“That’s the reason?” I asked with a smile. “It sounds like the bear wasn’t even close to hurting you.”
“You weren’t there at the time to see it. It was big and scary.”
“That’s true I guess. So what about your other reasons for seeing a therapist? Running from a bear can’t be the only thing that’s making you shell out thousands of dollars to go talk to a professional.”
“That part is off limits mister,” she said in a motherly tone.
“Now you’ve got me even more curious. Come on mom. It’s just us in the woods. You said you wanted us to spent quality time together, right? That’s what people do when they camp and sit by the fireplace, they let their guards down and share revealing stories about themselves.”
She paused for a moment and stared at me. “I’m seeing a therapist because I have…intimacy issues.”
“Intimacy issues?”
Mom looked genuinely conflicted about whether she should continue or not.
She took a deep breath. “I’ve only had three orgasms in my life because I have a hard time being comfortable with a man, or even with myself. There, now you know my little secret.”
“Oh…” I gasped, not knowing how to react.
“So there’s your honest answer. That’s why I never wanted to go into detail about why I’m seeing a therapist; because it’s embarrassing to talk about.”
“It’s really nothing to be ashamed of though,” I replied in a reassuring way. “Lots of women have intimacy issues. It’s definitely treatable based on the new research that’s out there.”
She gave a forced smile. “I know. My therapist says the same thing. We both agree that it stems from my own insecurities that I have. I’ve always been insecure about the way I look, among other things.”
For a moment, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. There was no doubt she was an attractive woman and had always presented herself with confidence and grace. But like most people with these sorts of issues, you can never really tell what’s going on underneath the surface.
“That’s common with many women. Even famous supermodels and actresses say they feel insecure about their appearance sometimes. And for what it’s worth, I think you’re a very beautiful woman. Seriously, whenever we go out together, it gets awkward seeing other guys look you over.”
“Thanks,” she smiled. “That means a lot coming from a stud like you. But it takes a little more than a few compliments and a few random guys hitting on me to fix my issues. I don’t know. I had a special connection with your father and even that wasn’t enough for me to fully enjoy intimacy. It’s been impossible to find someone else that I can connect with like that.”
“So that’s why you haven’t been on many dates?”
“Basically. It could be a great guy asking for my number, and I would always find a reason to say no. Either that or I would find a way to screw things up because I always think he’s going to reject me in the end.”
“You’re the kind of woman who can get any man she wants,” I replied. “Seriously, you’re beautiful, smart, funny, and you’re pretty good at cooking and cleaning. You’re a total package.”