Background: Marliece is named after the PMOM the month she was born, who also happened to be an actress on Baywatch, her mother's favorite show. She was a middle child to a single mother, and has memories "as far back as I can think" of her mother prostituting herself in their trailer.
Lee Thomas, PhD, is sitting at his desk, typing on his computer, when a young woman comes to his open office door. She hesitates, but he looks up and says in a friendly voice, "Come in, Marliece. Have a seat." Marliece makes her way to the couch, and Dr. Thomas walks over to his chair on the opposite side of the coffee table. His posture is relaxed, while it's clear Marliece is nervous.
As always, she feels uneasy as Dr. Thomas sits and looks at her, the seconds of her therapy session ticking away as she gets up the nerve to speak.
"I want to talk about my custody hearing, and what you're going to say in your report Dr. Thomas. I miss my babies so much, and it's almost killed me not seeing 'em the last 6 months. I've been honest with you and done my best to open up about my past and my feelings. I told you about my boyfriend letting guys have sex with me if they paid him when I was in high school. I told you about being raped when I was dancing at that club, and how I didn't know my oldest boy's father because I'd had sex with my boyfriend the night before.
"I told you about turning tricks after I lost my job there because I started showing, and I was honest about using drugs. I've worked real hard to know myself better and learn ways to cope that don't involve getting drunk or high. Have I done enough to get my boys back, Dr?"
Dr Thomas sits silently for a moment, as if he's thinking deeply about the question. Finally, he says "yes, Marliece, you have worked very hard, and I'm proud of you for that. There is much left to explore, though, and much work yet to do. I worry that you don't have the strength to resist the stresses of single motherhood which led you to use methamphetamine in the first place, and that could easily lead you to a relapse."
"Yes sir, my whole life seems like it's been hard, and it helped to talk to you about it. My whole life has been bad except for my babies. I wouldn't do nothing to harm them. I'm almost done with my GED, and when I'm done there I'm going to the technical college so I can get qualified for a better job. I want to give my boys a good life, Dr. Thomas. I'll do anything to get them back so I can start doing that."
He appears thoughtful for a long moment, then looks at Marliece intently and says "anything?"
"Yes, Doctor. I'd do whatever you want me to do to prove how much I've changed."
Dr. Thomas stands and walks around the coffee table, then sits next to Marliece on the couch, their knees almost touching. He has never sat on the couch with her before, and Marliece is clearly surprised and caught off guard. In a tone that is more a statement than a question, he says "so you'd do anything... Perhaps you should show me how much you want to see your sons again, Marliece."
Marliece hesitates awkwardly. A look flashes across her eyes, a look of recognition, sadness, betrayal, and resignation. He can tell she knows what she has to do.
"I'm not sure what you mean, Dr. Thomas. I've done everything you're asked of me."
"I'm not going to ask you to do anything more, Marliece. You know there are ways to persuade men when they have something you want, though. After you were fired as a dancer you wanted money, and you persuaded men to give it to you. When you were an addict, you persuaded dealers to give you drugs even when you were dead broke."
"Are you going to make me have sex with you, Dr. Thomas?"
