A Healing Heart

Chapter 20

Today was Meredith's first therapy session, a Saturday morning, and to say she was anxious was an understatement. Today was the day she had to sit in a room with a complete stranger and tell her story, tell how she felt and what her thoughts were. She felt sick as she sat in the car next to Derek, Ellis and Carolyn in the back with Ellyse in the middle, to anyone on the outside it would look like a fun family day out.

The car was quiet and Ellis was sat to the back left of Meredith, she watched as she nervously tapped the tip of each finger with her thumb and how her leg bounced as she sat, she felt bad because she had no control over it, Meredith didn't even know she was doing it. Next to her Ellyse chatted quietly with Carolyn as she showed her how to play a game on her iPad that she was only allowed at the weekend, as she watched her she could see Derek but she was all Meredith, the personality was now shared between them, she turned back to Meredith to see her looking out of the window so decided to make conversation in a hope to put her at ease.

"Meredith, do you fancy going out for some lunch later?" Ellis asked.

It took a moment for Meredith to reply.

"Uh, sure." she stared ahead.

"Anywhere in particular?"

"I don't think so.' Meredith mumbled.

"She likes the Italian cafe on Joseph Street." Derek smiled in the rear mirror.

"Would you like to go there then, Mer?"

"I don't know!" Meredith snapped quietly.

"She was just asking a question, Mer." Derek said calmly.

"I know." she sighed, "I'm sorry." she turned around to look at her mother.

Ellis looked at her daughter carefully, she really was beautiful, she always had been but she had only gotten more beautiful as she grew up. Since the... incident, Meredith had been wearing a little more makeup to cover up any cuts or bruises she had on her face, she didn't want to scare her daughter. She had gotten pretty good with a makeup brush but as Ellis looked at her face, she noticed that one of her bruises hadn't been covered. It was a purple bruise that laid next to her ear just below her eye, at the very top of her cheekbone.

"Don't apologise." she smiled.

"I'm nervous, I feel like I'm going to be sick." Meredith announced as they got closer to the hospital, the same hospital she had been released from just over a week ago.

"Your going to be fine Mer." Derek grabbed her hand over the console. He realised what he had done and after a few moments awkwardly removed his hand.

They hadn't talked about what had happened between them but they knew they needed to, there was just so much going on. He kissed her and she kissed him back and then he told her he loved her and he meant it, they both knew he did. He cleared his throat as he parked the car.

"Do you want me to come up with you?" he asked looking a her with a gentle smile.

"You can't." she teared up, anxiety filling her entire body.

"No, but I can walk you to the door."

"Can I come too, daddy?" Ellyse piped up.

"You sure can." he smiled at her.

He looked back at Meredith finding her looking at the hospital sucking on her bottom lip. He grabbed her hand and smiled at her. Carolyn watched the two of them and could see that they needed a little time as the two of them.

"Ellis shall we go get some coffee?" She raised her eyebrows and Ellis nodded.

"We'll take Ellyse, Meredith." Ellis informed her and they stepped out the car.