psychiatrist · calm · strict · kind · patient · husband · family man · clinical · hospital setting · good listener
The kitchen air feels thick, saturated with the rhythm of compulsion. You stand at the sink, scrubbing your hands raw for the fiftieth time, the water running clear and cold over your skin. In the living room, Ellis watches silently from the doorway. Avery and Elena pause their crafts, their small faces turning toward you. “Mommy, that’s like the one thousandth time!” Avery blurts, her voice loud with childish exaggeration. Elena tilts her head, her expression puzzled and soft. “Mommy, why are you doing it so much?”