Jane let go of Sherry's hands and sat back in her chair, looking at Sherry intently. "All of the events leading up to our current state had to have occurred at just the right time and in the right order. With your cause-and-effect idea, Sherry, you sound like a higher power set up everything. I'm dubious of that idea, Sherry."

With a gleam in her eye, Sherry answered, "Be dubious all you want, Janie. But we both know the events happened just as I laid out. 'A' led to 'B,' which led to 'C,' which led to, well, you know the rest. What if it hadn't been his mom's 35th birthday and he hadn't been at Taylor's that day? You want me to run through what wouldn't have happened again? I can if you want." Sherry laughed when Jane waved her hands back and forth in the air, signaling Sherry not to repeat her flow diagram. "I thought not," she replied to Jane's hand waving. "Janie, whether it was a higher power, fate, Karma, the stars aligning correctly, or anything else you want to site, the events lined up in the correct order for Charles to end up here with you. And provide the help you all needed at the moment it was needed."

Jane leaned forward, reached across the table, and took Sherry's hands. "You make a strong case, Sherry, the results can't be denied. However the events aligned, I'm thankful they did and we received the help we unknowingly needed. But right now, my love, I must see if my home is still standing." Jane looked deeply into Sherry's eyes, telling her, "I am still profoundly grateful for everything you did for me when I was a total mess. I'm profoundly sorry for what I put you through during that time. I can only offer you my undying love and eternal respect, and be there any time you are in need."

They both reached up and wiped the tears off the other woman's face. When Sherry could speak, she told Jane, "I couldn't let anything happen to you back then, Janie. You were a need I had to have at the time, a life-saver if you will. I may not have shown it then, but I was a real mess inside. Needing to keep you from self-destructing helped me pull myself together enough to finally be rid of the mess inside of me. I don't think Jill would have gone on to medical school if it hadn't been for your needs. She may never tell you, but she was messed up more than I was. Caring for you, being there for you, helped her focus on someone besides herself. And in that moment, she had a realization that helped her pull herself together. We may be even more grateful to you and you are with us. We're never going to leave you, Janie, until our times come. If you need us, we'll drop everything and be here as quickly as we can." They again reached across the table and wiped the additional tears sliding down their faces.

They were silent for a few moments, staring into each other's eyes as they held hands across the table. Jane finally broke the silence by saying, "Well, I better go inspect my home. No telling what those kobolde (goblins) have been up to."

Still holding hands, they rose from their chairs together and continued holding hands as they walked to the study door. When they reached the study door, and before Jane opened it, they turned to each other and embraced. Looking into each other's eyes, they told each other, "I love you so much," before kissing the other on the cheek. As Jane released Sherry, turned, and opened the study door, Sherry said, "Would you please have Toby come and see me? He's worried about how to handle what people think of his scars." Jane nodded, then left the study, leaving the door open and Sherry standing at the door.

Sherry was lost in thought when she felt a light tap on her arm holding the doorknob on the study door. Shaking herself, she saw Toby standing in front of her, a big smile on his face. "I've only seen that look on someone's face when they are mulling over something they've said, and whether what they said was the right thing to have said. Care to talk about it? It might make you feel better?"

The smile on Toby's face was infectious, causing Sherry to smile. "Hey! I'm the psychologist here not you, at least not yet," and she gently tapped Toby on his nose. "Get in here and go sit down, you rapscallion." Sherry kept talking as Toby walked over to the table and as she closed the study door. "Do you realize everything about the current state of affairs has been cause and effect?" Sherry asked, as she started walking over to the table, sat down, and looked at Toby, who had waited until she sat down before he pulled out his chair and sat down. "It all started with you and your brother."

Toby gave Sherry a puzzled look, asking, "Me and my brother?"

"Yes, you and your brother. Think about it, Toby. If your brother hadn't been involved in that shoplifting gang, he wouldn't have forced you to help by beating you." Toby nodded his head. "You wouldn't have started shoplifting to save yourself from more beatings." Another head nod from Toby. "You wouldn't have been caught at Taylor's and falsely accused Charles." Another head nod. "And you and Charles wouldn't be here now. Neither would there be a price on your head. Cause and effect Toby."

Watching Toby closely, Sherry watched him grind his mental gears until the light came on behind his eyes. "And if all of the things you described hadn't happened, Charles wouldn't have helped everyone he's helped since he's been here."

Despite herself, Sherry clapped her hands, then said, "You got it in one, Toby. Francis would still be going through the motions instead of being open as she is now. Those boys Charlotte tangled with would still be running amuck at the Mall. If you didn't know, the girl she helped at the salon would still be hiding in the back because of her terrible acne. And your two guardians would still be treating Francis as they normally treat their girls."

She saw more gears grinding in Toby's mind before he said, "But… "

Leaning over the table, an excited smile on her face, Sherry said, "Go on. But what, Toby?"

He got a constipated look on his face before going on with, "But that would mean events would have had to happen in just the right order and at just the right time. Are you trying to say there was divine intervention involved?"

Hearing Toby state a logical conclusion, Sherry threw her hands up, clapped, cheered, laughed, and threw herself back into her chair all in one motion. In a sardonic voice, Toby asked, "Are you okay? You act like you just won a million-dollar jackpot or a trip around the world."

Laughing, Sherry threw herself forward, reached across the table, and took Toby's hands, the excited smile still showing broadly. "You are the million-dollar jackpot, that trip around the world, Toby. Given the little I told you, you reasoned out that events had to occur in a specific order, and at a specific time."

"Yeeaahh… okay so? Anyone could have figured that out."

Shaking her head, Sherry countered with, "No they couldn't, Toby. Most people don't think in a linear manner. Their thoughts are all over the map. It's like they're in one of those glass tubes on a games show, trying to grab as much of the wind-blown money as they can. They may eventually get there, but only after struggling to find all the pieces. You, on the other hand, saw all the pieces, and after carefully examining them, came to the only logical conclusion possible. If those events I described never happened, I wouldn't be here, you wouldn't be here, Charles wouldn't be here, and those having been helped would still need help. Now, as to your divine intervention question, who's to say? What are the odds of everything lining up and falling into place at the right moment and… at the right time?"

Answering, Toby said, "Probably as likely as flipping a quarter into the air and it landing on its edge and not falling over. But it all sounds so, I don't know, mysterious. If you watch life around you, it's chaotic, unorganized, random, unpredictable. Oh, some things can be predicted, and are accurately predicted, but for the most part, it's like throwing a handful of confetti into the air and trying to determine where every piece will land, during a strong wind."

Still smiling, Sherry said, "Good analogies, Toby, but for whatever reasons, things came together at the right moment, and at the right time, it all did happen. And personally, I think there was a big hand involved." Toby smiled after Sherry gave her personal opinion, then heard, "I'm afraid I got us sidetracked from the reason I want to speak with you. You wanted to know how to deal with people who question all the scaring on your body."

Sherry watched as Toby presented an uncomfortable expression on his face. "What do I tell them when they ask? I could be rude and tell them it's none of the damn business, but I couldn't be rude to someone asking an innocent question. Do I tell them the truth, make up a story, or just ignore them? I've seen my back. I know no matter what Thomas and his team can do for me, I'm going to have scars on my back. And… " Toby paused, looking down at his hands being held by Sherry. "And what do I tell a girl I might want to be with? Will those scars turn her off? Will I be a Quasimodo to her?"

Sherry reached up and gently wiped the tears now staining Toby's cheeks. Taking his hands again, she told him, "Esmarelda learned the truth about Quasimodo, the big heart he had despite his deformities. She looked past the ugliness others saw and saw a heart of gold, and a mind to match. He wasn't allowed to use his mind because it was equated with his ugliness. Many girls will take one look at the scars you have and go running into the night, screaming as they run. But the girl meant for you will be your Esmarelda. She will look past what your body holds and see the heart and mind you possess. And, how handsome a young man you are. Again, it's my personal belief I'm telling you now, but I believe we all have that special someone waiting for us, and waiting to meet us. But sometimes, because of something happening in our lives, we miss that appointment and the opportunity to meet that person. We allow what happened to us limit our actions. We hide ourselves away, letting life pass us by. Missing opportunity after opportunity until it's too late."

Sherry stopped speaking, picked up her glass of water, and took a long drink before she continued speaking. "Toby, it isn't about the assholes who'll be rude and ask rude questions about your scars. Or about the innocent questions you'll receive or those who stare from a distance. It's about you, Toby, and how you choose to handle all of this. You can hold your head up and tell the assholes where to go. You can be kind and explain it to the one asking the innocent question. And those who haven't learned not to stare, you can ignore them and go on about your business. Or, you can let others see how self-conscious you are about your scars whenever you're out in public. They may see the scars on your legs if you're wearing shorts, but unless you walk around without a shirt, or you're an exhibitionist and go buck naked, no one will see your back or butt. Except, maybe… that one girl who becomes your steady. The one meant just for you. Have I answered your questions, Toby? Have I helped you see how it isn't about others and their responses, but your choices that matter? There are plenty of people who've lost arms and legs, or the ability to walk, or have terrible burn scars, who have got on with their lives despite their losses or appearances. You can do the same, Toby, if you choose to do so."

Toby was quiet after what he heard from Sherry, the occasional tear sliding down his cheeks. Then, softly, he said, "You make it sound so easy, Sherry. Just as water rolls off a duck's back."

Reaching across the table again, she took his hands then replied, "Oh, no, sweetheart. No no no no, that's not what I'm saying. I've counseled many who were in your position, and I know it won't be easy. What I'm telling you is that it's your decision how you'll respond or how you'll carry yourself. Toby, I've seen an extremely confident young man the entire time I've been here and around you. Like Jane exudes authority, you exude confidence. People see it in you, you practically radiate confidence. Why, your confidence radiates so brightly, you could walk down the street on a moonless night and not need a flashlight."

Sherry chuckled when she watched as Toby rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Gads, Sherry, you want me to get you a wider brush? The one you're using is a tad small."

Smiling, Sherry playfully swatted Toby's right hand, replying, "Yes, I know I'm laying it on thick, Toby. But it's all true. Jane, Marie, Jill, Susan, even the girls would agree with me. You. Exude. Confidence." Sherry punctuated each word by gently tapping Toby's left hand. "You may be shaking on the inside, but outside, no one notices. I'll tell you something to drive the point home. Not too many days ago, Jane was going through a rough patch. She was sent riding and her mare took her to the pond. She was explicit in telling Jane to get off and sit on the bench at the pond. It was the fish that got Jane's attention with their antics, as they made ripples in the pond, then ducking back under the water afterward. It was their way of telling Jane to let the ripples pass over her and continue on with her life. Let those who have no real interest in your life say what they want. Let their words pass you by and continue on with what you're doing. Choose not to care what they have to say, but neither let them walk all over you."

Toby let go of Sherry's hands, stood up, and walked around the table to stand in front of the window. "You've given me a lot to think about, Sherry. So much, in fact, it's making my head hurt."

Getting up from her own chair, Sherry stepped behind Toby, gently put her arms around him, before saying, "I'm sorry, Toby. I know I gave you a lot of information to process. But I have faith in you, Toby. I know, if you choose, you can stand tall and walk through another hell storm and come out the other side even stronger. Come on, we better get you back to the library, or wherever Jane wants you to go."

Sherry walked Toby to the study door, her arm around his shoulder. "For now, Toby," she said as they walked. "Before you go off the deep end with worry, wait until you see how Thomas' treatment helps you. You may discover you have nothing to worry about from others. I know, I know, it sounds easy, doesn't it? It can be if you decide to let it be easy." When they reached the study door, Sherry opened it and asked, "Would you please ask Charlotte to come and see me?" Nodding his head, Toby walked out of the study and to the library. Talking to herself after Toby left her, she told herself, "A lot of things are easier said than done, aren't they, Sherry?"

Brightening as she saw Charlotte walking toward her, Sherry called out, "Are you ready for another session with me, Charlotte?" Charlotte answered Sherry's question by giving Sherry a Galic shrug before she walked into the study. Sherry closed the study door and followed Charlotte to the table. After the two sat down, Sherry asked, "Do you have any more ghosts in your past, Charlotte? Anything from school or elsewhere?"

Watching Charlotte think about her questions, Sherry picked up her glass of water and took a long drink. She filled her glass, then poured a glass of water for Charlotte. Because of previous sessions with Charlotte, Sherry could tell that Charlotte was ready to give her an answer. "Sherry, except for those two times I finally got out into the open, I can't think of anything else from school hiding in the shadows. I do, though, feel sort of bad about what I had to do to James Conner the day this whole thing started. Even though I know I was only defending myself, I hate it when I have to hurt someone."

Sherry heard a creaking sound in her head, a realization Charlotte had just opened a door for her. "And how do you feel about the boys at the Mall you hurt? Do you regret what you had to do to them?"

Frowning, Charlotte sat there examining her feelings about what she had to do to those boys at the Mall. She looked at Sherry and said, "I wish it didn't have to happen, Sherry. But I was just defending myself and Aunt Jane."

Boring into Charlotte's eyes, Sherry said, "That isn't what I asked you, Charlotte. I asked how you 'feel' about what you did. You're evading the question again, Charlotte. Why?"

Charlotte didn't try to pull her hands away when Sherry reached across the table and took her hands. That episode in her life had been brought out into the open and she no longer feared someone holding her hands. "You told me you'd been trained by people I'd never heard of, so I imagine during your training they taught you to disassociate your feelings when dealing with an attacker?" Watching Sherry nod her head, Charlotte continued. "I was taught the same during an attack. While my senseis sparred with me, during the times they wanted me to learn not to let my feelings dictate how I fought, I got my butt kicked multiple times because I'd get mad while we sparred. Even after the sparring ended, I'd be furious because I couldn't do what I wanted to do as we fought. Then one night, my dad was there watching as I sparred with one of my senseis and saw how mad I got as we sparred and afterward. After I'd changed and we were leaving the dojo, he chuckled after I walked right by him and out of the dojo, still fuming over my failure that night. We didn't go right home but stopped off at an ice cream shop; dad knows I'm a sucker for ice cream when I'm angry. After getting our ice cream, we sat down at a table and because I was still mad, I was eating my ice cream like tomorrow wouldn't come. Dad reached across the table and put a hand on my right hand, stopping me from putting the next spoonful in my mouth. Then he told me something I hadn't considered. He said, 'You're trying to run before you've learned to roll over. A baby lies on their back for a long time, then one day, they do something that helps them roll over. The parents put them on their back the next time and they roll over again. Now when they're put on their back, they roll themselves over and lie on their stomach. Then one day, they do something and they end up on their knees. Of course, they fall down the first few times but eventually stay on their knees. Then one day they move an arm or a knee and bring the other arm or knee up to steady themselves and end up slowly moving from place to place on their knees. They just learned to crawl. Then one day they find a couch or chair, and pull themselves up to a standing position. (The first time you did that, you let out a happy squeal before plopping down on your butt.) The baby plops down over and over until they finally get the hang of keeping their balance. Well, once they discover their balance, they have to be watched like a hawk because they then start using whatever they can hold onto and start walking everywhere. Then one day they discover they no longer need the support of a couch, chair, or anything else because they learned to balance while walking unaided. That's when the fun really begins. It starts slow at first, but eventually, they're running all over the house, and they're fast, Charles. And because they now can walk, anything you don't want them getting into has to be locked or put away where they can't get into it. Charles, you're trying to run before you've learned how to roll over. I was the same way during my first several court cases. It wasn't until one of the older partners in the firm I was with, sat me down and explained what I've just explained to you. As I started practicing rolling over when I entered the courtroom, I got better as a lawyer. Then the day I learned how to run, the minute I entered the courtroom, I'd left my personal feelings and attitude out in the hallway.'

"I thought long and hard about what dad told me that night, about how it all made sense if you needed to be completely focused while doing something. It was hard at first, I'd still got mad, but gradually, over time, I learned to run. So the only answer I can give you to your question about my feelings over what I did, can only be after it was all over. Because when someone attacks me, I lock my feelings away and become focused solely on the attacker. I just wish I didn't have to hurt them at times. I wish they'd listen to me as I try to talk them into going away. I tried to do that to the kid I eventually slammed into the window of that store. Or when those boys blocked me when I was looking in a store window. He tried to touch my face, then got mad because of what I initially did to him and tried to punch me. We tried to reason with Peter and those other two boys outside the Mall that one time, but all four didn't like some girl, or woman, telling them what to do. So, they got hurt."

Letting go of Charlotte's hands, Sherry reached up and wiped the tears Charlotte was shedding. Sitting back in her chair after wiping tears from Charlotte's cheeks, she looked at the hurting boy sitting in front of her presenting as a girl. Her mind was racing, looking for a way to approach Charles to make him see it wasn't wrong to hurt someone in defense of yourself or another person. She thought of an idea and decided to see if it would work. "Charles," Sherry said softly, "Let's go over what you had to do and see if there was another way you could have handled those situations, okay?" Seeing Charles nod his head, she began. "James Conner put his hand on your shoulder without identifying himself and you put him on the floor with your knee on the back of his neck and his arm twisted up behind his back. Instead of just putting you into the holding room, he shoved you in the room and followed you, closing and locking the door behind him, intent on making you confess to your involvement in the shoplifting. He thought he'd intimidate you with a police baton, which you eventually used to not only break his left collarbone but the ulna and radius in his right forearm."

"Now you're here at Seasons House, volunteering to be one of Jane's girls. She takes you to the Mall so you can experience what many girls your age experience from the pigs that roam such Malls. The first pig is deaf and ends up being slammed into the window of a store you were in front of. He tries it with another girl and you point it out to the Mall security guards. The next boy tries to touch you, only to end up on his knees with his hand painfully bent backward. He doesn't like that, does he, so when the security guards are busy with his two friends, he tries to punch you, only to have you knock him out. Then the first boy is waiting for you outside the Mall, where he tries to attack you as you exit the Mall. He didn't count on Jane dealing with him, did he, and he again ends up on his knees with his hand in a painful position. Then the boy's so-called friends show up, and you and Jane deal with them, with you kicking one boy in the stomach, causing him to drop to his knees, with breathing troubles. So why were those boys assaulted by you and Jane?"

Having a stern frown on his face, Charles told Sherry, "We didn't assault anyone. We defended ourselves. And when I'm with Aunt Jane, no one is going to attack her."

Sherry's idea had worked, she got Charles to admit he was defending himself and Jane. "So, there wasn't another way you could have stopped those boys? You had to assault them?"

"Damn, it, Sherry! I told you, we defended ourselves! And, no, unless we wanted to be hit by those boys, there was no other way." Charles shot back.

Charles saw the smirk on Sherry's lips just as she said, "So, you hurt those boys to keep from being hurt, right? Nothing you could have said would have prevented them from hitting you, right? And neither you nor Jane instigated the conflict initially, right? Those boys chose how to react, right? They instigated your responses, right? You had to hurt them to end their assault on you and Jane, right? Neither you nor Jane went to the Mall to get your jollies off hurting those boys, right? It was you or them, defend yourselves or get hurt, right?"

Sitting back in her chair again, Sherry watched Charles mull over everything she just asked him. She chuckled when she saw his face drop, look at her, and tell her, "Ya, know. You're a sly piece of crap, Sherry. You wind me up, then push me in a direction that makes me see the point you're trying to make. Damn, you're good, woman." Sherry laughed for a few moments before Charles continued speaking. "I see your point, Sherry. We couldn't have said anything to those boys to stop their attacks on us, their egos had been assaulted by a girl and a woman. They couldn't let the assault on their egos go unchallenged, so they attacked us, causing us to defend ourselves. They got hurt, but it was their own doing, they bit off more than they were able to chew. And because we hurt them while defending ourselves, we, rather I, shouldn't feel bad they got themselves hurt. Right?"

"That's right, Charles. You got it in one. You were not taken to the Mall to kick ass and forget about names, though had you done that, you might have had to deal with one angry tiger, and I feel you could have dealt with that tiger. But it's what happened while you were there. So you have no reason to feel sad because someone attacking you was hurt during the attack. However, if during those attacks, you accidentally hit someone not involved in the attacks, then feeling sad they were accidentally hit would be a justifiable reaction. And you should feel sad. But you have no reason to feel it was unjust to hurt someone when they attacked you."

Taking a drink of her water, Sherry broached another subject. "Now, I have another question for you. Thinking back to the two times in elementary school, when those two boys shoved your head into the toilet and put you into that urinal, were you angry at those boys for what they did to you?"

Throughout her career, Sherry had honed her observation skills to the point she could determine what a person was thinking about after she asked them a question if she'd met with them more than once. As she watched Charlotte after her question, Charlotte's expression told Sherry she was thinking back to the time in elementary school. After that expression was one telling Sherry Charlotte was talking to herself, asking herself the question Sherry asked. And now came the expression that told Sherry she was ready to answer the question. "I'm not sure, Sherry. I wasn't happy about what they did to me, though in the end, they paid the price. But I can't remember being angry with them. Why would you ask such a question, Sherry? Have I been acting angry because subconsciously I'm still upset over what happened?"

Looking at Charlotte with a critical eye, Sherry asked, "Have you? Are you aware of recently acting angry? Do you feel angry at times because something reminds you of that time? And what made you bring up your subconscious? Is that an area you're interested in pursuing?"

Again, Sherry watched as the expressions portrayed by Charlotte told her how she was thinking and about what. Then Charlotte's 'I'm ready to speak' expression arrived, followed by Charlotte saying, "I don't think I've been acting out because of being angry over what they did to me at that time. I was angry at Toby when he first arrived, all because he lied about my involvement in the shoplifting at Taylor's. But after seeing what he'd been going through just to survive, I lost what anger I originally had. As to bringing up my subconscious, yes, it's something I'm interested in pursuing. I want to attend medical school and specialize in psychiatry, it's a strong desire I've had for a number of years. When I'm not reading ahead in my classes while in the library, or reading material I'd take in my sophomore, junior, or senior years, I read what the library has on psychiatry. I've even gone through everything the library has on medicine. As I once said, I received a dispensation from our local University to take Anatomy and Physiology, so if/when I get to University, those two courses are out of the way. And before you ask, I received straight 'A's' in both courses. Would you care to hear my dissertation about those two courses?"

Laughing, Sherry relied, "Gawd, no, I had to work my butt off to get through both of those courses. I aced them, but have no want to remember them. So, psychiatry, huh? Why not psychology? You won't rack up a huge debt, and you'll be practicing much sooner. With psychiatry, you have what, four years at University, another four or five years of medical school, then your residency? So it will be what, nine or ten years before you start practicing?"

Charlotte shook yer head, saying, "More like twelve years. There are four years of college or University, four years of medical school, and then four years in a Psychiatry residency program; I looked up the requirements when I realized I was interested in that field. But I don't think it will take me that long to get through University and get my degree. You see, I looked up the courses I'd need to take at our local University to get my BS. Then, during the summer, I'd go to our public library and check out what books they had for those courses. And if the library didn't have those books, dad would go with me to the University library or the University bookstore and we'd buy the books I'd need for those courses. Sherry, I honestly believe I could test out of almost all of the courses I'd have to take to get my BS. There are some I'd have to take because of labs being involved. But the bookwork classes, I could test out in all but a handful of courses because I couldn't find the required books anywhere."

Sitting quietly after what Charlotte told her, Sherry planned her next set of questions. When she spoke, her first question was, "Do you think it wise to rush through school to obtain your BS? I've no doubt, given what I've seen you do here, you could test out of those courses you've already studied. But what about being in a class and allowing others to hear your ideas and answers? Ideas and answers they never considered or ideas and answers that might help them at some point. Then there are the individual professors and instructors. Might you learn something from what they have to say on the subject they're teaching?" Sherry leaned across the table before saying, "And why in thunder are you in such a rush to get where you want to go? You want to go into a field dealing with people's lives by delving into their minds. If you rush through your higher education, you might miss something critical you may need in helping someone one day. Charles, education isn't only about bookwork and/or labs, it's absorbing knowledge through observations. I've seen how observant you are and how well you can read a situation. Use that ability as you attend your schools, learn about behaviors by observing behaviors. Watch your classmates, your instructors, life as you walk between classes, when you're at the student union, or in the cafeteria. You'll learn just as much, if not more, by observing the people around you."

Leaning back in her chair again, she watched as Charlotte thought about everything she'd said, then chuckled and said, "Jeeze, Sherry. You think I could answer one question before you act like a Gatlin gun with more questions?"

Before Charlotte could say more, Sherry leaned across the table and asked, "So you want one question at a time, huh? Okay, first question. When you defended yourself from those three boys, did you think of them as the two boys who stuck your head in the toilet and put you into the urinal?"

Charlotte sat quietly for a long time before saying, "Thinking back, I don't remember thinking that, Sherry, but if I did subconsciously, I wouldn't know, would I?"

"No, Charlotte, no you wouldn't. But it is something you need to guard against. There something called a Root cause, ever heard of it?" When Charlotte shook her head no, Sherry started explaining it to her. "Let's take your not wanting praise because of what happened to you in elementary school. You were embarrassed over what those two boys did to you so you shied away from anything you'd do where someone would praise you. The Root cause of you shying away from praise of any kind are the events that took place when you were in elementary school. You never dealt openly with them so they stayed buried, influencing everything you did in your life afterward. But we've dealt with them, brought both out into the open so you had no choice but to face them head on. While you seem to be handling being pulled into the shoplifting mess okay now, the more you talk about it with me the less of a chance it'd become your next Root cause for something that could happen later on. Now, to my next question, Charlotte, about rushing through higher learning. What are your answers to my previous questions, knowing the field you'll be entering?"