When Dally arrived at the rehab the next day, he knew by the looks in people's eyes that they already knew what had happened. The paramedics must've called and then the word spread like wild fire. Dally quietly went into his room, which was still available, and stretched out on the bed.
In a few minutes a guard stuck his head in - "Anne wants to see you." Dallas sighed, but got up and went to Anne's office.
"Hi Dallas," she said sounding friendly, "come in, take a seat." Dallas took a seat and looked down. Usually he would feel brave and stare her in the eyes just to get her mad, but now he just felt exhausted.
"Dallas, I realize what happened is a very traumatic experience so if you need to talk about it you can talk to me." Dallas was silent, he swallowed hard - "I don't need to talk, I just want to quit."
"What do you mean?" she leaned in a little closer.
"The booze, I just want to quit." Dallas muttered, his voice quivering slightly. She seemed pleased, "is that why you came back?" Dally nodded.
"I am very glad to hear it Dallas. If you fully participate in the program you will recover. We had people that were more dependent than you and they recovered. Are you ready to fully participate?" Dallas sighed, sinking deeper into his seat. "I am," he managed barely audibly, still not looking her in the eyes.
"You are excused from the groups today. Get some rest. Tomorrow you can start participating in groups."
The next day Dallas went to group as he always did. Only this time he wasn't wise cracking and refusing to talk, but he actually listened what others had to say. He found a lot of similarities in the other people's stories. Many of them had alcoholic parents. He spaced out thinking about his old man and how he drank all the time, when Anne's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "So Dallas would you like to tell us a little about your situation?" Dally looked up – all eyes were on him, and he actually felt kind of intimidated. He cleared his throat – "I don't know where to start."
He swallowed hard then continued. "Well, my mom left when I was three so it has always been me and my dad. He's been drinking for as long as I can remember. So I picked up the habit from him." He paused gathering his thoughts, then continued, "It's just the way to deal…" he paused again, "Go on, is it just a way to deal with things?" Anne prompted. "Yeah," Dally continued, "That's how it was at first - when I was upset or mad or nervous it would calm my nerves. And then it just became a necessity. I couldn't go on without a drink. But I really want to quit now." He sighed and felt a lump form in his throat.
Anne looked at Dallas and smiled. "Very good Dallas. Recognizing that you have a problem and wanting to stop it are the two most important steps. You will kick the habit. I promise you that." Dallas looked away, "I sure hope so." He mumbled.
A few weeks passed by. Dally was doing much better. He talked in groups and started socializing with other patients. One thing though was still as bad - he was still getting advances from psychiatrist, and he didn't know how to stop it. She kept writing bad reports about him. He decided to tell Anne anyway even though he knew most likely she wouldn't believe him.
One day Dally was walking down the hallway, and when he was passing by the psychiatrist's office, a guy about his age walked out of her office. Dally had seen him in groups before, his name was David. As he was passing by, Dally noticed his fly was opened. Dally paled a little, he got the idea immediately and called after him. – "Hey can I ask you how your sessions with the psychiatrist are going?" He leaned against the wall, stern look in his eyes.
"Fine, why do you ask?" David stared back at him.
Dally furrowed his eyebrows - "Is she… maybe asking you to do something you don't want to?" He sounded dead serious.
"I don't know what you are talking about." David replied wide-eyed.
"Well, your fly is opened." Dally stared David right in the eyes. David's face flashed bright red. He turned away and zipped up his pants. Then he turned to face Dallas again, "Look, I need to get out of here, and if I don't do what she says she…" he paused, looking down.
"She writes awful reports that you aren't making progress and shit like that." Dally continued for him, bitterly.
"Yeah, how'd… you know?" David appeared to stumble over his words.
"Make a wild guess." Dallas replied, sarcasm in his voice.
David shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot then said, "She came on to you too?" Dally bit his lower lip and nodded.
David looked shocked, "Shoot I thought I was the only one. If I told someone it's my word against hers no one would believe me." Dallas got a determined look on his face. "We got to find out if there are more people that she did this with. If all of us say the same thing they'll have to believe us."
David frowned, "I don't know if I want to talk about it with others," he paused, "it's kind of embarrassing." Dallas sighed and nodded - he too was embarrassed which is why he never told anyone even Anne. But he had to start getting good reports. He was thoughtful for a moment – "maybe we don't have to talk." He finally said coolly.
"What do you mean?" David asked baffled.
"I got an idea," Dally replied, sounding dangerous.
At midnight Dally and David were walking down the hallway. They approached the psychiatrist's office, looking around making sure there was nobody in the hallway. Dally took out his ID card and carefully slid the card into the lock. The door opened with a small squeaking sound and Dally looked around once more – no one was there. Dally and David quietly entered the office. David turned the lights on.
"What a hell are you doing?" Dally hissed at David, "They'll see light in the office in the middle of the night we are dead."
"Yeah, but how are we going to do this without light?" David protested. Dallas didn't reply. He walked up to the switch and turned the light off. Then he walked up to the desk and tuned the desk lamp on. It was a weak light and nobody from the outside would be able to see it.
"Where the hell is it?" Dally muttered, looking around in the dark, then walked up to a big filing cabinet. "Must be here," he opened it and took out a bunch of files. David did the same. They started looking through the files.
"Look for the ones that say no progress is made, not cooperating, not participating, those must be the ones she is harassing." Dally instructed flipping the file open.
David moved closer to the lamp and started flipping through the files.
"I think I've got one," he said hesitantly in about five minutes, raising his voice.
"Sh, quiet," Dally shushed him, "Lemme see." David handed him the file. It was Jason Wilson. The report said he was doing really poorly and making no progress. Then the next report all of the sudden said he was doing great and making a lot of progress. Dally knew who the guy was. He was really good looking. "I bet that's the one," Dally said, his voice strained. Dally kept looking through his files – "here I got one too. Four people that should be enough to get the bitch fired." David nodded, "let's go before someone finds us." They put the files back, and exited the room.
In the morning Dallas was antsy. He wanted to talk to the guys about the psychiatrist right away. He wanted to get it over with. It wasn't just because he needed good reports but it was also a matter of principle who does this bitch think she is, that she can do this. After breakfast he approached Jason Wilson. "Hey bro you got a minute I need to talk to you." He said quietly, but firmly. Jason looked at Dallas funny surprised as they never talked before. "What ya need?" He walked up to Dallas. Dally cleared his throat. "It's kind of personal," and then he just cut to the chase "has psychiatrist… um does she force you to do things you don't want to do?" The look in Jason's eyes said it all, but he didn't say anything.
After an uncomfortable silence he looked at Dallas and said "what are you talking about?"
"I m talking about she does the same to me and several others and we are going to report her and get the bitch fired." More silence then Jason looked up at Dallas, "she did the same to you?"
"Sure did," Dallas said bitterly, "said no one would believe me and wrote shitty reports saying I am not making progress and shit like that. There are at least four of us and if all of us report her they would believe us." Jason looked down, "I thought she only did that to me and then nobody would believe me." Then he squinted a little at Dallas - "how'd you know it was me?" Dallas smirked "I have my methods." He looked over and saw David was talking to the other guy. "Let's go to Anne after group and report the bitch." Jason looked hesitant. "Are you sure the other guys will do the same?" Dally nodded – "positive."
"Ok then I'm in," he held his hand out, and Dally shook it. "I thought I was the only one that's why I haven't told anyone," he mumbled again.
"Yeah," Dally scowled and nodded reluctantly, "same here."
After group Dallas and the other three told Anne what was going on. It wasn't easy to talk about that but they had to. As expected she was shocked. "I will let Mrs. Ferguson know right away," she assured them. Mr. Ferguson was the head of the place. It took no more than four days and the psychiatrist was fired and her license was taken away from her.
Anne caught up with Dallas in the hallway. "Hi Dallas," she greeted. He nodded in response. "I just want to thank you for coming forward with the psychiatrist situation. I know it was not easy. We had no idea this was going on. She took advantage of the vulnerability of our patients. Anyway, I am glad that you are doing much better and speaking up in groups you are on your way to recovery." Dallas nodded again coolly, he wasn't about to get sappy with her.
Another two weeks passed by. Dallas was doing well. He was feeling physically much better and didn't feel the need to have a drink. He still despised being a librarian but he tolerated it ok. One thing he did not expect he was actually enjoying his guitar lessons. Sure the guy was not the top notch teacher, and Dallas dreaded the lessons at first, but little by little it captured his interest and he was getting pretty good at it.
On Saturday - the visitation day Dallas was sitting all alone in the TV room. Everybody had visitors and it was nice out. Dallas could see out the window people smiling, laughing with their visitors, telling them how they were doing. Dallas felt pathetic, he didn't even have anyone to tell that he was doing much better. His drunk of a dad sure wouldn't care. He thought of his ex-girlfriend. Boy did he screw up, he thought. He realized now why she broke up with him. With a heavy heart he got up and went to the phone to call her. Maybe she would give him a second chance. He remembered Max calling his girlfriend and what it led to.
He walked up to the pay phone and dialed the number. She picked up right away. "Hello?"
"Hi, Michelle, it's Dallas." He held his breath, preparing for what she had to say. There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Then, "what do you want?" she asked dryly.
"I was thinking, … um I just wanted to let you know I'm at the rehab."
"So I heard," she said curtly.
"I… I'm sorry," he found himself saying and Dallas nearly ever apologized. "I know I've been a jerk, I let you down, but I'm doing much better now." He felt a lump form in his throat and the hand holding the receiver was shaking so slightly.
"I'm glad to hear that Dallas," she said and her voice sounded much softer this time around.
"I was thinking maybe you could… um visit me some time." His voice was shaking as he spoke.
"I don't think that's a good idea Dallas." She sounded hurt.
"Oh C'mon, not as my girlfriend, just as a friend- no pressure. Everybody here gets visitors, and I got no one." He mentally cursed himself for sounding so desperate.
She sighed, "Ok Dallas but strictly as a friend."
"You got it. I'll see you next Saturday then." He grinned even though she couldn't see him.
"Bye," he hung up the phone. Talking to her made him realize how much he'd missed her. Dallas didn't get attached to people easily, but once he did he got it bad. That's how it was with Johnny and that's how it was with his girlfriend.
The following Saturday Dally was feeling nervous. His old self would want a drink to calm the nerves, but the thought of alcohol had not even crossed his mind. He met Michelle in the doorway.
"Hi Dallas." She said awkwardly, taking in her surroundings.
"Hi, I'm really glad you made it." He said meeting her gaze. He wanted to run up to her and give her a kiss, but he had to contain himself. She didn't reply but the look in her eyes was hurt like she was hurt and didn't know if she could trust Dallas again. "So you've been of the booze huh?"
"Yeah," Dallas nodded, and smiled "go figure."
"Do you think you'll keep it up when you get out of here?" she asked hesitantly.
Dallas wanted to tell her all about his struggles, how he didn't think he needed this place at first, and how he wanted to keep drinking, but now he was a changed man. He couldn't find the right words to tell her all that so all he said was "I have to," she nodded, - "good to hear that."
They sat down on a bench under the elm tree. It was really nice out, and Dallas felt really good. They talked about this and that, Dally managed to find the right words to tell her about his friend's suicide and that he was determined to stay sober when he got out. After she left Dally had a really good feeling he felt that they may get back together once he was out.
Two more weeks passed Dallas stayed at the rehab for total of four months. He was being discharged on Friday. He gathered his belongings and threw out the pot with pansies, which as he predicted were dead. He didn't feel that bad about it, but wondered if he should've taken care of the flowers.
He was excited but worried at the same time, would he be able to stay off the booze. He arrived home and immediately was hit with the smell of alcohol. It made him nauseous, his dad was drinking. Dally went to this room and closed the door. This was going to be hard but he knew he would never drink again no matter what his dad did and he would never go to Buck's again. All it took was remembering his friend lying lifeless on the bathroom floor. He asked Michelle to give him a second chance and she agreed to try to start dating again. He talked to Darry, and Darry said Johnny, Pony and Soda were allowed to hang out with him, but warned if he found out Dally was drinking he would beat the tar out him.
On Saturday morning Dally was walking down Sutton Street. There was one thing that he needed to do. He turned the corner and stopped by the building that had a sign "animal shelter." He walked up and opened the door. Inside there were all kinds of dogs, puppies and cats and kittens. Dally sized them up with his eyes. His gaze stopped on the brown Labrador. He reminded him of Riley. He was still a puppy. Dally explained to the owner which puppy he wanted, and the owner gladly gave it to him. "His name's Bandit," the owner chuckled, "he got it 'cause he's a troublemaker around here."
"Oh yeah?" Dally smirked, "we'll get along just fine then I know it." The owner put a leash on the dog, and Dally walked out with him, grinning. He had a new appreciation for life after witnessing his friend's death and realizing it could've been him. After all the trouble he went through, life was good!