Pink Clouding*

"Todd, how's Marty doing, I know that she was released yesterday?" Ray Martinez asked.

"She's doing good. Why do you ask?"

"Sheila told me that Marty cancelled the group therapy sessions that we had for tonight as well as her individual therapy sessions. I just wanted to make sure that she was okay."

"I didn't know that she canceled her therapy, but she's doing great. She's happier than I've seen her in a long time. I think that she has finally healed from the pain that I caused her."

"When did you first notice that she was happy?" Ray asked as a look of concern appeared on his face.

"I don't know, I guess it was around Valentine's Day. Why? What's wrong?"

"I just...I'm wondering if her happiness is real or if she is..."

"You think she's pink clouding, don't you?" Todd stated.

"It's a possibility and I know that you know what to look for because of Carol. Spend some time with her Todd and look for the signs. Try not to fall into the trap of seeing what you want to see. If you think that she is pink clouding stay with her and call me or Sheila if you need us."

"I will, I'll go to Marty's house tonight, but you're wrong, she's just happy," Todd said.

"I hope that you are right," Ray said as he walked Todd out of his office.

XOXOXO

"Marty, how are you doing?" Todd asked when she opened the door.

She was wearing a white raggedy T-shirt with patches of pink and baby blue paint on it and sweats. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail and she was holding a paint roller in her hand.

"I'm doing great actually. This recovery thing is so much easier than I thought it was going to be."

"What's with the paint?" Todd asked as he motioned to her paint brush.

"I'm repainting my room to celebrate my recovery. Do you want to help?" She asked him.

"Sure," he said.

They walked up to her room and one side of her wall was painted baby pink with baby blue clouds on it.

"It looks nice," Todd said as he looked at Marty. She was smiling, hope shining in her eyes. Was it the same kind of hope that he saw in Carol's eyes the last time he saw her? He looked and then he saw something that he should have seen on Valentine's Day. He knew the symptoms, he just chose not to see them because he wanted her to be better, but she wasn't better. The look on her face, the way that she talked, a thousand words a minute pouring out in excitement, the hope written on her face, just like Carol, Marty was Pink Clouding.

"What's wrong?" Marty asked as she saw the look of concentration and then fear come across Todd's face.

"Why did you cancel your therapy sessions?" Todd asked.

"I cancelled them because I don't need them anymore. It doesn't matter...what happened last Spring, I'm over it."

"If you're over it, then why can't you say the word. I raped you Marty and it's not something that you just get over," Todd stated.

"Fine you raped me, so what? I don't care. I'm letting it go and you should let it go too."

"Have you forgiven me?" Todd asked.

"I don't have to forgive you. Don't you see Todd, since I've let it go, it's like it never happened. It's forgotten about. There's nothing to forgive. Let it go Todd, forget about the Spring Fling and all the misery that's associated. Let yourself be happy with me," Marty said as she dipped a paint roller in the pink paint and handed it out to him.

"Your happiness isn't real Marty. You're Pink Clouding and when your manufactured happiness fades then you're going to crash and you're going to crash hard."

"It's real Todd. Be happy that I'm happy," she said as she reached out and lifted up the sides of his mouth to form a smile.

"I'll paint your room with you, but I'm not leaving your side," Todd said.

"Suit yourself," she said.

They painted the room for several hours as Marty babbled on about her dreams and hopes for the future while Todd listened for any cracks in her voice, any signs that the happiness was fading.

When they were working on the last wall, Marty painted one of the blue clouds over and over again until it darkened. Todd watched as she began to paint rain drops falling from the cloud. It was his sign, Marty's mood was changing. He should have known, it was always about the rain with them.

"Marty," he whispered as he placed his hand around hers.

She dropped the paint brush as she sank to the floor. The hope was gone from her eyes, instead they were filled with the shadow of fear as the blue teardrops began to fall down her face.

"It hurts Todd, it hurts so much, I just want to die," she cried out.

"I know, I'm sorry." he said as he wrapped his arms tight around her.

"Let me go, I need to jump out the window. It's the only thing that will make this pain stop."

"I can't let you go. That won't end the pain it will just transfer it to the ones that you leave behind. I'm going to get you help," Todd said as he called Ray.

"Ray, Marty's crashing, we need your help," Todd said and then hung up his phone.

He sat with her until Ray came with the paramedics. They gave her a sedative and took her to the hospital where she would be placed on a 48 hour suicide watch.