Our Fake Royal Wedding

Therapy With My Dad✔️

Chapter 21:
Edited
The clock on the wall ticks loudly, the more I look at it, the slower it moves. It's almost ten thirty and not even my dad has shown up. I grab a magazine to distract my thoughts, I drank a cup of coffee and I'm regretting it. My body is full of energy. The magazine is two years old? Putting it back I look at my phone. Scrolling through my emails. Junk, junk and more junk.

Jacob burst's through the door of the silent waiting room relief flooding his face when he sees me. We hug and he sits beside me

"You actually came?" I ask him

"Took me a hour to get here, I kept turning around but you need somebody so I'm doing this for you"

I squeeze his hand gratefully my dad obviously hasn't turned up when the the therapist walks out "Richards?"

We follow her in and take a seat on the leather couch "It's lovely to meet you I'm Jacqui Yorker" I shake her hand

My dad enters a few seconds later, "Sorry I'm late, I had to have a blood test done" he says smiling at us "Rehab's final test"

He looks like the old dad, happy, cleanly shaven and his eyes sparkle.

"Please take a seat" Jacqui says gesturing at a chair

Grabbing her note pad and a pen she looks at us "I believe therapy was your idea, Darren?"

He nods "My rehab advisor suggested it to help reconnect my family" she nods "Also a friend of mine, Bernadette was in favour of it"

"And Jacob how does that make you feel? That your dad wants to reconnect with you?"

"he's too late" Jacob says "He had about what almost 14 fucking years to fix himself up and he chooses now" she writes that down

"Okay, so I see you and your dad aren't on very good terms am I right?"

Jacob glares at dad, his jaw clenched and nods his head "Okay I want you to think about a time with your dad that made you happy"

Jacob thinks for about a second "No thank you"

"Jacob I understand this is something you don't want to do, but I'm trying to help you and your relationship with your dad"

He nods and thinks for a minute and nods his head, she looks at him expectantly "When he took me out for ice cream and told me Mum was going to have a baby and I was going to have a little brother or sister" Jacob smiles at the memory

"Why is that your favorite memory?"

"Because it was just us and he wasn't like he was plus I had good ice cream"

"Amy?" Jacqui asks

"I don't have one" I reply ignoring the pained expression on my fathers face

He's trying really trying which is what I've wanted but I keep shoving him back in his corner.

"This is confidential and reflective, take as much time as you want

*This will be in third person*
" Daddy! Daddy" A little girl cries running up to her dad, her eyes as big as saucers and her chocolate curls bouncing up and down.

"Yes my little blossom?" he says picking her up and tickling her affectionately

"Will you come to my ballet concert?" Amy asks giggling in her ballet leotard.

"Of course my little blossom" he promises her putting her on the ground and smiling as she ran away.

*
"Amy?" Jacqui asks

"Probably when I asked him to come to my ballet recital, he called me... Blossom"

Jacqui writes this down "Now Darren what do you remember about Jacobs happy memory"

Dad's knee twitches nervously "I remember the ice cream shop, Sprinkles 'r us, I remember telling him he had a big ice cream made of super hero strength when really it was just strawberry ice cream" he chuckles

Jacqui nods "That's really good and Amy's memory?"

"Her mother handing me a ticket to the recital and Amy practicing with a little wooden bar I made her, and me calling her my little blossom" he says tears clouding my eyes

"Now throughout the session when you start to doubt yourself remember that happy time and remember why you're doing this"

"So first off Jacob and Amy are you willing to openly listen to your fathers explanation?"

Willing! Willing? Yeah that's why I'm here

"I guess in other words ready? Because I know the truth can hurt and it won't be what you want to hear"

We both nod "I'm also going to ask you guys to close your eyes while your dad speaks and to raise you hand when you want to stop or ask a question"

Closing my eyes I grab Jacobs hand preparing myself from whatever I'm about to hear.

"So tell us about when you first started to drink?"

"It was a... Sunday night I think, my job was sacking people because they didn't have enough funds and I knew it was going to be me they first sacked, I walked into a bar a few streets away to watch the football and I ordered a whiskey after our team won I ordered a celebratory whiskey, I only drank two. "After calling it a night I walked home, because I would have been over the limit I was really quiet. I tip toed upstairs and you were both asleep; walking into our room I saw your Mum and my boss...going at it, I shouted 'what the hell is going on here' they both became terrified of how I might act, "back then I was a good guy I didn't yell incase it woke you guys I forced Gerald out of my house and quit, your Mum she was in a rage 'What did you just do?' She claimed she was saving my job, but i hadn't even been called in." He pauses to clear his throat "It was about 11 so I walked back to that bar and order 12 tequila shots, poured my heart out to the bartender and got drunk, until you guys get married you won't understand how I felt, it was a kick in the guts because I wasn't good enough for her"

Opening my eyes I look at my dad whose crying

"Now do you guys have any questions?"

Jacob speaks "I knew" he whispered "I knew that she was.. Cheating on you, Gerald stayed quite a lot when you were working late. I was young and I'm sorry I didn't tell you"

"Amy?" Jacqui asks

"Why?" I ask "Why did you turn to alcohol? I thought you were smarter dad I really did"

"Darren?" Jacqui asks looking at dad

"Jacob you were 6 that wasn't your responsibility and Amy, well I can't give you a answer"

Jacqui looks at the clock "That's about all we have time for, but great first session guys but Darren I have some very easy home work for you"

Dad nods "Your task is to write a apology letter to your kids and give it to them next session"

Walking out I hug my dad goodbye for the second time but I whisper in his ear "I forgive you"

Maybe he didn't deserve another chance, but you forgive those you love- as they say. I can't forgive and forget but I can forgive- he's trying, trying to make up for the years he hurt us. All my life dad was to blame even though I love my Mum she played a fair part in this too. Forgiving dad was a huge step for me and him. It's all he wanted I get that now.

Authors note:
3 CHAPTERS UNTIL THE WEDDING! just so you guys know it will be in 2 parts ceremony and reception. Hope you liked this chapter and vote!! Thanks
Much love,
Hoplessromantic_
P.s have a great Easter everybody.