As always a huge thanks to Read It Out Loud who made this story happen.
The next morning I am woken up by the sun streaming in through the windows, illuminating the whole room and therefore gently bringing me out of my slumber. It's quite a nice way to wake up I decide, it makes me wake up feeling positive and happy. I instantly decide to go for a run to improve my body for Caroline and to try and sustain my good mood for as long as possible. I quickly pull on some grey sweats and sneakers but I don't know where my thin jacket is so I make do with a black trash bag instead which I cut holes in to fit my arms and head through. Happily I hum to myself as I walk out of my room however just before I am about to leave the house I am stopped by my mom.
"Where are you going Nicky?" She asks worriedly.
"Out for a run."
"Sorry honey you'll have to go for a run later, I need to take you to meet your therapist this morning."
"But." I start to say but she cuts me off sharply.
"Sorry Nicky, no buts your therapist is court mandated therefore you have to go. It was one of the few conditions that your were allowed to leave and stay with us."
Grumpily I sigh and head back up to my room to get changed.
So I walk along the suburbs near my area feeling the warm summer sun shine it's golden rays onto my skin. I am happy that my good mood has managed to continue throughout the day, even after having a therapy session which always used to make me upset at the bad place because they would dispute my ideas about Caroline and the silver lining.
"Remember you're in the real world Nick," they used to sneer at me. The way I see it, it's better to be an optimist rather than a cynic like them. I like my therapist I decide, he didn't try to interrupt me or tell me what I'm saying is wrong he just listened to me and chatted to me like I was a friend. My mom seemed to warm to him too unlike the other doctors, they were always quite frosty towards her I remember. Maybe that's why she let me walk home on my own I wonder, because she thinks I'm heading in the right direction this time with a therapist that actually supports me.
Another reason I wanted to go home on my own was because my route goes right by my best friend Schmidt's house who I hadn't seen for six months. He used to visit me every couple of weeks but since he became a father, he hasn't really had the time which I understand. So when I walk up the path to his house, I feel excitement and happiness at seeing my best friend again.
"Nick," he cries when he opens the door before giving me a massive bear hug like he usually does. "How are you doing?"
Great not that question again, if I hear one more person ask me that I will scream.
So I just mumble fine and Schmidt continues to prattle on about himself in the usual self obsessed way he does. Not that I mind, ever since I went to the bad place I never have anything much to say anymore. I now prefer listening to other people than talking about myself. He now has a one year old baby daughter called Emily, Schmidt told me about it during one of his few visits. Cece and him were trying but she had some problem with her fertility so they adopted her. Apparently it was 'love at first sight' for all of them.
"...Anyway that leads me too my point, Nick, Cece and I were wondering if you would like to join us for dinner tonight. You can finally meet Emily and Cece might have her best friend come over too.
"I'll have to check with my mom, but I imagine she'd be thrilled that things are going back to normal.." I start before being cut of by Schmidt.
"Great come over at about seven," he beams, clearly thrilled at the chance to entertain a guest that is finally one of his. To put it simply Cece wears the pants in the relationship so before I went to the bad place he would complain about it all the time to me.
"Schmidt have you invited him yet?" I hear Cece yell from inside the house.
"I'm just doing it now!" Schmidt yells back. "C'mon give me a chance woman!"
"I can't wait," I smile , mustering up all the enthusiasm I can give and he gives me a slightly corny thumbs up back. Typical Schmidt.
At six thirty I ask my mom to drive me to Schmidt's house, Caroline always said that it was better to be an hour earlier than ten minutes late so I decide they won't mind if I half an hour early.
"Hi Nick," Cece smiles falsely at me, she never did like me. "Schmidt's in the living room, come on in."
"Thanks," I say giving her the bouquet of flowers that my mom told me to give to her.
"Nick man," Schmidt cries out like he does every time he sees me. "Thanks for coming!"
"The pleasures all mine," I reply politely.
We small talk for a while but it's not the same anymore, it's almost like he's trying to dumb everything down for me because of my mental problems. Apparently since I have a condition I must also have an extremely low IQ. And I probably shouldn't have worn this football jersey to dinner. I just impulsively put it on and it doesn't compare well to his very fine and knowing him, a very expensive suit complete with a bow tie which he probably spent ages thinking about. When Cece joins us she does the same to undermine me and it's infuriating, but I control it by thinking about Caroline and my annoyance flows away. When we are back together we can both come around here and have a double date with them and with her it will all be better.
All of a sudden there is a loud knock at the door.
"Ah that must be Jess," Schmidt says, stating the obvious like he always does and I can tell by the way Cece smiles at me before she goes to answer the door that she is thinking the same thing.
"Jess!" I hear her cry loudly. "I'm so glad you could make it!"
"Hey Cece," she unenthusiastically replies. "So who's this loser you want me to meet?"
"That would be me," I smile awkwardly, stepping out into the hallway. I planned to offer her a handshake beforehand to be polite but as soon as I see these big blue eyes, so full of pain like my own I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
