Decisions
"So do you believe her?"
"What's not to believe dad? She showed me her discharge papers from Merriview, she's been receiving treatment for her depression for over a year now…"
He shrugs, "So she's received treatment, fair enough; based from what you've told us she needed it- but Fitz we haven't heard a word from her in two years, not one single word, yet the second she's back you're ready to jump to her beck and call…"
"Dad, I haven't even made a decision yet, besides this is not about her, this is about what's best for my son…"
"Jerry, the boy is right…" Anne interjects, having remained silent up until now. She understands where her husband is coming from; he is looking out for the emotional well-being of their son, and she shares his concerns too, but the more she listens to Olivia's plight the less clear cut this decision becomes. Like her son, the girl had clearly been through the mill too, but whether she deserved a second chance; that's still up for debate. But the decision as to whether or not it is in Joshua's best interest to be given a chance to get to know his mother is something else entirely.
"How I see it, if Olivia can prove herself capable, and no longer a danger to Joshua, then I think supervised access, at the very least should be considered…" Fitz shares with them honestly. "All this time we've been angry at the fact that Josh has had to grow up without his mother; now that we have a chance to give that back to him, are we seriously going to choose to disregard it?"
"So what, we just ignore all the pain and suffering she has caused?" Jerry argues back… "Have you truly forgotten what she's put this family through?"
"Of course not Jerry, and neither has our son, but we can't ignore what this could mean for Joshua."
Fitz puts his hand on his father's shoulders, in a bid to calm him… "Dad I love you, and I appreciate all that you've done for me and my son, mum too… And frankly, I don't know what we would have done without your support… But, it will forever play on my consciences if I let my feelings for Olivia get in the way of Joshua's future… As much as I don't want to admit it, he needs a mother, and at the end of the day Olivia is his mother." Fitz looks to his own mother… "But I do think dad is right about being cautious, therefore I'm going to start with supervised visits and depending on how it goes, take it from there…"
Jerry is unconvinced, "And what if she realises that she can't cope again, and runs off like she did before…? Joshua is at an age where he'll remember her now, and likewise also remember losing her too if she's unable to hack it; which if you want my opinion it's a possibility; that being said, surely it will only cause more damage than good in the long run?"
He sighs, "I hear you dad, I really do; and I'm fully aware of the risks involved… but depriving my son from a relationship with his mother, is something I can't bring myself to do… Especially now; because as messed up her judgement may have been back then, there is one thing I now know for certain, everything she did, from leaving him, staying away, to seeking help… she did it for Joshua. She loves him dad, and I can't ignore that even if I wanted to."
"So just forgive and forget, huh?"
He shakes his head… "Hardly dad, because I have not forgiven her and I will NEVER forget… but I can try to rebuild, and move on."