Push to the Limit (the sixth book in the Glee series)

Chapter 38: Get Yourself Together

2/3 Christina Grimmie chapters to go. Here's #2.
----------------------------------------------

"Good morning," said Julie as she walked into the garden where she was supposed to meet her support group. It was Friday morning and she was the last one to join in, taking a seat on the grass as part of the circle they had already formed. 

Her support group was comprised of eight members and a supervisor who overlooked them. Four of them had drug addictions, two had eating disorders, and one suffered from depression. Then there was Julie. The supervisor had suffered from depression and an intense heroine addiction, so she was the perfect person to speak about recovery.

And they did speak, a lot, every morning of every day for the last week. Julie tried to listen for the most part. She knew everything was confidential and wasn't at all scared of sharing what was personal but there was something about hearing other people's troubles that made hers seem a lot more trivial and human. 

So every day she would join the circle—sitting on the grass, at a table, on a couch or wherever they had gathered that day—and just listen. Other people had interesting stories to share and different perspectives to offer to those she decided to tell.

After this Friday's meeting, Julie made her way back to her room to change before one of her therapy sessions. After removing some layers and changing shoes, Julie made her way to the doctor's office where she was scheduled to go next.

There, she knocked three times gently on the door before being invited in, where her doctor, an older woman named Josephine Rockston whom Julie had nicknamed Jo Stockton, was sitting on an arm chair waiting patiently for her.

"Sorry I'm late," Julie told her. "Our group session ran a little longer than I expected and I had to stop by my room to leave my sweatshirt before coming back here. Man, it's warm."

She sat down on the couch where she often was during these sessions as Jo said, "You're right on time actually. Please, get comfortable." 

She already had her notepad and pen out, so Julie let herself sink back on the couch and relax. It had been difficult the first few days but by now she was getting used to the whole routine.

"So," Jo said, smiling. "Let's begin, shall we? How was group session?"

"Group session was fine," Julie shrugged. "We spent most of it debating Abby's relationship with the guy who got her hooked on cocaine. She thinks they can get clean together but as Greer pointed out, she can't be around him until he's clean or they'll just keep dragging each other down."

"And did you share anything today?" asked Jo.

Julie blew some air out and admitted, "Not much. Not today, no... Just talked a little about missing my daughters. That's it."

"So you haven't seen them since we talked on Wednesday then?" 

"No," Julie shook her head. "I thought maybe Sam would bring them by on his visit yesterday but he didn't... I guess he still doesn't trust me with them or something. And there's no hope that he'll come today because our friend Amity just released her album and there's a big party in L.A. for her that he's attending so... Here I am, alone."

"And are you ok with this?" asked Jo. "With Sam's decision to keep Izzy and Gaby away?"

"I mean, I have to be, right?" Julie answered. "What choice do I have? If I don't play by his rules right now, he'll have all the power to take them away later. It's why I came back last week. I don't want there to be any reason for anyone to believe that I'm not capable of taking care of them."