Family is Forever

Part 76-this place works miracles

Ali was a little subdued after saying goodbye to her Babcia. It wasn't the only goodbye she would have to say. Elsie was leaving day treatment and going back to school. Elsie would still be seeing the clinicians twice a week for an hour but would be almost full time at school. It was her last week and she would be spending three days at day treatment and two in school before transitioning back fully. It was Ali's first day without Elsie. "Ali can I borrow you a minute." Ben the clinician said taking her out of the day room. "I know today will be hard for you, without Elsie, you two are thick as thieves, but we have a new girl starting today Imogen, she likes to be called Immy she's 15 a little younger than you would you be able to take her under your wing?"
"Sure." Ali answered and Ben led her into one of the smaller rooms which Immy was in, along with a few adults. Immy was tall and very thin she had short red hair and a moody expression on her face, she was sat by a woman who must have been her mum. But Ali was looking straight at Serena Campbell, a collègue of Zosia's "wow, Natalia!" Serena looked at the girl who used to look skeletal and now looked normal, slim but normal. "You look well!" Serena smiled at her. "Thanks," Ali said quietly looking at the floor, she struggled to take compliments since she hated the way she looked and well was equal to fat in her head. "What are you doing here?"
"Immy was admitted to AAU last night so I'm here representing the hospital." Serena explained.
"Hi Immy, I'm Natalia but most people call me Ali." Ali said brightly
"Hi" Immy said expressionlessly
"Ali can you take Imogen into the day room and introduce her to everyone."
"Sure." Ali remembered how helpful Elsie had been when she first came to day treatment.
"I remember how hard the first day is but it will get easier." Ali smiled encouragingly.
"Whatever." Immy said. Ali bit her lip and didn't know what to say. Ali brought Immy into the day treatment room, almost everyone had changed since she started the only person still there was Helen who was 32. "Guys this is Immy, and Immy this is Helen, Pam, Bianca, Maisie, Monika and Phoebe. Ali got on well with all the girls currently in day treatment although they were all older than her. Other than Immy and Elsie everyone was at least 20. She got on especially well with Monika, who was 21 and Slovakian, so the both understood what it felt like being a Slavic girl living in the UK. Although Monika had a much stronger accent than Ali. She didn't get on with anyone the way she got on with Elsie or even Abby to a lesser extent. She was thinking about Abby a lot lately since she was going to see her in a dance show at the weekend.
In the smaller room Ben was talking to Serena.Immy's mum and one of her school teachers. "Serena, just quickly, it's probably not best to tell Natalia or anyone with an eating disorder that they look well as to them it can be misconstrued as fat. I know that's not what you meant but still." Ben said
"I know." Serena said "but the last time I saw Natalia she looked like she was at Deaths door and now she looks so good. Obviously there's the weight gain but also the colour in her cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes." She looked at Immy mum. "I've seen it so many times before, it takes a lot of hard work but this place, it works miracles."