Tara boggled at her. Emily was the hardest to impress out of anyone: she’d nearly reduced Bryan to tears, unpicking his understanding of free will.

‘They’ve been coming here for ages – there had to be a breakthrough eventually,’ she pointed out. ‘They’ve probably spent more on therapy than they did on their wedding.’

Emily rolled her eyes. ‘Where’s the romance in your soul? Come on.’

‘Yeah!’ said Hero, possibly the first time she and Emily had agreed about anything ever.

Bloody hell, thought Tara, irritably. Maybe they’re all on the crystals now.

‘So, as I’m sure I don’t need to tell someone as experienced as you,’ Tara began, self-consciously shuffling her pen and notebook on the cafe table, ‘this is an opportunity for you to discuss any issues you might be having with your current clients. Or even with the Centre itself. It’s confidential so—’

‘Sorry, Tara? Can I stop you there? I did tell Jacqueline – I’ve got an external supervisor lined up,’ said David. ‘An old colleague from my last clinic. He confirmed yesterday.’

‘Oh.’ Jacqueline could have said something. ‘Oh, well, I guess that’s better.’

‘I really appreciate your offering, though.’ David smiled, holding her gaze in an affable manner. ‘At least let me get you lunch to say thanks. I mean, I do have questions. Like, that positivity tree in the foyer. Does anyone check it?’ He leaned forward. ‘And what are you supposed to write?’

Tara tried not to see David in a lab coat surrounded by gurning medical students. Was he trying to hypnotize her? She blinked hard, then looked away. She’d been hypnotized once before, many years ago, and she definitely hadn’t enjoyed it.

‘It depends,’ she said. ‘Buy me a coffee and I’ll tell you everything you need to know.’

The coffees arrived, and they discussed the cake rota, the impact of the floods on appointments, and topics to avoid in the kitchen during the full moon. David ordered another round. The question Tara was itching to ask, though, was which side of the credibility canyon did he fall on? David’s expression wasn’t giving much away.

‘So how do we compare with your last practice?’ she asked. ‘Was it a similar sort of set-up?’

‘Oh, totally. Totally different. Not that it isn’t … um …’ David hunted for the right word. ‘… interesting, to see traditional therapy sitting next to more holistic approaches.’

‘Interesting.’ What did that mean? That he took crystal healing seriously or not?

‘The practice dealt mainly with clinical referrals,’ he explained. ‘A lot more psychiatric evaluation, working alongside the hospital, the court system, police. Quite tough going, sometimes. But that’s the same for everyone, isn’t it? Nothing’s easy.’