Confession

Jane is in for a twist when she visits a therapist.

“So, Jane what brings you here today?” The therapist and his new patient settled in for the hour session. The young woman sat biting her nails hoping the time would move quickly. “Jane?”

Her head shot up and she pulled her thumb out of her mouth. Nervously, she rubbed her arms on her black jeans unsure what to say. “I don’t like talking to shrinks.” Jane’s dark brown hair fell around her covering her face. She tucked a piece behind her ear but it fell back in front of her eyes.

The doctor chuckled, “Want to know a secret? We don’t like talking to them either.” He repositioned his glasses on his nose. “Why don’t we talk like Ed and Jane and forget about doctors right now? Can we try that?”

She nodded slightly, “ok.”

“Good,” he crossed his legs. “Now tell me about yourself.” Ed clicked the pen ready to take notes when he saw Jane’s eyes get big and noticed her body tense up. He closed the notebook and put it on the coffee table. “Better?” She shrugged.

“There isn’t much to tell.” Jane returned her to focus to her nails as she picked and fidgeted.

“How old are you?” Ed hoped she would open up but thought it was unlikely.

“17 but I’ll be 18 in a week. Doesn’t my file tell you this?” She seemed annoyed by such a simple question that it made Ed wonder if she was hiding something or just not trusting of other people. He desperately wanted to take notes but knew that Jane would shut down if he did.

“It does but we aren’t talking as patient and therapist remember? Think of it as we just met at a restaurant and we are trying to get to know each other; it might be easier that way.”

Jane huffed and looked back at the doctor, “fine.”

“Do you have any siblings?”

“I had a twin brother but he died when we were ten.” She kept looking around the office as if she was unaware of the therapist.

“I’m sorry, what happened?” The doctor was unsure what to do since he couldn’t take notes.

“He drowned in the lake we live on.” Ed was surprised when she didn’t show much remorse or sorrow.

“Is it not true then what people say?” He was unsure how to respond.

“What?” Her confusion made her finally provide eye contact.

“Well, it’s said twins are inseparable. Were you not close?”

“Jamie was my best friend, we did everything together.” Jane seemed offended by the question.

“Were at the lake with him?” Ed’s interest was peaked.

“Yes,” her apprehension to answer made it seem like there was an admission for guilt underlying her nervousness.

“Then how did he drown?” Pressing her further wasn’t the best idea but Ed knew it could help her to talk about it.

She shrugged, “He slipped or something. We were at the water level and Jamie wanted to take the canoe out but I didn’t so he went alone.”

Her story wasn’t adding up, “So the canoe flipped?”

Jane remained silent for a couple minutes, “yes.”

“But he slipped?”

“What?” Talking about it was making her more anxious and uneasy. Her body language was erratic and uncontrolled; she was clearly lying.

“You said Jamie slipped but then said the canoe flipped.”

Panicking Jane tried back tracking. “He did slip. He was trying to carry the canoe and slipped.”

Ed nodded, “then how did it flip and drown him?”

She started shaking her head and blinking rapidly, “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” Jane crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the wall to the right.

“I’m sorry for upsetting you, I just want to understand. Please, what really happened?” The doctor noticed a tear stream down her face. “Jane?”

Something in her snapped, “I killed him ok? Is that what you wanted to know? The jerk was always number one in everything and I just couldn’t take it anymore!”

Ed tried to remain calm, “H-how did you do it?”

“He was naïve and believed anything I told him. I said there was a secret path across the lake and he wanted to see it. Just as we were near the rapids I hit him with a rock and he fell in.” Tears and mascara ran down her cheeks but she wasn’t upset about killing her brother, Jane was upset she got caught after all these years. “I hated him! I still hate him. I was never good enough and what do my parents do after he dies? They treated me worse. It was always ‘you will never live up to Jamie.’ Well the joke is on them cause the little s**t head is gone.”

They sat in silence for a couple minutes as Jane wiped her face. Ed cleared his throat, “Jane-“she cut him off before he could finish.

“This is confidential right?” The doctor opened his mouth to speak but the door was busted in and several officers surrounded the girl.

“Freeze; hands in the air!” Fury and hatred filled her eyes as she followed the orders.

“Sessions between clients are supposed to be private.”

Ed smiled sweetly as he reached behind his back and pulled a badge from his belt, “I’m not a therapist. You just admitted to murdering your brother to a cop and we have it on tape.” Another officer pulled a recorder down from a book case and played back the confession.

Jane laughed darkly, “How did you know?”

“We suspected it,” her parents entered the room. Jane’s mother stepped forward and slapped her, “The minute you were born I knew you were evil. I never loved you.” Venom dripped from her words.

Jane laughed again, “You’re all idiots! I’ll be tried as a minor and be out before 25 and then I’m coming for you.” She motioned to her parents as two officers yanked Jane to her feet. Handcuffs were fastened to her wrists as she glared at her mother.

This time it was her mom’s turn to laugh, “You’re forgetting you turn 18 next week sweetie.” The hate in her words alone could have killed the girl that stood before her. “They’ll wait until you’re an adult and sentence you to 50 years.” She leaned in and whispered to her disowned child, “Personally, I hope you die in there.”

Jane tried lunging towards them but the cops held her back as she watched her parents turn and leave not caring if they ever saw the girl again.