Discovering Lucy

Sonny

Now; Lucy

Why did she think it was a good idea to sit here in front of this person who spent six years at university to be qualified to say "and how does that make you feel?". Lucy may as well record their sessions and play them back to herself rather than sit in this room for an hour once a week to learn how to deal with what happened. How does one even deal with that?

Tick, tick, tick.

She sits there, staring at that way and not speaking, barely listening to Dr. Linger as she rambles her expertise advice onto Lucy but merely finding her spot on the wall and impatiently listening to the sounds of the clock ticking by.

"Lucy, we're about to run out of time but I want you to tell me-"

She better not says the words

"-Have you spoken to Paige yet, you said you were best friends" Dr Linger finished.

She's lucky she didn't say the words

"Uh- no, not yet, just doesn't feel right at this moment. I don't think I've had enough time to really process everything and be able to answer their questions."

Dr. Linger says nothing but just writes away on her little notepad. What Lucy would do to be able to grab that notepad and just jam it right up her-

"What about work?" Dr. Linger questions.

"What about it?" Lucy answers, not ready to entertain what ideas is popping in the head of her Psychologist.

"Well, you've told me that you're still working. Do you think that's a good idea? What if it gets too stressful?" Dr Linger suggests. 

"I've been working there for three years now; I think the term 'stressed" Lucy exclaims with using her hands as air quotations "is more boredom than anything".

A slight 'Hmm' was given by Dr Linger before she moved onto the next pressing question.

"And what do you do when the customers ask about her? You said she was not only a regular but also worked there for a couple months. How do you handle it?"

Lucy had no idea how to answer without Dr Linger calling the bar and telling them she needed to be fired. In all honesty when they do ask, she tells the customers they need to pay another ten bucks and she will give them an answer. If they're stupid enough to actually give her the money she merely walks away and tells Ronnie to take that side of the bar for the rest of the night. Shit way to make about a hundred bucks a night off a drunken moron.

"They don't" she lies without hesitation.  "Why would they try to piss off their bartender with the risk of being served water instead of vodka and still being charged ten dollars?" Lucy assured.

Dr linger knew this was an utter bull, but she knew better than to push Lucy. Especially when this is the most, she's ever gotten out of her since the session started. Actually, the most out of a session in general. Before Dr Linger got the chance to ask Lucy another question the timer on her phone goes off, signalling the end of the session.

"Alright Lucy that seems to be it for the session, is there anything else you'd like to say before I leave you for the week?"

With a sigh of relief Lucy grabs her coat from where it hangs on the back of her chair, mumbles a slight 'no' to Dr Linger and heads for the door.

"Don't forget to call me if you need anything okay, Lucy?" Dr Linger calls as Lucy heads down the hallways and towards the exit.

The next will be like every other week, slow and painful. Lucy is grateful for the extra shifts she's picked up at the bar, it gives her a distraction from everything else and an excuse for when her mum tries to question why she isn't spending time with any friends.

Once outside, she finds herself walking towards a park bench across the roach from the office.Switching her phone back on, Lucy isn't even remotely surprised when she sees the amount of missed calls on her phone and the messages. Always the same people trying to reach out to break Lucy's silence.

Tempted to call back her mother, Lucy stares at her phone trying to decide if she wants to make the decision to speak to her yet. Is she ready to speak to one of the first people to dismiss Carrie? To reject her when she needed a place to turn? Deciding against the idea of calling her mother, Lucy switches off her phone once again and attempts to enjoy the peaceful breeze of the park. 

The serenity of the park, listening to the sounds of children playing, mums gossiping, and birds chirping is cut short when one sound is heard above them all, the only sound that sends chills down her spin. She hears him.

"I fucking told you Jason that you're not playing in the park. We came here because Pattie asked me to walk this fucking mongrel of a dog." The pleads of Jason is cut off as Ian grabs his hand and drags him off the park, causing a scene in front of all the parents and children. Jason sobbing, face red of embarrassment struggles to free his arm from Ian, causing him to grip harder.

Lucy's body stills at the sight of him, the fucking prick that doesn't know a good thing even when it hits him in the face. The moms are all watching, no one moving as he stalks across the park and towards his car. The dog struggles and squirms as it tries to get free of Ian's grasp. It looks as if Ian has finally lost his temperament with the dog as he lets go of the lead and kicks the dog away. Still holding Jason, he storms off, gets in the car and leaves the park.

She is gobsmacked that he is the same bastard he has always been. The commotion of the mothers and children continues on and Lucy gets out of her daze and makes her way towards the dog that is in the same position since Ian kicked it.

"Shhh," Lucy hushes her as she gradually makes her way closer to the abandoned dog, trying any and all techniques to gain the dog's trust.

"Wow he really did hurt you didn't he?" The dog whimpers in response and pushes its head closer to Lucy's hand. Moving her hand around the neck, she attempts to find a name tag.

"Sonny" Lucy is now completely on the ground observing Sonny who still sits a distance away, hesitating whether or not Lucy is to be trusted.

"After what you've been through, I promise not to hold this against you" 

This thought pains her to think about after seeing what a mess Carrie was when she finally got out of that house. No one should be able to treat beautiful living creatures like that and get away with it.

No matter how many times they try, Ian always manages to win but she won't give up, the twins may not know it but she will get them out of there and Ian will pay for what he has done. 

Lucy gently picks up Sonny and carries her into the direction of her car. Sonny won't be returning to that house now or ever because once something from that house manages to get free, it is in Lucy's every nature to not let them go back.

Carrie knew that. She still tried even though she knew Lucy would stop her from doing anything stupid, especially that.

Well, almost everything.