Abby

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Her parents grew anxious with every approaching day, knowing that once she was home, it was all up to her. Therapy seemed to be helping, she was brighter every time they saw her. But when she came home, the freedom would tempt her. They knew it. Everyone knew it. It was one of the most discussed topics at the support group they'd joined for parents of teenage addicts. Jennie enjoyed going, it helped her deal with the guilt and the fear a little bit better. Jason hated it. It was too real.

...

She sat on the bed staring at her packed suitcase. She should be excited to leave, and she was, but she'd be a liar if she didn't admit to being nervous. Scared even. It was easy to be clean in here. Drugs weren't just a phone call away. Stress was minimized. Everyone was there to help. And now, it was up to her, and she didn't think she was ready for the challenge.

"There you are." A nurse said walking in. "I figured you'd be banging down the door to get out." She joked. Abby didn't smile. She sat down next to her.

"Nervous?" She asked. Abby nodded. "It's okay. Most people are when they leave. But you have an amazing and supportive family. You've worked hard in here to get better, be better." Abby didn't reply. She wasn't sure she believed it. "You've got this." The nurse finished. She stood. "Let's go, Abby. Your brother is ready to burst, trying to see you." Mention of Aaron finally snapped her out of it. She gave herself a pep talk. It will be okay. Make up for lost time with Aaron. You can do this. She took a deep breath and stood. The nurse took her suitcase, and she walked out of rehab convinced she could do it.

The amount of work she had to catch up on was overwhelming. It was too much. She wanted to take the F's for first quarter and just start in fresh for second. But for some reason, they thought piling all of this work on her to try to salvage a grade was worth it. She didn't want to refuse. She was trying to do the right things. Whatever they were. But the sheer number of pages she had to read for English was impossible. Jace was allowed over, having saved her and all. And they figured if he was there, they could be monitored, and she wouldn't be out there. In the real world. He walked into the dining room where her books were piled.

"Holy shit." He muttered as he walked over to her. She sat staring at it all like a zombie.

"No kidding." She said, looking up at him. He saw the pain in her eyes. The overwhelming sense of defeat before she'd even begun. He gave her a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Funny part is, with a little cocaine and some Adderall, I could actually maybe tackle this. Energy and focus. Neither of which I have right now." Her mother walked in, having heard Jace come in.

"Hi, Jace." She said, neither happy nor sad. "Have you started anything yet?" Her mother asked.

"Nope. I don't even know where to begin." She admitted. Jennie could see that might be a real problem for anyone, never mind that Abby had been listless since she'd been back. "I don't know why I can't just call quarter one a wash and start fresh after Thanksgiving break." Jennie sighed.

"We've had this conversation. Your grades are so low, they don't think you can make up for it. They don't think you can take 30's and 40's for a quarter and then pass for the year. Even if you did reasonably well on midterms, which given the lack of work you did for quarter one it's unlikely, you'd need straight A's for each quarter and finals." Abby wasn't even listening. Jennie sensed that. "Abby. Just pick up a book and start reading." Jennie took one from the pile and slid it in front of her. "You can do this." Abby knew everyone meant well, but she was pretty sick of hearing that. Because she couldn't do it. It was too much. She picked up the book and opened to the first page.

...

Abby looked around her room. At first, she didn't want to be in there. The solitude would be what did her in. The loneliness would eat her alive. Something was out of place though. She walked up to her mirror and looked at her pictures. They were all in pristine condition, except one. She pulled it out of the frame and felt along the creases. It hadn't been like that before she'd left. It looked like someone had folded it up. And then unfolded it a million times. She was curious, but she was okay with it. Someone had treasured it before putting it back.

"Aaron loves that picture." Abby looked at her mother in the mirror. She leaned against the door frame. "He carried it around every moment you were gone." Abby smiled. Of course, it was Aaron. "I offered to print a new one for him, but he wanted that specific one."

"So much for being a douchey jock, huh?" Abby said in jest. Her mother smiled.

"We all missed you. But something about that connection you two have... it was especially hard for him." Abby nodded.

"I'm a lucky girl." She whispered. She knew it. She saw it. She lived it. And it still wasn't enough sometimes.

"You are." Her mother agreed.

"I love you and dad. I really want to be better for both of you. For the pain I've caused. But Aaron... he's what got me through withdrawals and thirty days of constant in your face reality." Jennie smiled.

"Nothing makes me happier than hearing that." Her children were bonded beyond the world's power to destroy. Her heart overflowed.