Jun 27, 2026 · 8 min · 7 segments
Author and Boys Book Club co-founder Lucas Oakeley reads from his debut novel *Nearly Departed* in this passage episode of Character Study. Lucas reads the chapter *What Dreams May Come,* in which…
Lucas OakeleyGuest
Freya BromleyHost
Joel had been having semi-regular therapy sessions with Dr. Shah since Beth died.
He wasn't sure if inheriting a dead girlfriend's therapist was a particularly healthy thing to do, but he'd done it anyway, and Dr. Shah hadn't had any complaints about taking his money.
He'd forgotten he had his session booked in until his Google Calendar reminded him, churlishly, of its existence an hour before it was supposed to start.
Joel preferred having a couple of days to prepare and get in the right headspace for a deep and meaningful conversation.
Dr. Shah put the kibosh on him calling them DMZs, but he figured having therapy for a day wasn't the worst idea in the world.
Dr. Shah might even be able to give him some tips on interesting conversation starters.
She spoke slowly yet sharply, annuncing the tail end of every word as if she was speaking in serif.
He turned his eyes to the ceiling and stared at the delicate petals bursting from the centre of her ceiling rose.
He found it easier to speak when he didn't have to worry about looking into Dr. Shah's achingly sincere eyes.
"'It's always the same,' he said, shuffling his shoulder blades deep into the lounge chair and closing his eyes in zen-like fashion." I'm at a train station.
And why wouldn't I? So I'm there, nose deep in the pages, getting all down and dirty with Heathcliff and company, waiting for my train.
She's like this ray of sunlight sent down from heaven cutting a spotlight through the grey of the world and she's got this look of beautiful determination on her face.
She hasn't seen me yet but because her head is down and she's walking to her favourite spot on the platform, the place where she knows she'll be able to slide into the train and get a seat.
so she stops at a spot and what does she pull out of her backpack but a copy of Wuthering Heights same edition as mine maybe a bit more worn and dog-eared more red now at this point I'm transfixed right I can't believe what I'm seeing because what are the chances I know it's not like a niche book or anything but still coincidences like that don't just happen and then she looks up Her eyes meet with mine across the train tracks and we share this moment.
Joel had been having semi-regular therapy sessions with Dr. Shah since Beth died.
He wasn't sure if inheriting a dead girlfriend's therapist was a particularly healthy thing to do, but he'd done it anyway, and Dr. Shah hadn't had any complaints about taking his money.
He'd forgotten he had his session booked in until his Google Calendar reminded him, churlishly, of its existence an hour before it was supposed to start.
Joel preferred having a couple of days to prepare and get in the right headspace for a deep and meaningful conversation.
Dr. Shah put the kibosh on him calling them DMZs, but he figured having therapy for a day wasn't the worst idea in the world.
Dr. Shah might even be able to give him some tips on interesting conversation starters.
She spoke slowly yet sharply, annuncing the tail end of every word as if she was speaking in serif.
He turned his eyes to the ceiling and stared at the delicate petals bursting from the centre of her ceiling rose.
He found it easier to speak when he didn't have to worry about looking into Dr. Shah's achingly sincere eyes.
"'It's always the same,' he said, shuffling his shoulder blades deep into the lounge chair and closing his eyes in zen-like fashion." I'm at a train station.
And why wouldn't I? So I'm there, nose deep in the pages, getting all down and dirty with Heathcliff and company, waiting for my train.
She's like this ray of sunlight sent down from heaven cutting a spotlight through the grey of the world and she's got this look of beautiful determination on her face.
She hasn't seen me yet but because her head is down and she's walking to her favourite spot on the platform, the place where she knows she'll be able to slide into the train and get a seat.
so she stops at a spot and what does she pull out of her backpack but a copy of Wuthering Heights same edition as mine maybe a bit more worn and dog-eared more red now at this point I'm transfixed right I can't believe what I'm seeing because what are the chances I know it's not like a niche book or anything but still coincidences like that don't just happen and then she looks up Her eyes meet with mine across the train tracks and we share this moment.
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