Falling

39

Vinny Taylor

Family therapy was even more awkward than I thought it would be. Dad insisted on getting there early, so the four of us sat in the waiting room in silence for over half an hour before Dr. Brown was ready for our solo session. Then half an hour later we took a break and I waited with my family for another twenty minutes before Dr. Brown brought us back to her office.

She had the chairs set up in a circle when we entered. I sat between her and Logan, across from Dad who sat between Mom and Dr. Brown.

"I'm really glad you could all find the time to be here," Dr. Brown started. "I think this is important in not only Vinny's health, but the health of the family."

I tried to hold back my snort and got dirty looks from my parents when it slipped out. Logan was bouncing his knee beside me, resting his chin in his hand. The movement was all I could focus on.

"Can you fucking knock it off?" I hissed at him.

Logan glared at me but stopped his leg anyway. Now that the attention was on us, that was where Dr. Brown directed the conversation.

"Logan," she started. "How would you describe your relationship with Vinny and with each of your parents?"

Logan sat up straighter when Dr. Brown spoke to him and cleared his throat before answering.

"It's good," was all he said. I couldn't hold back my chuckle.

"You disagree, Vinny?" Dr. Brown asked, directing her gaze at me.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm sure Logan's relationship with our parents is fine."

"But not with you?"

Logan and I exchanged a glance and I couldn't tell what his expression meant. That was probably symbolic of our relationship as of late. The two of us didn't really know each other that well anymore. It went to show just how much could change in few short months.

"We're not really that close anymore," I told her, tearing my gaze away from Logan.

Dr. Brown nodded before turning her attention to my parents.

"Valerie, what is your relationship like with your sons?"

"They're the best boys in the world," she said with a sad smile. "I'd like to think I'm close with both of them, but Vinny has been drifting a bit."

Mom spoke in a small voice and it hurt my heart to think that she was upset.

Dr. Brown nodded again. "Jeff? What about you?"

"My relationship with Vinny has been strained lately," he admitted. "Something changed. We butt heads. We're both very stubborn."

"And with Logan?"

"Logan and I are good," he said with a sigh, making brief eye contact with me.

"I think we need to shift our understanding of how this family works," Dr. Brown began, speaking with her hands as she gestured to all of us. "This conversation is hyper focused on how Vinny has changed the family dynamic. What about how all of you have changed it?"

For the first time in a while it felt like I finally had someone on my side. Dr. Brown would hold me accountable for my shit, but she wasn't going to let them pin all the blame on me. She would hold everyone accountable and that comforted me.

"Vinny, how about you start," Dr. Brown prompted. "What is something you've done that has contributed to this change?"

There were likely many things, none that I wanted to say.