Here is the next chapter! Enjoy! Amber

Chapter 19

Brooke was currently in the hospital. She was bored. The only time she had any fun was when she got to go outside for physical exercise. She dribbled the soccer ball or shot baskets with a couple of the other patients. She was currently coloring a picture. It was almost visitation hours and her parents came everyday without fail. Today they were going to have a family therapy session with her counselor so Claire would get to come this time. Brooke couldn't wait to see her sister. She also missed Ben. She had written him letters which her parents always took to him. Today was no exception. She had his letter ready as well as letters for her best friends Molly and Katie. Molly and Katie had both sent letters via her parents yesterday it had been a comfort. They had gossipped about little things. It was nice. They were normal teenagers and treating her normally and that was an amazing thing. They had had a blast at the maroon five concert and wrote about that. Claire had even been invited on stage and did an impromptu number on the keyboard and sang since it was her birthday.

The doors opened and Callie and Frank came into the recreation room with Claire in tow. Claire's eyes were taking everything in. She saw her sister and ran over to hug her. "Hey sissy!"

Brooke hugged her back. "Hey squirt!" Then she hugged her father. "Hi daddy." Then she saw her mother. Her mother's stomach seemed to grow overnight. "Wow mom!" She patted her tummy. "Hi baby brother."

Callie grinned. "Yes this is what happens with me. I go from next to nothing to belly."

Brooke handed her letters to her mom and dad. "Here are the letters for Ben, Katie, and Molly. I wrote to you guys too."

Callie took her letter. "Oh that's sweet honey."

Frank put his and the rest in his pocket. "Thanks baby. Did you want to play spades?" He pulled out a deck of cards from his pocket.

"Only if I'm on your team dad."

Frank winked. "You got it kiddo."

They sat down. Claire put down the ace of clubs. "Mommy had another appointment with Nana yesterday. Our brother is doing very well. Mommy gained five pounds."

Callie stuck out her tongue. Frank chuckled. They finished their game and someone approached them. "Brooke."

Brooke turned. "Hi Mrs. Michelle."

"Why don't we go to a private sitting room."

Brooke nodded. 'The group therapy portion.' "Okay."

"Who won?"

Brooke smiled. "My dad and I did."

Michelle smiled. "So I have had several sessions with Brooke, I know how she is. How are you all doing?"

Claire crossed her legs. "I would have been a lot better had I known from the start how horrible my sister had been treated."

Frank acknowledged that. "We didn't tell her about the details. They came out suddenly and she was very hurt."

Callie nodded. "We told her everything including about my ordeal in college to give her perspective. We seriously miscalculated how Brooke was doing. The therapist felt terrible, she thought the sessions were going well."

"I guess I'm good at hiding pain." Brooke said.

Michelle said. "I hope you now have learned that you don't have to hide it. It's okay to feel sad, angry, and overwhelmed."

Claire bit her lip. "I feel a little helpless. I want to help my sister but don't know how."

Michelle said. "You help by just being there for her dear. You aren't expected to heal her. Nobody can do that."

Brooke lowered her head. "I had a dream last night. It wasn't of those awful men or that gun. It was me holding my baby brother."

Callie smiled. "What a wonderful dream."

Michelle nodded to Brooke. Brooke cleared her throat. "For the longest time I was trying to be strong. I wanted to just forget it all happened. But that was wrong. I wanted to move on with my life. I couldn't move on until I accepted what happened to me. Those men raped me, I was forced. It was horrible. It's still horrible. I still feel it sometimes and for the first time I know that's okay. Mom I wish I had talked to you or Nana more but I just couldn't. In my eyes my experience was different because I had to pretend to want to. But it was still rape. I promise I'll tell you how I'm feeling more and I'll be honest about it. We all have to be honest about our feelings. We can't hide our feelings anymore. I promise I won't. Will you promise to? Mom, Dad, and Claire?"

Callie wiped her eyes. "Of course I promise honey."

Frank nodded. "Me too sweetie."

Claire took Brooke's hand. "I promise."

Michelle smiled. "Excellent progress. Being open and honest with each other is important."

Brooke asked. "When can I go home?"

"Well. I can't speak for the Doctor but I'm happy with your progress over the last two weeks. I foresee a discharge within the next couple days."

Brooke hugged her mother. "Can Claire and I be in the room when you have our sister?"

Callie chuckled. "I don't think that is a good idea. Because of the techniques I use for pain management, I will be in a lot of it you know. But you'll come in right after I promise."

Brooke and Claire both exclaimed. "Well Duh!"

Brooke was indeed ready to be discharged a couple days later. Her father would be coming to get her. He was the one that signed her into the center, he had to sign her out. She was looking through a photo album that her parents had brought her on the first visitation. There were pictures of her and her friends, her and Ben, her sister, her parents, her Uncles and Aunt's, her cousins, and her grandparents. It had everyone she cared about in one book. It was a simple plastic book. No metal so that she could have it. It was something she would keep. She had to get her stitches out today. She hoped that her Uncle Joe would just come to the house. She still didn't like going to many places.

The nurse came in. "Brooke, your father is here. Are you ready to go?"

Brooke nodded. "Yes, I really am." She exited the room carrying her photo album and her suitcase. Her father smiled at her. "Hey kiddo."

Brooke kissed his cheek. "Hey daddy."

He took her suitcase. "We have to see the doctor and your case worker then we can leave."

"Daddy can I call Ben when I get home."

"You can see him this afternoon. He is coming after school today."

"Oh I'm going to have so much work to do." She groaned.

Frank squeezed her hand. "Just do one thing at a time kiddo. It will be okay."

"I know. It's a relief to do something normal. I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I was so depressed."

"Honey, I don't blame you for anything. I can't understand because I haven't been in your place but I'm here for you."

Doctor Mitchell Spencer came into the room. "Hello Brooke."

"Hi Dr. Spence."

"You look like you are ready to go home."

"I am. I'll admit to being a little nervous..a lot nervous. But I want to do my school work and see my friends, my boyfriend, my sister. My mom is going to have a baby and I want to be there for that."

"Good to have things to look forward to. You will be discharged on prozac and paxil. I want you to continue taking those along with your melatonin five milligrams to help you sleep."

"Okay."

"Mr. Hardy for the time being it is wise that you or your wife administer the medications to your daughter. She has made significant progress but we don't want to take any chances."

Frank nodded. "Understood. All medications are locked up in our medicine cabinet."

"Good. We have found you a new therapist. Her name is Tia Woodson. She is a rape survivor and is young. So I think she will click with you nicely. She's a harvard graduate which your mother will appreciate."

"Cool."

The doctor left and her case worker Michelle came in. "Hi Brooke, so Dr. Spence told you about your new therapist, we are also going to have you see Dr. Barry Barton of the same practice to follow up with you on your psych meds."

Frank nodded. "Callie is seeing him as well. He's very good."

"I'm glad you approve. Do you have any questions?"

Brooke smiled sheepishly. "Yeah can I go home now?"

They all started chuckling. Frank put an arm around her and took her to the car. "I'm glad you're coming home Princess. We've missed you."

"What's for dinner?"

"Your grandmother is making her lasagna."

"Oh my favorite! Can Ben come to dinner please?"

"He's already been invited. He wants to help you with the course work."

Frank took them both home. The first thing that Brooke noticed was that her mother's car wasn't there. "Is mom in court?"

"Yes, she is trying her last case today."

"I'm so proud of her. She is on the bench now?"

"Starting Monday."

Brooke took her suitcase. "Daddy I need to take a shower. The showers there were warm and the water only stayed on for thirty seconds at a time."

Frank chuckled. "Of course baby. I'll make lunch. Your Uncle is coming to remove your stitches. He's going to have his boys with him."

"Yay I get to play with them."