" Mommy, are you hungry?" Asked Spencer who had walked in his parents room,where Diana had cried herself to sleep.
"Is it morning in America again?"
"It's time for dinner."
"Good,I'm hungry. Can you get my bathrobe, baby?"
"Ok,you know you slept for 3 hours?"
"Oh,who is all here?"
"Everyone except Grandpa. Veronica is here."
"Good."
Upon entering the dining room,everyone was relieved to see Diana up.
"Honey,how do you feel?" asked William.
"Groggy and hungry."
"Then let's eat."
"Mom, are you mad at me?"
"No Spencer, I just want to eat dinner." She ate her dinner in silence, but when she was ready for dessert, some questions came again.
"Can we talk about what you need and want after dinner," asked her sister, Sr. Anne.
"I guess."
"I'm so sorry about Robert, dear", said Alice.
"It's not your fault. You like me. I still trust you. Save some ice cream?"
"Of course."
"I'm glad you ate something ,honey,"said William.
"Mom,you want to read tonight?"asked Spencer.
" I don't know. I don't want to feel depressed anymore. I want Schizophrenia to disappear."
"Diana,have you and William been keeping track of your symptoms and medication side effects,?" asked Veronica.
"Yes. I am not as paranoid as I used to be, but when I'm stable I feel so depressed. Robert sure didn't help anything."
" Do you want to harm yourself,Diana?," asked Veronica.
"No, I don't want to have another episode though."
" I understand my dear. We all want to help you. I'm going to clear the table now," said Alice.
" Would you like to talk about how we can best help you?"asked Anne.
"Yes."
"All right then. Let's go to the living room," said Anne.
Diana went with ice cream in hand. Might as well find joy in something sweet. It was hard to find much joy these days.
"Spencer, go play Nintendo or something,"said William.
"But I care about Mom's treatment."
"Just because you are 6 and in 5th grade, does not mean you can always talk with the adults,Spencer."
"Ok, Dad." Spencer went to the finished basement to play Nintendo.
"So Diana, how have you been feeling?," asked Veronica.
"Depressed ever since before the antidepressant and after my last episode,last year. It's not flat affect. I remember better days. I want the old days back and insults make me feel worse."
"Honey, right now you are doing a wonderful job expressing how you feel. I've never seen you have so much insight of your illness," said William.
"He's right. Do you trust your psychiatrist now?,asked Veronica.
"Yes, I do."
" Do you think you need to talk to her soon?"
" I think I have an appointment next week."
" Yes, you do. Veronica, I have court that day, could you go?," asked William.
"When is it?"
"Wednesday at 1."
"I'm free then. Now remember to call me whenever you need me," said Veronica.
"I know," said Diana.
"You have my numbers?," asked Anne.
"And mine?," asked Alice.
William and Diana nodded.
" Anything else honey?,asked William.
"Well, I miss having an urge for, you know," embarrassed to talk about sex in front of her mother in law and a nun.
"Oh Diana, marriage is a wonderful vocation. After all the love of a man and woman is holy too. You definitely should bring this up with your psychiatrist. A lower dosage of the antipsychotic medication may help with that," advised Anne.
"Oh, speaking of that, Golden Girls should be on. Maybe you can get some tips from Blanche," joked Alice.
"Mother, if Dad was here.."
"He'd probably have a heart attack."
"Sometimes it's hard to follow a sitcom, but I like Dorothy," said Diana
"You are as smart and witty as she is. You were like Maude too, my dear," said William of a feminist character played by the same actress in the 70's.
After Spencer had gone to bed, they watched Golden Girls and Diana smiled a few times at the witty remarks she caught.