June 5
Dear Ashley,
I’m on my way to New York to take care of some business, and I would like very much to stop by and see you. I will call Dr. Lewison, and if there’s no objection, you can expect me around the 25th.
Much love,
Father
Three weeks later, Dr. Patterson arrived with an attractive, dark-haired woman in her early forties and her three-year-old daughter, Katrina.
They were ushered into Dr. Lewison’s office. He rose as they entered. “Dr. Patterson, I’m delighted to meet you.”
“Thank you. This is Miss Victoria Aniston and her daughter, Katrina.”
“How do you do, Miss Aniston? Katrina.”
“I brought them along to meet Ashley.”
“Wonderful. She’s with Dr. Keller right now, but they should be finished soon.”
Dr. Patterson said, “How is Ashley doing?”
Otto Lewison hesitated. “I wonder if I could speak to you alone for a few minutes?”
“Certainly.”
Dr. Patterson turned to Victoria and Katrina. “It looks like there’s a beautiful garden out there. Why don’t you wait for me, and I’ll join you with Ashley.”
Victoria Aniston smiled. “Fine.” She looked over at Otto Lewison. “It was nice to meet you, Doctor.”
“Thank you, Miss Aniston.”
Dr. Patterson watched the two of them leave. He turned to Otto Lewison. “Is there a problem?”
“I’ll be frank with you, Dr. Patterson. We’re not making as much progress as I had hoped we would. Ashley says she wants to be helped, but she’s not cooperating with us. In fact, she’s fighting the treatment.”
Dr. Patterson was studying him, puzzled. “Why?”
“It’s not that unusual. At some stage, patients with MPD are afraid of meeting their alters. It terrifies them. The very thought that other characters can be living in their mind and body and take over at will—Well, you can imagine how devastating that can be.”
Dr. Patterson nodded. “Of course.”
“There’s something that puzzles us about Ashley’s problem. Almost always, these problems start with a history of molestation when the patient is very young. We have no record of anything like that in Ashley’s case, so we have no idea how or why this trauma began.”
Dr. Patterson sat there silently for a moment. When he spoke, he said heavily, “I can help you.” He took a deep breath. “I blame myself.”
Otto Lewison was watching intently.
“It happened when Ashley was six. I had to go to England. My wife couldn’t go. I took Ashley with me. My wife had an elderly cousin over there named John. I didn’t realize it at the time, but John had…emotional problems. I had to leave to give a lecture one day, and John offered to baby-sit. When I got back that evening, he was gone. Ashley was in a state of complete hysteria. It took a long, long time to calm her down. After that, she wouldn’t let anyone come near her, she became timid and withdrawn and a week later, John was arrested as a serial child molester.” Dr. Patterson’s face was filled with pain. “I never forgave myself. I never left Ashley alone with anyone after that.”
There was a long silence. Otto Lewison said, “I’m terribly sorry. But I think you’ve given us the answer to what we’ve been looking for, Dr. Patterson. Now Dr. Keller will have something specific to work on.”
“It’s been too painful for me even to discuss before.”
“I understand.” Otto Lewison looked at his watch. “Ashley’s going to be a little while. Why don’t you join Miss Aniston in the garden, and I’ll send Ashley out when she comes.”
Dr. Patterson rose. “Thank you. I will.”
Otto Lewison watched him leave. He could not wait to tell Dr. Keller what he had learned.
Victoria Aniston and Katrina were waiting for him. “Did you see Ashley?” Victoria asked.
“They’ll send her out in a few minutes,” Dr. Patterson said. He looked around the spacious grounds. “This is lovely, isn’t it?”
Katrina ran up to him, “I want to go up to the sky again.”
He smiled. “All right.” He picked her up, threw her into the air and caught her as she came down.
“Higher!”
“Hang on. Here we go.” He threw her up again and caught her, and she was screaming with delight.