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been meditating for hours. He shook each hand and then said with a grin, “Jack and I met earlier on his walk.”
    “Davey?” Jack asked, arching a brow at him.
    Looking a little bashful, Seth explained, “Sorry about that. Last Halloween a few of the counselors and I dressed up as the Monkees. I was Davey Jones. They called me that for months, and then the new people thought that was my name. Now I have a genuine alias.”
    Laughing at that, picturing Seth in his costume, Jack said, “I guess that could come in handy.”
    Seth nodded in agreement, his voice teasing as he said, “Yeah, if I ever flee the country, I’m sure it’ll be nice to have.”
    Rick was busy shifting cushions around the room, forming a small circle with them. He’d already kicked off his shoes and done a couple small stretches. Seth’s gaze stayed on Jack for a beat longer before he said to everyone, “Why don’t you guys all get comfortable and we’ll get started.”
    Jack glanced down at himself. He’d worn a suit for the day, partly because he liked the way he looked in it, and partly because he was more comfortable in his business clothes for things like this. He wore his suit like armor, hiding in it. “I’m fine like this—”
    Jack’s comment was cut off by Seth. “Shoes off, and maybe the tie? No one can be comfortable when their toes are pinched, and a tie is too much like a noose.”
    Raising a hand and shaking his head in playful protest, Jack told him, “They’re not pinched, I promise. These are handmade Italian loafers.”
    Seth cocked his head to the side and waited without saying a word. Before another minute passed, Jack and Marie had slipped off their shoes, and Jack had tucked his tie into his pocket. He took his jacket off too, trying to show he was willing to participate. Despite that fact, his palms were already sweaty.
    Doug, of course, had already made himself at home. He had his shoes off within seconds of seeing Rick do it. He sat on one of the cushions and smiled gamely, as if he did this every day. Jack’s mouth fell open as Doug asked happily, “Do we meditate first or anything?”
    Jack wasn’t sure he could fake his way through a meditation session on top of everything else.
    Taking a seat on the little cushion again, Seth flashed another grin and shook his head at Jack as if he were reading Jack’s thoughts. He told Doug, “If you like, sure. But we usually just have a little getting-to-know-you round and then start to dig a little deeper.”
    Sighing inwardly, Jack sat between Rick and Doug, trying not to grit his teeth. He hadn’t smoked in over twenty-five years—not since Marie told him she was pregnant—but he found himself patting down his pockets, unconsciously looking for a pack of cigarettes.
    Looking at Jack and seeming to catch the telltale signs of his body language, Seth told him, “Sorry, no smoking anywhere on the grounds.”
    Feeling like a deer caught in headlights, Jack said quickly, “I don’t smoke. I mean, I haven’t in decades. I just….”
    Rick looked at his father. “I didn’t know you smoked.”
    Nodding, feeling a little foolish, Jack told him, “Before you were born.”
    Smiling broadly, Seth chimed in, “See? We’re already getting to know each other.” He paused for a minute and glanced around the room before saying, “I realize you’re all pretty familiar with one another, but I want to open this like we would any group session, okay? I’ll start.” Seth settled more comfortably on the cushion, folding his legs under him and sitting up straight. “I’m Seth. My brother was an addict, and shortly after he died, I started volunteering and eventually got my degree in psychology, and I’m working on my certificates for drug and alcohol counseling. I’ve been here nearly a year, finishing up my work-study, and… I can help if you’ll let me.”

Chapter Five
     
     
    “I’M RICK and I’m a drug addict.” Rick closed his eyes and took a deep