Coming Home
"How you feeling?" Dominic smiled, pulling up outside their house a couple weeks later, finally taking Thea home permanently from the rehab facility she had been in for seven weeks.
"I feel ok." Thea nodded, "Looking at the bigger picture, seven weeks isn't really a long time when we're talking about drug and alcohol rehab." She said as he nodded, "But it's been helpful and I do feel ready to be home." She said as he nodded.
"Just take it a day at a time. I know some days will be harder but… that's why I'm here, and the kids." He nodded as she smiled.
"Things could have went differently." Thea nodded, "The way I was. How bad it got." She said, "It's like I'm eighteen all over again, getting that second chance." She said, "Well, I guess this would make it my third chance." She said as he nodded.
"You got this." Dominic said, "I know you do."
"I do feel like I was treated better this time." She said, "When I was a kid it was… it was almost like they treated it as a phase. Like I could get better on my own with time but that's not how this shit works. They really worked with me in that place and… helped me realise a lot of stuff that maybe I've been holding onto." She said, "Not to mention I'm leaving with a whole ass mental illness. What a year." She scoffed in her usual dry tone as Dominic nodded.
"It's a good thing. It's like finding the source of the pain. Or when you got a real itchy back and you finally reach it." He shrugged, "Now you got something to make sense of some things. That's gotta be a big weight off your shoulders."
"It is." Thea nodded, "It's just… now I really gotta live with it. I gotta acknowledge it. Whereas before I… I didn't know any different." She shook her head as he nodded, "But you're right. It's a good thing. And it's not gonna change who I am."
"Of course it's not." Dominic nodded.
"It's almost like I know it's a part of me now. In fact… it's probably made me who I am." She nodded, "The good and bad. I mean it… it makes me love people so much that I… I'd do anything for them. My kids. You. My family."
"Yeah I guess calling it an illness kinda feels wrong." He nodded to her.
"It does." Thea said, "I guess it's only an illness when it starts affecting my life but I'm gonna make sure that I work on it and make sure it doesn't affect my life. At least not badly." She nodded.
"I hope you know how proud I am of you." He said, "Literally, you are so damn strong." He nodded as she smiled.
"I do what I gotta do." She shrugged as he chuckled, "So obviously my entire family are in there, right?" She figured.
"No." Dominic lied dramatically.
"Come on, I know my family. Any excuse to celebrate something." Thea unclipped her seat belt.
"Ok, they're all in there." Dominic said, "But they're just gonna stay for an hour or two. They just wanted to see you." He nodded.
"I suppose I can handle an hour of them." She teased.
"Just leave the bags in the car. I'll get them later." He told her, getting out as she nodded, getting out of the car and joining him as they walked towards their house.
It was very daunting coming home permanently, but there was also a certain amount of triumph she felt. She knew how far she'd come. She wouldn't boast about it or say it aloud, but she knew she'd worked hard to finally be on a good path again. She was proud of herself, and she was making sure to acknowledge that.
She walked into the house, hearing her family in the living room. Normally she wouldn't enjoy the fuss, but truthfully she was glad to see them all now that she was home.
"Hey!" Punk noticed Thea come into the living room as they all looked over.
"Mommy!" Sofia squealed, getting up from the floor where she was playing with some toys with her cousins, running to Thea who crouched down.
"Hi, baby." Thea smiled, hugging her tightly whilst James also came over, she pulled him into the hug too. She didn't expect to be so emotional but she definitely felt it, and the rest of them let her have her first hugs with her kids before anything else.
"Mommy are you home forever now?" Sofia asked, playing with Thea's hair as Thea nodded, quickly drying some tears. Happy tears.
"Yeah, forever." Thea laughed a little, "Hey, aunt Jude is here." Thea noticed with a smile as Jude smiled.
"And aunt Cassie." Sofia let her mother know as Thea nodded.
"I see her." Thea chuckled, looking over at Cassie who smiled.
Thea eventually left her children be and got many tight hugs from the rest of her family. Extra big squeezes from her parents as usual. She was glad to see them all, and always grateful for their support throughout all of this.
"You hungry? I made some stuff, it's in the kitchen." AJ let her daughter know.
"Mom." Thea scoffed, "You didn't have to make anything."
"Shh." AJ tapped her arm.
"I am actually kinda hungry." Thea nodded, making her way into the kitchen where Jude was, standing with two year old Leela in her arms, trying to get her to pick a sandwich.
"Come on, Lee. What'd you want?" Jude asked her as Thea smiled, watching her niece look at all the sandwiches.
"Hey, it's a tough decision." Thea nodded.
"That one." Leela pointed as Jude nodded.
"Ok, good girl." Jude said, putting the sandwich on a plate, "Ok, you go sit with daddy and eat it." She said, handing Leela the plate.
"Ok." Leela mumbled, walking on back into the living room to find Sean.
"She's getting so big." Thea smiled.
"I know, I hate it." Jude shook her head as Thea smiled, "How you feeling? Being home and all?"
"I'm feeling good." Thea nodded, "Yeah I was super nervous about it all. Thought I wouldn't be able to do it. I'd sort of found a routine in the facility and I'm still a little nervous about things going tits up but… so far so good. I mean it's only been an hour." She laughed a little.
"You're gonna be fine." Jude nodded, "You'll find a routine at home now too. And still going to therapy is really gonna help. Trust me." She said as Thea nodded.
"How have you been?" Thea asked her, "I uh… I guess I haven't really saw you since that whole fiasco with the police and… those photographs."
"I'm ok." Jude nodded, "Wasn't exactly what I ever wanted to see but… I'm trying to just push forward. That stuff already took so much from me. I'm not letting it take any more."
"Good for you." Thea nodded, "Always the bait, huh?"
"Everywhere I go apparently." Jude shook her head, "Sean's been walking around me on eggshells. I think he's waiting on me breaking down or something." She nodded.
"Well he only cares. At least he's there for you." Thea said as Jude nodded.
"What are you guys talking about in here?" Cassie smiled, walking into the kitchen.
"You. And how much we dislike you." Thea nodded as Cassie smiled.
"That's nice." Cassie nodded along, "Mom really made this a sandwich party, huh?" She chuckled, taking a sandwich from the tray, "I think Chase has ate about three sandwiches since we got here."
"Well at least your kid eats." Jude scoffed, "I have to bribe my kids to eat."
"Oh, Chase is a good eater." Cassie nodded, "Eats his veg and everything." She said.
"James is a good eater too." Thea nodded, "Girls are just a nightmare, aren't they? You drew the short straws." She looked at Jude who nodded.
"I got the Mendez Brooks girls curse I think." Jude said as they smiled.
"I'd like a daughter." Cassie nodded, "I think then I'd be happy with one of each. Theo wants another baby like… tomorrow." She shook her head.
"Really?" Thea asked as Cassie nodded.
"Yeah." Cassie said, "But I think I wanna wait another couple years. Maybe once Chase goes to school even." She nodded.
"Yeah, that's the wise thing to do." Thea nodded.
"So… how does it feel being back home?" Cassie asked.
"I was just saying to Jude, I feel better than what I thought. I thought it'd be really nervous and scared but… I feel ok." She nodded positively.
"When are you going back to work?" Cassie asked her.
"I'm starting back next weekend but only part-time for the time being." Thea said, "I thought they'd want me back doing twelve hours, five days but they've actually been good with me. Letting me take my time." Thea said, "They easily could have just let me go."
"That's nice of them." Jude nodded, "But it's also just the decent thing to do." She said as Thea nodded.
"Hey did mom talk to you guys about Joey working at her place again?" Thea asked.
"Yeah." Jude nodded.
"Who?" Cassie questioned.
"Joey. The guy she dated for a little bit when dad was gone." Thea said, "I guess you were really young at the time."
"Is that the guy who told me dad was dead?" Cassie asked as Jude nodded, "Yeah I… I don't really remember him." She shook her head, "He's working with her again?"
"Well he's on her floor." Thea nodded, "She was talking to me about it making her a little uncomfortable. I just hope she tells him where to go." She shook her head.
"Well it's mom. She ain't shy." Cassie scoffed, "Does dad know?"
"Yeah she told him." Jude nodded, "She said he was fine with it. Well… not fine. But understanding." She said.
"Well it's not like they got anything to worry about. They're like joined at the hip." Thea shook her head.
"I'm sure if he makes her uncomfortable she'll let him know." Jude said.
"How long were they even together?" Cassie asked. She was too young at the time to remember much about Joey.
"Just a few months." Thea nodded, "I think she was just trying to see if… if she would be able to move on from dad."
"Was he a nice guy?" Cassie asked.
"He was ok." Thea shrugged, the one with the most knowledge on Joey as the oldest, "I just know they had nothing in common, though. I mean, you look at dad and then you look at that guy. It was like complete opposites." She shook her head, "I think she was just trying to take her mind off of what was going on."
"Well I don't blame her for that." Cassie nodded, "Imagine if it did work out? We'd have a… a step-dad." She made a disappointed face.
"I sure as hell wouldn't." Jude made clear with a small laugh.
"If dad got out of prison and found out mom was in a whole relationship he'd throw the guy in the docks." Thea shook her head, "That would have been kinda entertaining actually." She thought to herself as Jude shook her head with a smile.
"I'm sure whatever is going on at mom's work, she can handle it." Cassie nodded, "I'm going in for another sandwich."
"We're glad you're back home now." Jude nodded to Thea, walking round the table and hugging into Thea from the side.
"Yeah we are." Cassie agreed, hugging her from the other side as Thea laughed, enjoying the hug from the people she loved best in the world.
A/N: Things will be picking up soon! Thanks for the reviews and support.