A/N: Hey guys. Please forgive me, I was sure with all this shit going on, I'd have all this time to churn out a bunch of writing. But it turns out, living through pandemic is pretty traumatic and I've been struggling with my mental shit. I started writing this update forever ago and then just … couldn't. Thankfully, today through some magic I found myself with motivation and words. I'm sorry. I'd promise it won't happen again, but the world is a weird, weird place right now and I can't make that promise. But I will do my best.
X
Ch 17
"What is it now?" Angela demanded to know as she breezed into the office, still typing on her phone and not looking at the women she spoke to.
Aubrey stood from her seat beside Chloe.
"Ms. Bennett, thank you for coming so quickly," she greeted, remaining professional despite the way the woman made all her defenses spike.
"Well, you said it was urgent and apparently something I need to know before the press," she remarked and finally looked over at Chloe, "What is it this time? You geniuses go and elope or something?"
"You should have a seat," Aubrey suggested without acknowledging her words.
With an irritated sigh, she did so and realized her daughter was no where to be seen, "Is this the part where you finally admit this 'relationship' of yours has been a ploy and ask for a payoff?"
"Can you just shut up for a second?" Chloe surprised even herself with the outburst. She didn't have time for Angela's attitude. Nor did she care for the angry face that reacted to her, "I'm sorry, but this is serious. As you know Beca was in the hospital, and I'm sure the doctor told you why."
Angela rubbed her temple and asked, "What's your point?"
Chloe bristled at how nonchalant she seemed about her daughter's drug use. Not wanting to be in her presence any longer, she decided to just get right to the point.
"Beca is in rehab," she said directly, "She checked into Barden this afternoon; 30 days inpatient program. We thought you should know so you can handle any current contracts she has and prepare a statement from your side if you like, we're already working on- "
"She what?!" she asked shocked, "Are you serious? Why the hell would she do something so stupid?"
Chloe looked at her without hiding her surprise.
"Beca has a problem," Chloe said, attempting to keep calm, "An addiction. She needs help and she's getting it."
Angela jumped to her feet and shoved a finger in Chloe's face.
"You did this, didn't you?" she blamed, "This was your idea. So, she would be out of the spotlight and you could swoop in!"
"It was the doctor, actually," Chloe rose as well, refusing to back down. Especially after promising Beca she would fight for them where Beca couldn't, "I assume the doctor would've told you the same if you'd bothered to stick around while your daughter was in the hospital. If you remembered to act like a mother occasionally, you would've seen the problem before it got this bad."
"You little- "
"She did know," Aubrey spoke up with a surprisingly calm tone, getting the attention of both of them.
"What?"
"Didn't you?" she continued, "You knew; probably have this whole time."
"What exactly are you accusing me of?" Angela asked her sharply.
Aubrey smirked, knowing she'd hit the nail on the head.
"I've come across people like you," she went on, crossing her arms, "They get themselves a big client with bad habits. But they've hitched their success to them so they just…look the other way. As long as the money keeps coming, who cares right? I mean, you're easily the worst of them, you know, considering your client is your daughter."
Angela looked back and forth between the two of them, opening her mouth to speak and coming up short before letting out a scoff.
"I won't stand here and listen to – "
"Chloe," Aubrey interrupted without taking her eyes off the woman, "Why did Beca just suddenly decide to go cold turkey like that? What was it she said?"
"That she ran out of pills," Chloe answered, wondering if her sudden kernel of suspicion matched what Aubrey was getting at.
"Weird that a seasoned drug user would run out and have no resource to get more like that. It's almost like whoever was providing them suddenly stopped," she raised an eyebrow, "Hey, didn't you and Beca have some kind of argument? Chloe, when did you say that happened?"
Chloe's eyes widened as Aubrey confirmed they were on the same train of thought.
"You were giving them to her," Chloe accused, stepping forward quick enough that Aubrey grabbed her arm to keep her from getting physical, "You've been keeping your daughter stocked with drugs. To what? Make sure she needs you? To line your pockets?"
"Watch your mouth little girl before I sue both your pathetic asses for libel defamation and dig up all your dirty secrets."
Angela turned and marched out without another word. Aubrey followed on her heels and shouted from her office doorway.
"Libel is written, bitch!" her words causing Angela to stop and glare back at her, "You meant slander, and bring it on. We both know who's got more skeletons attached to them. Give it your best shot. I can't wait."
Angela huffed and left as quickly as she could without running. Aubrey shook her head and turned, finding several of her coworkers staring at her in surprise, "What?! Get back to work."
X
Beca sat on her bed, anxiously picking at her fingers and repeating Chloe's words of encouragement in her head.
She could do this.
It was just a month.
One month; then things would be better.
She would be better.
She'd gotten the full tour and a brief run down of the general schedule for the building as well as what her own personal schedule would be like. Now she was left to "get comfortable" until meeting with her therapist for their first session. They said she'd have a roommate and the bed on the opposite wall confirmed the fact, though she hadn't seen her yet. Yet another part of this she wasn't looking forward to.
Her leg started bouncing and she ran her hands through her hair. She desperately needed to hear Chloe's voice. But she knew she couldn't. No contact for three days.
Shit.
Chloe was wrong. She couldn't do this. She wasn't strong enough. This was a mistake.
She had to tell them this was a mistake and she had to go.
Beca stood and started towards the door, ready to do just that. However, before she could open it, she could hear a loud voice on the other side and then it swung open.
"…and I'll kick his ass if he does it again!" a tall, tattooed woman shouted down at someone down the hall before turning and seeing Beca standing there, "Who the hell are you?"
Beca stepped back in surprise.
"What are you doing in my room?" she demanded to know in an accented voice.
"I, uh," she gestured vaguely over her shoulder behind her bed. The woman craned her neck, exposing more tattoos along the side of it, as she peered over to see the duffle bag left on the foot of the bed.
"Oh, you're the new roommate," she said and leaned out the door to yell again, "Nice of you to tell me!"
She rolled her eyes as she pulled the door closed and went to sit on her bed. She studied Beca for a moment before opening the drawer on her nightstand and digging around.
"I know you," she said as she pulled out a pack of cigarettes and an ash tray. Placing the tray on the windowsill, she slid the window open and lit one of the cigarettes. Taking a pull and blowing the smoke out through the screen she looked back at Beca, "You're that movie star."
"Yeah," Beca answered quietly, trying not to lick her lips as she stared at the cigarette.
The woman followed her gaze and lifted the stick with a little wave.
"Don't worry, these babies are fair game here," she informed, "Settles the urge with a legal addiction I suppose. Want one?"
Beca happily accepted the offer, the woman waited until she'd taken that first sweet inhale to speak again.
"Although newbies gotta wait 'til the doc gives you the thumbs up first."
Beca coughed in surprise on the smoke, causing her new roommate to laugh and pat her on the back.
"Don't worry, movie star, secret's safe with me," she placed the cigarette back in her mouth and spoke around it while sticking out her hand, "I'm Calamity."
"Beca," she responded, shaking her hand.
"Yeah, I've seen some of your stuff," she nodded, "You got a bit of a reputation, don't ya? What are you in for?"
Beca hesitated and Calamity chuckled.
"Aw, don't be shy. We're all junkies for something here. Trust me, I'm no one to judge. The music world had me swimming into all kinds of waters. Swam into about everything there is."
Beca had a spark at her words; she somewhat recognized her now. She was a singer. Evermoist. Weird-ass name, but what she'd heard wasn't bad.
"So? What's your poison? Pills, powders, needles?"
"Pills," she confessed, getting a nod in response.
"Been there," she said, "Couple times. Pretty much everything, really. Except the h," she shuddered, "Can't with needles. Nope."
Beca lifted her brows and pointed at the woman, "Lot of tattoos for someone who hates needles."
"Those are just the ones you can see," she smirked, "But yeah, figure that one out. Get these babies without a problem but I gotta get a shot or something and I drop faster than a blink."
Two quick knocks came from the door then. Calamity snatched the cigarette out of Beca's hand and snuffed it out before announcing to whoever it was, they could come in.
"Beca, I- Oh, I see you two have met."
"Oh, yeah, we're basically sisters," Calamity retorted as she flopped onto her bed, "Thanks for the heads up by the way."
"Apologies, Kate," she emphasized the woman's legal name making her sit up and toss her pillow in her direction.
Shaking her head, the woman returned her attention to Beca.
"Beca, I'll take you to your session with Dr. Junk now," she informed her.
Beca nodded and followed her out into the hall. Anxiously tugging on her fingers at the idea of having to sit down with a therapist, Beca tried to distract herself.
"Will I be followed everywhere I go here?"
"Not unless you need it. Really, it's just until you get the hang of the place and daily schedule," she answered with a kind smile, "But you'll get used to it pretty quickly. Don't worry."
As they reached the door they were presumably heading for, a voice boomed from down the hall sounding like it was in the lobby area.
"I don't give a shit about your stupid policy; I demand to see my daughter!"
Beca felt her spine shoot straight with cold and on impulse hurried away from where the nurse had stopped to look towards it. She pushed through the door and slammed it behind her, leaning back against it and breathing as if she'd just run for her life.
"Well that was quite an entrance."
Beca's eyes shot open at the voice, unsure when she had closed them, and suddenly remembered where she was. The warm office was occupied by a brunette woman sitting behind the desk, a gold nameplate before her reading Dr. Katherine Junk.
"Uh, sorry."
"No need to apologize," she dismissed removing her glasses and using them to point towards the door, "Everything ok?"
"Fine," she cleared her throat, "Um, I'm Beca. Mitchell. The lady brought me to see you for a session or whatever."
"Of course, Beca, it's lovely to meet you. I'm Dr Junk. Yes, it's my real name and I've heard all the jokes, but feel free to try to surprise me."
"Um, I'm good, thanks."
"All right, have a seat and we can get started."
Beca hovered near the chair but didn't sit. Instead she scratched nervously at her neck.
"Is this necessary, though?" she asked, "I mean, can't you guys just let me do the whole detox thing, get me clean and send me on my way?"
"Sure. We'll just send you on your way. Back into your celebrity lifestyle where all your vices are at your disposal," she remarked and lifted her hands, "What could go wrong?"
Beca shook her head.
"No, I wouldn't- When I'm clean, it wouldn't be an issue. I won't need it anymore."
"Mhm," Dr. Junk hummed, "Do you consider yourself a smart person, Beca?"
"What?" she asked confused, but answered anyway, "I don't know. Depends, I guess. If you mean book smart, no. Life choices, probably a no too. So…"
"Beca, I think you're smart. Smart enough to recognize that there's more to your addiction than just getting high. You started using for a reason, we both know that. What only you know is what that reason is."
Beca shook her head.
"I don't- "she groaned and dropped into the chair, "It's not like-It's not like there's a thing I can point to and say: that, that's why."
"Well, that is exactly what I'm here for, Beca," she replied, "This place can help get you clean, yes, but the hard part is afterwards. To keep yourself from falling back into those habits, we need to identify and address the what in your life caused you to seek out the crutch in the first place."
"I'm sure there are plenty of people who don't have some deep trauma that end up just as addicted as people who do."
"You'd be correct," she nodded, "But you're not one of them, are you? The fact that you mentioned trauma specifically tells us that."
Beca sighed in defeat and rubbed her face.
"I don't want to go through it," she ground out, "I don't want to talk about all the-the shit. I can't. I can't."
Dr. Junk gave her a sympathetic smile.
"I do understand. I won't lie to you, it will be rough, but I promise it will be for the best. I'm here to help you. I am. And we're not going to get too deep today, I promise. Think of today as an introductory session. It's just about getting to know you a bit. I'll ask you some questions and get an idea of Beca Mitchell. Sound good?"
Beca blew out a slow breath and wiped her eyes.
"Ok," she said quietly before clearing her throat and speaking stronger, "Yeah, ok."
Running her hands over the arms of her chair she tried to prepare herself.
"Let's get to it."
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A/N: I know people are still curious about wtf Angela is up to with them papers. No worries! I promise you'll find out!
