Justin shook his leg as he sat in the waiting room of the therapist’s office. He knew he was making the right decision but was nervous nonetheless. His first marriage counseling appointment with Jess had been…volatile, them both exploding long held frustrations at the other. It was so bad they had to sit back and consider if their marriage was even worth saving at this point. Justin was never one to go down without a fight, which is why he found himself waiting impatiently for his turn.

“Randall Harless?” the secretary finally called. He’d booked the appointment under the slight alias just in case. Justin stood and straightened his slacks and golf polo, wanting to be as presentable as possible. He told himself once again that this was for the best as he entered the office.

Dr. Charlotte Fredrickson sat at her desk as Justin walked in. He quickly scanned the room, finding it warm and inviting, various knick-knacks adoring bookshelves of self help books. The furniture was a soft grey which was lightened even more by the several pastel watercolor paintings that hung on the walls. Instantly, Justin felt calmer and reassured.

“Mr. Harless,” Dr. Fredrickson stood and walked over, extending her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you. You can call me Dr. Fredrickson or Charlotte, whichever is more comfortable for you.”

Justin shook the Dr’s hand. “I think I’ll go with Charlotte,” he smiled back. Justin watched her eyes closely as the recognition of who he was hit her face, despite her best attempts to hide it. Justin smiled brighter as he turned to examine the various diplomas and certificates on one of the walls. “You’ve certainly come a long way.”

“So have you,” she answered, refusing to play into his ruse. “Justin, what are you…?”

“How’d you come up with the name Piper?” he cut her off with the question as he continued to look over her accolades.

“The Pied Piper of Hamelin,” she told him with a sigh. “Hypnotic sound making others follow seemed appropriate at the time.” Charlotte turned and went back to her desk, grabbing a notepad to write on. “You *NSYNC boys really need to stop showing up at people’s offices, this is becoming a bad habit.”

Justin followed and sat in the chair across from her. “So, how does this work?”

“How does what work?”

“Hypnotherapy.”

“You can find out from someone else,” she said firmly, tearing off the sheet and handing it to Justin. “Here’s a few therapists I would recommend. I won’t charge your insurance for today’s visit.”

Justin took the paper and crumbled it up. “I already got recommendations from my marriage counselor. That’s how I found you. A quick Google search of the names and suddenly I was faced with your picture. That’s when it dawned on me you’d be the perfect person to help.”

Charlotte sat back and crossed her arms. “I’m going to indulge and let you attempt to explain your convoluted logic.”

Justin cleared his throat and sat up straighter in the chair. “I know you know I’m having issues with my marriage. Colleen gave me your message so assuming you two probably talked about it on some level. So, you already have a sense of my situation.”

“Which is a chief reason you shouldn’t be here in the first place,” Charlotte informed him.

“Also,” Justin continued, “you’ve worked with me before. You know my history with relationships as well. There’s a lot less explanation that would need to be done by either of us.”

“Justin, you can’t create a shortcut for your mental health. I can’t even begin to tell you how highly unethical this would be.”

“It would be unethical if I was also a different type of client, which I have absolutely no plans to become.”

“You sure about that?” Charlotte cocked an eyebrow.

“Absolutely,” Justin reassured her. “I’ve talked enough with Colleen and JC that I know I don’t want that. It’s taken me far too long to even deal with that night but now I am and…”

“And it’s another example of why you being here is a colossal problem,” Charlotte cut him off. “I can’t be the one to put you through that again.”

“How else do we deal with our problems if not by facing them head on?” Justin replied with a smile.

“What’s your ulterior motive here?”

“I need help, you came recommended. Not sure what else you want me to say.”

“Any type of therapy doesn’t work unless you are open and honest. If you are gonna continue to sit here with a smug look on your face thinking I owe you, you can leave right now. You wanna talk about what happened, that’s fine, but anything more than that and you’ll need to go someplace else.”

Justin’s bravado deflated. He didn’t know if it was just what she said or him somehow remembering the control she had over him the last time they were together but he suddenly wanted to come clean. “What do you want to know?”

“I want to know the real reason you're here.”

“It is true you came recommended from my marriage counselor. I didn’t know your real name, obviously, but when I saw your picture, I knew instantly. At first, I just laughed at the irony and looked up the other names I was given but the more I thought about it, the more I weirdly thought this might be a real solution.”

“And how’s that?”

“I’ve seen what you do for Colleen. Not just talked about but seen it. My big fight with my wife was the weekend you…”

“I know, Colleen told me,” Charlotte informed him.

“Watching her just be relaxed and unbothered by the world…that feeling was one of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced in my life and…you know, I have always associated it with the sexual aspect and then with what happened with JC…I didn’t ever want to face it but I kind of got forced to.”

“And what conclusion have you come to?”

“I don’t want to be Colleen or JC. That night was…unique and you made me feel a type of way I never had before and I haven’t since. I’m learning to not be so angry about that anymore but I also don’t want to revisit that particular dynamic again.”

“Justin, by you being here, that’s exactly what you are inviting,” Charlotte explained to him.

“You really think I’m gonna turn back into your salivating slave if you hypnotize me again?” Justin challenged her.

“The key word you just said there was “back”. It’s ok to have liked the experience, Justin, but what I do here is clinical and professional. The two are separate for a reason so if that’s what you’re looking for, I suggest you book an appointment with me at the club and there I will be happy to help.”

Justin groaned his frustration. “I don’t want that, I don’t. I want…I want to have 10 minutes where I don’t have to think about shit. No worrying about why my wife doesn’t want to be near me, no barrage of insults from strangers about the countless lives I’ve supposedly ruined, no expectations from my record label or tv producers to do everything perfect the first time around. Moving to Montana afforded me that peace for a while but all my troubles followed me eventually.”

“This is still therapy, Justin. Hypnosis is used for the purpose of relaxing the patient and to bring to light things they don’t know they’ve buried, both good and bad. What you are looking for is a meditation retreat.”

“I don’t need a weekend away, I need…” Justin gathered himself, preparing to beg this woman for a second time in his life. “My marriage is falling apart. You saw how bad I was the last time my relationship disintegrated to dust. I can’t do that again. I can’t put my boys through that. I get this is weird but I know, I just know that you are the person who can help.”

“I’ll agree that hypnotherapy is probably a great course of treatment for you as you were so…receptive the first time,” Charlotte couldn’t hide her chuckle. “That still doesn’t change the fact that me administering it is a bad idea.”

“Why?”

“Basically for all the reasons you think it’s a good idea. We have a history, no matter how brief. I know some of what’s going on with you because I see your friend. I’m too biased.”

“I don’t want to be this vulnerable in front of a stranger,” Justin admitted.

“You were initially. Plus, all therapy requires vulnerability.”

“Not like that,” Justin countered. “I was already vulnerable when I saw you. I was…susceptible to what you had to say. I think…I hope that if we kept it on the up and up, there wouldn’t be a problem.”

“If I don’t talk dirty, it won’t get dirty,” Charlotte surmised. Justin nodded his head. “What if you’re wrong? What if it turns out it is a sexual thing for you?”

“Then I’d rather figure that out with you than with,” Justin uncurled the piece of paper in his hand, “Zackariah Edelstein. That would be way more awkward than this could ever be.”

Charlotte couldn’t help but give a small laugh. “Well there is still the matter of Colleen.”

“That part I can make easy,” Justin told her. “She has no idea I’m here, I mean, with you. No one does and no one will. If I choose to talk about therapy, no one needs to know the details. She’s not my wife, she’s my friend’s girl. Unless you make house calls, there is zero chance of us running into each other because of them.”

Charlotte sat there accessing the situation. On the one hand, she was glad Justin was confronting his past issues and willing to give it another go. She truly did believe he would find the practice extremely beneficial. On the other hand, she still felt like he had some sort of hidden agenda, even if he wasn’t fully conscious of it, by coming to see her specifically.

As if he was reading her mind, Justin piped up. “Can we at least make the same deal you had with Colleen? Five sessions, that’s all I ask. If one “Mistress” flies out of my mouth, we can call it quits then and there…except that last one, that was a freebie for mere demonstration purposes.”

Charlotte eyed Justin. Twenty years had gone by and his eyes still showed the same lost soul needing guidance that had been there before. She wasn’t really sure if she had helped him before, especially after hearing Colleen tell her his take on the events of that evening, but there was one thing she knew for sure…

“Let me see something first,” she said, standing up from her desk. “Go take a seat on the couch,” she told him as she drew the blinds to temper the sunlight streaming in the room. Justin sat in the middle of the couch as Charlotte looked him over. “On second thought, lie down for me,” she said, grabbing a throw pillow.

“Really going full bore with this, huh?” Justin chuckled as he made himself comfortable.

“Well, last time your legs gave out so I don’t want to risk you hitting your head,” Charlotte said, taking a seat in the armchair by Justin’s head. “Alright, I’m gonna try a real simple exercise with you to give me an idea if this could actually work. I’m literally going to count from ten to one then back up again, nothing fancy, ok?”

“You’re the boss,” Justin replied, then quickly slapped his hand over his mouth and looked at Charlotte glaring at him. “Bad choice of words, sorry.”

Charlotte huffed, now regretting this decision but proceeding nonetheless. “Now Justin, do me a favor and look up at the ceiling just with your eyes, don’t crane your neck. Do you see the star I have stuck up there?”

Justin looked up as instructed and found a shiny gold star affixed to one of the ceiling panels above him. “Yeah, I see it,” he confirmed.

“Ok, just stare at it as I count backwards. With each number I say, you’ll find yourself relaxing more and more. Concentrate on my voice and try to keep your mind clear. It’s ok if some other thoughts slip in and out but do your best not to focus on them for right now.” Charlotte could see Justin’s body tensing slightly. “Take a moment then let me know when you’re ready.”

Justin shut his eyes and drew in a long deep breath. It was comforting yet frightening to hear that voice in his ear again. This approach was different than before but this time he was ready. “Ok, I’m good,” he let out the breath and returned his gaze to directly above him.

“Alright, let’s begin…10…”

Justin listened as Charlotte spoke, keeping his eyes looking upward. He didn’t remember when exactly they closed and was only vaguely aware of his arm falling off his lap as his hand hit the floor. 

“And 10, wide awake,” Charlotte said brightly.

Justin slowly blinked his eyelids, sitting up and looking around the room in mild confusion. “Jesus, that really was quick.”

“It’s been twenty minutes,” Charlotte told him.

“What?” Justin asked in surprise, checking his watch to make sure she wasn’t fucking with him. “I thought you said you were just gonna count some numbers.”

“I did and that’s exactly what I did. When I got to one, I left you there for a few moments, just to see how you were reacting to everything.”

“You were checking if I got hard, is what you’re saying?”

“In part, yes, honestly. If you were, I’d already know we had a problem but, at least for now, you didn’t. I also wanted to make sure you actually stayed relaxed. You’re right, it’s a vulnerable state and your thoughts about how that went the first time aren’t exactly positive. I was concerned you’d freak out but you did great.”

“So, five sessions?” Justin asked.

“Four, this counts as one and now I am going to bill your insurance.” Charlotte crossed her legs and stared sternly at Justin. “Justin, this is therapy. This isn’t your personal escape for an hour. This is not going to be as simple as last time. We are going to do actual work. I need you to understand that.”

“I get it,” Justin replied.

Charlotte wasn’t convinced. “What I do is a mixture of analysis and suggestion therapy. Basically that means we’re gonna explore some memories and feelings you may or may not consciously remember and talk them out if need be. If we hit on something that needs attention, I’ll give you suggestions on how to process it. Are you ok with that?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Justin said, never having actually thought of all that would be involved. He understood regular therapy and just tried to remind himself that this was simply just a different means of going about the same thing. He was all for the idea that he could get things off his mind without stressing out in the process.

“If we find something that requires some extra reinforcement, I’ll make you a file.”

“A file?” Justin questioned, confused.

“Yes, it would be the same as what I would suggest to you in a session but recorded so you can listen to it when needed. Most people typically do so when going to bed. I’d provide you a print out of the text as well to read over before to make sure you are good with what it says.”

“I’m surprised Colleen didn’t mention that,” Justin pondered. “You’d think she’d love the idea of being able to be hypnotized whenever she wanted.”

“Which is precisely why I haven’t done this for her. Her brain already influences her desires enough, reinforcement is definitely not an issue there.”

“Never mention this idea to JC. Don’t forget, he’s got a recording studio in his house.”

“I’m well aware. There is a large difference between the practical and fantasy. Someone might fantasize about that but in actuality doesn’t want that much control. Hypnosis in sex is real but really it’s just used to enhance whatever is happening. Make the sensations greater, make the role playing more realistic, that kind of thing.”

Justin thought back to Colleen strapped naked to JC’s office chair, staring at his laptop screen with her headphones on. “So, wait, is it just a lot of playing pretend?”

“Yes and no. It’s all about what your mind wants to believe. You wanted to believe me counting numbers would relax you so that’s what happened. If you firmly believed it wouldn’t work, it wouldn’t have. There’s a reason our thoughts tend to overrule us at times and that’s because the mind is extremely powerful.”

“Science but with a bit of the power of positive thinking, basically?”

“Basically,” Charlotte gave a small smile. “Any other questions?”

“I have like a million and none all at the same time,” Justin chuckled. “I suppose I’ll ask as we go.”

Charlotte stood and returned to her desk. “I do like to keep my clients on a fairly regular schedule. I’m aware your profession may hinder that but it’s important, especially during this trial period.”

“We’ll be staying in town for a while. Our marriage counselor asked the same for the time being, plus my oldest is in school. That’ll keep me around until mid June so definitely doable for our agreement.”

“Very good,” Charlotte stated. “I’m still very skeptical of this idea.”

“Well, I believe it’ll work and by your own logic, that means it will,” Justin smiled brightly.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “At least that proves your listening skills are good.” She pulled out a day planner and flipped through a few pages. “I’ve got next Tuesday at 4pm available. Does that work for you?”

Justin pulled out his phone and checked his calendar. “Yep, that time works,” he confirmed and added the appointment in.

“Good, let my secretary know on the way out,” Charlotte said, making the note on her end then standing up.

Justin followed suit as the two stared at each other. “Thank you,” he finally said solemnly.

Charlotte gave Justin the briefest of smiles. “No promises, Justin, but I’m glad you’re willing to give this another try considering everything.”

Justin nodded and smiled back, unsure what else to say. He left and checked in with the secretary as requested before getting in his car. The weather wasn’t terribly hot yet but he cranked the air conditioning up to cool his body. By now his memories of Charlotte’s little experiment had fully returned and he sat in amazement of what had transpired. He felt more well rested after 20 minutes than he had since first moving to Montana. This was what he needed, he told himself once again as he started heading home.

Charlotte pulled out a fresh manilla folder to start a new case file for Justin, labeling it with his alias name instead. She wrote a brief log of the session as she normally would then added her first impression notes: persistent, excellent subject, has no idea what he’s doing but is willing to try. Charlotte closed the file with a sigh, unsure how she was somehow always ending up in the middle of Justin Timberlake’s relationship crises.