Thomas stepped into the counseling office, the familiar scent of coffee and faint disinfectant lingering in the air. But something was off. At the desk sat a new gentleman in a well-fitted tweed jacket, and off to the side stood Ms. Hendrix, arms folded, an expression on her face that was both proud and bittersweet.

  “Thomas,” she said gently, “I’d like you to meet Dr. Jerry Morwell.”

  The man rose slightly and gave a small nod, his eyes sharp but not unkind.

  “I know this might come as a surprise,” Ms. Hendrix continued. “But Dr. Morwell will be working with you from now on. He’s here to take over my caseload.”

  Thomas’s expression faltered.

  Ms. Hendrix smiled, though a little tightly. “It’s been a real pleasure working with you. But I’ve been offered a position in private practice, and after a lot of thought, I’ve decided to take it.”

  “You don’t have to justify it to me,” Thomas said, his voice steadier than he expected. “I just want to say—thank you. I’ve really appreciated the time we’ve had. I pray you find the success you’re looking for.”

  Her eyes softened. “That means a lot. There’ll be a few weeks of transition, but for now I’ll let Dr. Morwell take over this session.”

  With a last look and a quiet nod, she turned and stepped out, leaving the door to click softly shut behind her.

  Dr. Morwell extended a hand across the desk. “Let’s start fresh, then.”

  Thomas stepped forward and shook it, noting the man’s firm grip and steady gaze.

  “You know,” Morwell said, settling back in his chair, “with the rumors floating around about you, I expected something different. I couldn’t tell if it would be something darker or something brighter—but not the quiet young man in front of me.”

  Thomas tilted his head, unsure what to say.

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  “Now, let’s get something straight right off the bat,” Morwell continued, his voice low and deliberate. “I know your private name—Tzuriel ben Sholomoh.”

  Thomas froze. His eyes widened, mouth slightly open. The name echoed in the room like a key turning in a lock.

  “Good,” said Morwell with a faint smile. “Now that I have your attention. First, a quick clarification—you’ve submitted your report on Summa Theologica, correct?”

  “Yes,” Thomas answered slowly. “I was tested in lodge on Tuesday.”

  “Good. Do you know why I’m here?”

  “I assume… to help me walk through the next stage.”

  Morwell shook his head slightly. “Not helping. Guiding. There’s a difference. What we’re doing now—it’s not standard protocol. But then again, you’re not exactly a standard case.”

  He paused, then leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.

  “Before we go further… I heard something. That you spent this past weekend at the house of the girl you’re courting, and that you didn’t touch her. Because of the laws of niddah. Is that true?”

  Thomas nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  “Would you care to explain why? Actually—how you felt about it?”

  Thomas paused, choosing his words with care. “The why is simple. We were asked to observe it. We were given the choice. And… we accepted. Honestly, our relationship started with a service project—it grew from there. As for how I felt?” He shrugged. “It was intense. Like walking on a wire, emotionally. But also—it clarified some things. It made the choices we were making… real.”

  Morwell gave a low whistle. “That’s why we need to clarify this situation—what with your future father-in-law being who he is.”

  Thomas gave a small, wry smile. “Yes.”

  “I’m going to be honest with you,” Morwell said, his voice softening. “When they told me you’d be a difficult test—not a case, a test—I didn’t expect it to be for these reasons. They said you’d test me. Because you’ve got insight, discipline… and a multi-layer shell I’ll need your trust to get through.”

  He hesitated. “Do you know you’re neurodivergent?”

  Thomas blinked. “I’m not sure what that means.”

  “It means your brain’s wired differently. Not wrongly. Just—differently. It also means it might be harder for you to communicate with your peers. I’m trying to get a sense of how much that applies to you.”

  Thomas gave a dry laugh. “Honestly? My life’s been insane these past few months. I went from collecting coins over the summer to… having a place to live. Friends. A girl I care about. All in the last two months. And—yeah, I forgot to mention—I’ve been accepted into her family.”

  He rubbed his face with both hands, then looked up again.

  “So yeah, maybe I’m a little hard to follow today. I just lost someone I trusted, and that takes time.”

  Morwell leaned back and nodded, letting the silence settle for a beat.

  “Well, Thomas—Tzuriel—we’ve got time. And I have a feeling we’re going to need it.”