to this sort of behaviour.

Behind the door the therapist smiled and reviewed the shopping list she had written down during the session. She noticed the coffee stain and tutted, quickly turning the cuff up to hide the blemish.

 She stirred her teaspoon round the cup absent-mindedly, watching the patterns it made in her tea. A horn beeped outside her apartment and Jenny blinked, returning to the present. She lifted the cup to her mouth, swallowed then grimaced. The tea was stone cold. How long had she been standing there? Long enough for her and Ben to sail around the mediteranian three times. Jenny sighed and looked out the kitchen window. She saw an older woman walk stiffly up the steps of the run down community centre across the road. She walked with a peculiar gait, one leg at a time, almost swinging from one foot to another. She looked, Jenny thought, like she had been sitting on a horse all day and had damaged some delicate areas. A quick twitch at the side of her mouth was all Jenny allowed herself before slumping back into self pity. She took another sip of cold tea before letting out a snort of disgust and abandoning the cup in the sink. Still watching the woman across the road Jenny made a decision. She snatched up her keys, threw on a jacked and marched out the door. Hurtling down three flights of stairs left her panting on the ground floor. Good, she thought, that will stop me attempting them for a while. She had successfully forced herself put of her apartment and out into the world. Now what? She looked across at the community centre. Better than nothing she crossed and opened the door into a dim hallway. A shabby cork board cheerfully announced "Community Activities!" The inevitable takeaway menus and quit smoking resources had been pinned there several years ago by the looks of things. Jenny skimmed the notices declining offers to 'Meet singles in your area' and 'Learn to love with Christ'. She was about to move off when she saw a tattered card just poking put from under the menu for a chinese takeout on the next block. 'Book Club - meets every Saturday 4pm.' Jenny looked at her watch, five to four, well the therapist did suggest this she reasoned. Besides the thought of those stairs still made her thighs groan in protest. She followed the directions to a small room off to the left.