THE TRUTH HURTS ✔

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴇʟᴠᴇ

"Leigh...?" Dr. Hwang called out to Leigh, after seeing the young woman daze off.

Leigh glanced up, glassy, teary eyes staring back at the doctor who called her name.

Leigh wiped away her eyes as Dr. Hwang removed her reading glasses and rubbed her eyes with her index finger.

Her other holding carefully the notepad she had on her lap with notes she's been jotting down of information that Leigh stated to her during each session.

As always, Leigh's sessions would start with Leigh, at the beginning remaining quiet. She wouldn't say a word, shutting down with anyone who tried to help her.

Including those who cared deeply for the young woman. They expressed that they missed the old Leigh. The woman who loved music, and life with a passion.

But, after the death of her sister, the activeness of what they remembered of Leigh was gone, and only a shell remained of who she was before. And, so that was the job of no one else but Dr. Hwang.

Hopefully, she could work her magic and decipher what has been holding Leigh locked deep in her mind, and open up to Dr. Hwang.

"Whatever we speak of in this room, stays in this room," she would humbly tell Leigh who at first felt everyone around her was the enemy.

But in times, or more so, in months, Leigh finally opened up, telling Dr. Hwang everything that was on her mind.

The more that Leigh spoke of her feelings, it felt as if a weight was lifted off of her shoulders.

All the guilt that was pent up inside was now being let go.

Leigh was feeling better than the year before.

She felt a positive impact was happening on her.

Things truly felt as if it was life for Leigh to be moving in that direction. She felt more relaxed as she went on and on about her hidden feelings.

Sometimes even thinking to herself did she do so much harm to herself and to those who cared so deeply for her?

Within time, a beep signaled both women which meant that Leigh's time was up.

And, so with a click of her pen, Dr. Hwang placed a satisfied smile on her face.

"Leigh, you seemed to have improved so much since the start of our sessions. I remembered when you would first start coming to me, you would either distance yourself or change the subject when any mention of your sister or the accident. However, now, you're able to talk freely about Lia. It certainly is a great improvement."

Leigh listened to the doctor as she understood what she meant.

Leigh was a feisty young woman, and she didn't like telling others her business.

But being in the limelight, came with fans and paparazzi exploring her through her ups and downs, the good and the bad.

It's what she signed up for when she decided to become a celebrity.

Her personal life was no longer, hers to keep hidden.

Everyone knew of her accident, and her downfall, and then later learned about her being sent by the people she trusted to seek help.

After learning about her sister's deceased, Leigh shut down, no one could get through to her.

Not even Gray.

It was requested that she sought out help, more like the both of them get the much-needed help to cope with the loss they both went through.

Gray, at first, didn't want to just as Leigh didn't want to in the beginning but eventually decided that maybe telling someone professional, maybe, he hoped it will allow him to process fully the loss he, himself was trying to manage alone.

Leigh didn't want any help, saying that she can take care of matters in her own hands.

Sadly, her way of handling her deepest pain caused her to spiral out of control.

And, Leigh was then ordered, not only by those who cared for them but even her company felt that she needed to seek help or she would've lost everything.

It was no other choice than she was given by her music company or by anyone who cared about her.

But, it wasn't going to be easy. Even Dr. Hwang who was a patient person had to hold back her temper because of how Leigh first reacted when seeing her.

Yet, she stuck it out and waited out Leigh's stubbornness until Leigh was the one who broke down.

She blamed herself for her sister and niece or nephew's death that wasn't able to enter this crazy world.

But, through all her blaming herself, Dr. Hwang explained to Leigh that in the end, we can never know what the future holds. Sometimes God sees a bigger picture in all of us and he wanted you to continue forward, but still keep the memories of your sister in your heart.

"Your sister would always be in your heart and the memories that you have of her will keep you walking down a positive road, Leigh, remember that."

Leigh nodded her head, understanding completely as she lifted her arm and pressed her fingers on a locket that was around her neck.

"Yeah, she would," she said to herself.

Leigh gazed up staring back at the doctor, a feeling that she missed so very much.

She took in deep breaths before parting her lips, ready to declare the next step in her process of recovery.

"I'm ready."

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