Therapy With My Stepmom — Episode 1: Then Tell Me to Stop

Every Thursday at seven, Cole sinks into the chair by the fire in Riley's office. He first came to untangle the hurt Richard left behind after the divorce, when Richard simply stopped caring. He kept coming back for her. Riley knows every corner of his heart, while Cole knows only one thing about her: she smells like rain.

In Episode 1 of Therapy With My Stepmom, he turns a small purple heart keychain between his fingers. It is the only warm gift Richard ever gave him. Riley gently tells him he is still waiting for something. His answer lingers in the firelight: maybe he's waiting for something else. They both rise, the session ends, and the air turns heavy. She whispers that it can't be him and can't be here. Cole leans closer. "Then tell me to stop." She never does. She kisses him back, and nothing will ever be simple again.