Evan "Buck" Buckley-Nash

8. Default

Bobby spoke with Athena about the boys feelings and she cautiously recommended therapy. She didn't want to make Bobby's son seem damaged, and frankly she was confused about the boundaries in place (if any) around the three of them.

The next weekend Bobby took Evan to his appointment. He sat in the waiting room trying to be patient before the doctor who took him reappeared.

"Mr. Nash, Buck did an amazing job today."

"So he opened up?"

The Doctor walked him back to his son who was playing with toys. "Not yet, we use our first sessions for building a sense of openness and trust. He told me he was called Buck not Evan, and that he knows he's here because he's having a hard time. He's a smart kid."

"That I know. How long before he starts the process of everything?"

Evan noticed Bobby standing with the doctor and left his toys and approached them. "That all depends on the individual. Some it's 2 or 3 sessions, others it takes a bit longer for them to get comfortable."

Bobby nodded now that Evan was staring up at him. "Ready to go home?" The child silently nodded but grabbed Bobby's hand, which he has recently noticed the boy does when he gets scared or feels unsafe. "I'll make us some Mac n cheese for dinner. Do you want to pick dessert?"

~~~

After 3 sessions Bobby was disappointed to hear Evan had yet to open up, however he expected it. The boy was still so cautious when choosing his words unless he was outwardly upset. He still lacked the confidence to start conversations in the apartment with Bobby on a regular basis, he was still afraid of being hurt.

It took a bit longer but one day he got in trouble at school again and it just so happened to be on therapy day.

"Buck please tell me why you're acting like this." Bobby said calmly to the child as he was silently crying his face scrunched in anger in the waiting room.

He was soon taken back by the therapist and Bobby sat patiently in the waiting room hoping for some answers.

"Hey Buck, what's got you upset today?" The child just crossed his arms unamused. "Is it that Bobby told me you got in trouble at school again? Can you tell me what happened?"

"I-I-" the child took a deep breath to control himself. "I wasn't doing bad things, they don't like me."

"Well, what happened?" Dr. Woods asked the boy.

"I was picking up rocks." He said shortly.

"What happened after that?"

"I put the big rocks together and I was playing. I was trying to balance."

"Bobby told me you took the rocks that aren't supposed to be moved and made steps and you were running off them until you got to the big one and then you jumped onto it."

"Yeah."

"What if you got hurt?"

"Then people would talk to me." He responded with.

The therapist nodded. "And does Bobby talk to you without you getting hurt?"

"Yes."

"Okay, that's good. Did you try to get hurt on purpose?"

The boy thought for a second. "I don't know."

"Okay, and what's another reason why you've been getting in trouble?" The child shrugged. "Well before Bobby adopted you, why did you get in trouble and do reckless things?"