Session 1
"You can start whenever you're ready, Amara."
Dr. Kapoor's office was quiet, the muted hum of the air conditioner filling the space between them. Amara sat with her hands clenched in her lap, her posture stiff as if bracing for impact.
"It's... the dream again," she whispered.
Dr. Kapoor nodded, her pen poised but still. "Tell me about it."
Amara exhaled slowly, as though trying to keep something fragile from slipping away.
"It's always the same. I'm holding a baby. My baby."
"How do you know it's yours?"
"I just know." She paused, her eyes searching the distance as though the right words lived somewhere beyond the room. "When I hold him, everything feels right. There's warmth. His little body rests against mine, his fingers wrap around one of mine. His skin is soft, his breath brushes my neck. It's... perfect."
"And how do you feel in the dream?"
"Safe. Whole. I’ve never felt that way before. It's like something I didn’t even know I was missing has finally returned."
"And when you wake up?"
Amara’s expression darkened. She looked down at her hands.
"That’s the worst part. When I wake up, it feels like someone has ripped him out of my arms. I still feel his weight, even though he's not there. My arms literally ache."
Her voice wavered. "I know it’s a dream. I know I’ve never had a child. But it doesn’t feel like a dream. It feels like he's real, like he's supposed to be there."
Dr. Kapoor made a small note. "How long has this been happening?"
"A little over a month. At first it was once or twice a week. Now, it's every night. Without fail."
"Any recent changes? Work, relationships, family?"
Amara gave a soft, hollow laugh. "Nothing. Same job. Same tiny apartment. No relationships. I've been single for two years. My mother calls once a week to remind me my clock is ticking, but that’s nothing new."
"And yet, you feel attached to this very specific baby."
"Yes. It's not just wanting a child. It's him. I don’t want any baby. I want this one."
"Have you thought about adoption or other options?"
"No. Because it wouldn’t be him. I don’t want a substitute. I want him."
Dr. Kapoor studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Thank you for sharing, Amara. This is important. We’ll continue working through this together."
Amara simply nodded, her eyes distant, as though still inside the dream.
