Here we go. I managed to get this part of this rather hard-to-write part of the story complete. Hope you enjoy!
"No way, Linus! I will never go to see that useless shrink! And you will never be able to convince me otherwise, no matter how hard you try!" Lucy yelled from the living room.
It was now the night before the day when Lucy was expected to visit Dr. Bliss at her office for the first time. Linus had expected that the task of trying to persuade Lucy to go through with this would be an uphill battle, and so far he was being proven correct. He didn't have any clue as to how he would get through to his sister, but he had to do it. Lucy was not okay in his view and she needed help. Linus was her younger brother, and he was willing to do whatever it took to help his big sister, even if said sister killed him for it.
"Please, Lucy? Just do it for your loving younger brother?" Linus pleaded.
"That's not gonna work, little bro. I'm not falling for your 'well, you got a little brother who loves you' card this time," Lucy insisted before she pulled up a pair of headphones over her ears.
Lucy then smirked to herself, turning back towards the television. She was a giver of psychological advice, not a taker. No way. There was no way she was going to be coaxed into seeing Dr. Bliss. She was just fine!
But Lucy was then caught off guard when Linus actually marched right up to her and yanked those headphones right off her head! She jumped up and whirled around towards Linus. Linus stood firm, putting on the bravest expression he could muster despite knowing that he was probably in for a beating.
Though Lucy looked ticked, she didn't immediately advance on Linus like she might've. Instead, she thought back to a certain interaction she had with Snoopy. Yeah, that beagle got scared moreso than during any of their usual encounters. Recalling that event, she tried to put on a calm face.
"I'm going to politely ask that you return my headphones to me. If you do so by the time I count to ten, I'll forget this whole thing just happened. Yep, no one will get hurt," she said.
She then closed her eyes and began to count.
"One. Two. Three. Four. Nothing will happen. Absolutely nothing."
But Linus was remaining still.
"Five. Six. Seven."
Lucy opened one eye and was surprised to see him still just standing there. Linus kept firm, not wavering a bit.
"Eight. Nine."
Lucy just knew that Linus had to be approaching her by now. She had successfully managed to get him to comply with her in the end, just like always, right?
But Linus didn't. "It's not happening, Lucy. I need you to listen to me right now."
Lucy's opened her eyes and her face was now beginning to go red from anger. Linus began to shake and sweat on the spot, but he remained in place. If he was going to get beaten to a pulp to relay his message, he was prepared to do so.
Lucy slowly began to approach Linus. A look of pure soulless menace was on her face as she cracked her knuckles. Linus slowly began to back away, but not without beginning to say his piece. It was time to let it all out.
"I'm concerned for you, Lucy. Lately, you've been prone to anger and crabbiness at a level that's irregular even for you. And at other times, I've seen you appear outright sad or depressed."
Lucy was drawing closer.
"I-I've even overheard you crying before on occasion when I would pass by your bedroom," Linus continued, beginning to sound emotional, though he wasn't sure if that was from sadness or from fear.
Lucy continued to approach him, but by this point, she seemed to be starting to slow down.
"It's been bothering me, Lucy. I'm used to having an older sister who is crabby, vain, and even sometimes mean-spirited. But I'm not used to having a sister who has started to become mentally unstable. Lucy, please! I LOVE YOU! I want to see you get help to figure out what's wrong! I can't take this anymore!" Linus finished. By now, he was starting to tear up.
Lucy at this point, who had raised her fist to strike, had actually stopped and was now standing still. In her head, she was torn between the temptation to slug her brother big time, and the words coming from him now ringing loudly in her head.
Linus meanwhile, dropped to his knees and clasped his hands together in the praying position. He kept his now teary eyes on his sister while in his mind, he was crying out to God, pleading for a miracle.
Finally, to Linus' shock, Lucy lowered her arm... and then she lowered her head, her face no longer able to be seen. After about thirty long tense seconds later, Linus saw something he never expected: a tear falling.
"Lucy?" he said in a soft voice, reaching his arm towards her.
Then all of a sudden, Linus found himself engulfed by Lucy not with fierce punches, but rather, a fierce hug. He was taken by surprise, but nonetheless, he returned the hug and began gently patting her on the back, allowing her release the emotions that were now running through her.
Linus couldn't believe it. But it seemed that maybe, just freaking maybe, he had actually somehow managed to break through to her.
"So, will you do this for me? Will you go and see Dr. Bliss?" he asked though, just to be sure.
Lucy didn't answer, but the movement of her head on Linus' shoulder suggested to him that she nodded.
Linus smiled. "Thank you, Big Sis."
Linus was stunned, but extremely grateful and relieved. He turned his head upwards so that he was looking at the ceiling. This was followed by him closing his eyes and, in his mind, expressing thanks to God for this miracle. He began to feel a glimmer of hope that perhaps Lucy could now begin on a path towards a change for the better. And if that were the case, she could count on him being there for her every step of the way.
From around the corner, a certain third sibling of the Van Pelt family watched on fondly as his big brother and even bigger sister were actually sharing a wonderful heartfelt moment together.
The school bus arrived at the Van Pelt household the next morning. As usual, both Linus and Lucy were there, but from aboard the bus, Charlie Brown noticed that Linus was not carrying his blanket with him.
Wow. Maybe he really is going to try to leave the blanket at home from now on," Charlie Brown thought.
The first one on the bus was Lucy, like usual. But Charlie Brown was surprised when she just walked past him, seeming as though she didn't even know he was there. Maybe it was just him, but Charlie Brown was getting the impression that Lucy was actively trying to avoid any kind of interaction right now. Usually, Lucy would've greeted him with "Good morning, Blockhead", or something like that, but today she was completely silent.
Linus followed from behind, taking his seat in the same row as Charlie Brown on the left as usual. He, on the other hand, appeared very chipper, as though something really good had recently happened to him.
"Hi, Charlie Brown," Linus greeted his bestie.
"Hi, Linus," Charlie Brown greeted back. "You sure seem happy this morning."
Linus nodded. "I actually did it, Charlie Brown. I convinced Lucy to go and have her appointment with Dr. Bliss," he told him, though quietly enough so that no one would overhear them.
"You did?" Charlie Brown asked in shock. He then turned his head to look back at Lucy, who had taken her usual seat behind Schroeder. So that was probably why she wasn't currently acting like her usual self.
About thirty minutes later, the bus arrived at the school. The kids all got off the bus, and in a strangely similar fashion to the first day of school, Schroeder came whizzing past Charlie Brown and Linus.
"Sorry, guys! I gotta get the results of my application. I'll see you in homeroom, Charlie Brown!" he called back to them.
"Wow, that felt like a bit of déjà vu, didn't it, Charlie Brown?" Linus asked as he watched Schroeder disappear into the school.
"Yep, it did," Charlie Brown agreed.
Fortunately for Schroeder, this time he knew right off the bat how to get to the administration office. As he got close to the entrance, his pace slowed as the nerves started to kick in. He didn't know what he would do if his club wasn't approved this time.
Soon enough, he entered the office and approached the club manager.
"Why, hello, Mr. Klein," she greeted.
"Hello, Ma'am," he said, feeling a wee bit anxious. "Is the result of my club application available yet?"
"Yes, it is," the club manager answered. She then reached into a drawer and pulled out Schroeder's application before handing it to him.
Schroeder looked at what was written atop the first page. He gasped.
Meanwhile, back over in Charlie Brown's homeroom, Charlie Brown was rather quiet as he awaited Schroeder to return. He hoped for his musician friend's sake that his application was approved this time. Schroeder was so angry and upset the first time when his application was declined that Charlie Brown was a bit worried what a second rejection might result in.
"I hope Schroeder got his application approved this time. I can tell how much he really wants this," Heather said, sounding slightly nervous as she kept her eyes focused on the entrance to the classroom.
"Me too," Charlie Brown agreed.
"I'm confident that the advice you gave him will really help out, Heather," Marcie said reassuringly.
"Thanks, Marcie," Heather said, giving her a quick smile.
About two minutes later, Schroeder finally entered the classroom. He was slowly walking towards his desk with his hands in his pockets. Luckily, this time he wasn't late, so he wasn't stopped by the instructor. He kept his gaze on the ground in front of him as he slowly walked to his desk and stowed away his backpack under it.
Charlie Brown and Heather exchanged worried glances as they analyzed Schroeder's demeanor. Uh-oh. Did his club again fail to get approved? Even after the changes he had made?
"So, um... Schroeder? Your club application... how'd it go?" Charlie Brown asked him hesitantly.
Schroeder turned his head towards his friends as the three of them all looked at him, concern etched on all of their faces. He was silent for a few seconds...
...and then he grinned.
"It was approved!" He shouted, enabling the whole class to hear him.
"Yeah?" Charlie Brown said, a bright smile appearing on his face. "That's wonderful!"
"Yes, it is. I'm very happy for you, Schroeder," Heather told him, sounding relieved.
"Good job, Schroeder. I knew you could do it," Marcie said encouragingly.
"Thanks, everyone," Schroeder said, the grin not leaving his face.
It was now lunchtime and Charlie Brown was eating lunch, again accompanied by Heather, Mary, Schroeder, and Linus. Since the two girls had invited the boys over the first time, the five of them dining together had seemed to become routine. No longer it seemed that Charlie Brown had to suffer through lunch via being left with no one. He had his two best guy friends with him, and there was also Mary. But best of all, he had Heather, his longtime crush, in his friend circle. He glanced between each of his pals with a smile on his face, feeling like he, well, belonged. And that he actually did have people who liked him.
Schroeder was also still in high spirits as he filled Mary and Linus in on the outcome of his application. He then informed both Heather and Mary when and where the club meetings would take place (immediately after school on Mondays in the music room).
Heather even noticed that Linus seemed to be in a pretty good mood. "So Linus, you seem to be in a nice mood today as well. Did something good happen?"
Linus turned towards her. "Yes, in fact. I've persuaded Lucy to see Dr. Bliss."
"You did? That's great!" Heather smiled, glad that everything somehow worked out.
Heather and Mary felt their own spirits being lifted by the all-around pleasant mood that was currently in the air.
It was now a little bit before four in the afternoon, and a public bus that Lucy was currently aboard was now arriving at the building that housed Dr. Bliss' office. Seconds later, Lucy stepped out of the bus. She was wearing a long black hooded trench coat that, to her relief, had helped disguise her. She shuddered to imagine what would happen if the news circulated through the school that Lucy of all people was now seeing a real psychiatrist.
Moments later, Lucy, who had now taken her trench coat off, was seated in the waiting room. She thought on about how somehow, that blanket-dragging brother of hers had actually convinced her to show up here. It was totally inconceivable, but here she was.
Lucy sighed and picked up a copy of a magazine that was on a small round table next to her. It was titled "Within the Psyche". As she skimmed through the pages, she couldn't help but be sort of fascinated by it. She was pulled out of her thoughts a little while later when she heard her name being called.
"Lucy Van Pelt?"
With a small sigh, Lucy placed the magazine back on the table. She then stood up and followed the associate as he led her to the correct office. Once they arrived at the correct office, the associate knocked on the door.
"Come in," came the voice of Dr. Bliss.
"Go ahead in," the associate instructed Lucy, opening the door for her.
Without a word, Lucy walked into the office and was greeted by the purple-clad psychologist.
Author's note: Okay, I was originally going to actually write out some of the first interactions between Lucy and Dr. Bliss, but I think I'm going to wait on that until a little later in the story. Hope that's not a problem. I promise that there will be a few interactions between Lucy and Dr. Bliss shown in this story. This first part was the piece I professed as challenging to write, but it had managed to, in my view at least, become so far the most impactful scene in the entire story. I'm pretty proud of it if I do say so myself. Stay tuned for the next chapter, which will have plenty of Charlie Brown and Heather focus!