Believe It Or Not (An Eddie Munson Story)

Recollide

"The entire house has been baby proofed," I chuckle softly as I settle back into my room. I hand my mom the bag of laundry I have from the hospital and she nods, a tiny smile on her lips.

"I wanted to make sure nothing happens while I'm at work." She says before sitting down on my bed, clutching the bag between her fingers. She looks up at me with a serious expression. "I've decided to take on less hours at work."

My eyebrows furrow and I gingerly plop down beside her. My gait is still stiff, but I'm working on it.

"Why?" I ask and she sighs, turning slightly to face me.

"I've missed a lot," she says frankly. "And I feel that my time may have been devoted to the wrong things. Yes, being financially stable and providing for us is and always will be a priority, but I can do that without sacrificing so much of myself to my job. This whole ordeal has made me realize that I have not been the best parent to you, and for that, I'll always be sorry."

I reach out and touch the back of my mom's hand, making her look into my eyes. The idea of having her around more does make me happy. The house always seemed too lonely with just me in it.

"I don't think you're a bad parent," I tell her honestly and she reaches out to hug me, her embrace making me smile.

"Well," she says, clearing her throat and standing. "I do unfortunately need to go in tonight at least, but Eddie said he would be here. Make sure to call me if you need me, though."

"Of course," I answer and she kisses my forehead before leaving, closing my door behind her.

I flop back on my bed and stare up at the ceiling, feeling somewhat surreal. So much has happened since I was last here. The last time I was in my room, I was getting ready to spend the night at Eddie's. Little did I know that the following day would lead to a long string of living nightmares.

I've done my best to block out my memories, to bury them deep within my body and lock them away. But every once in a while, something resurfaces and I completely shut down. It's more crippling then the incident with Patrick and unfortunately has resulted in the continuation of my medications. Just when I finally felt like I was reclaiming my life, things went south again.

The relief I felt at learning that Jason was dead was unreal. But what was more shocking was the guilt that came with feeling that way. Of course, you never want another life to be wasted, but I knew I would never find peace if he was around. My mother and I had a discussion when I started to feel better and ultimately decided that I needed to see a therapist. I was hesitant at first, but as more time passed and more memories flooded back, I felt it was a good idea.

Luckily, I was able to see the same therapist as Chrissy and we have even been able to do joint sessions at the hospital. It's been extremely helpful to be able to talk about these things with someone who has also gone through them. Our therapist, Dr. Myra Jennings, has been extremely patient and kind through the entire process as we both learn how to open up. I have been meaning to recommend her to Eddie as well.

I know he is having a hard time. Even if he hasn't said anything, I can see the torment in the depths of his brown eyes. He tends to brave things for the sake of others, but I wish he knew he didn't have to. I can't imagine what must be going through his mind. He saw so much and he has been through more than enough. Steve is even seeking professional help. Maybe I can see if he can talk to Eddie as well.

With a sigh, I sit up and hobble to the kitchen. My mom has already left, the only sound in the house is the dull roll of the washing machine. I pull open the fridge and dig out the ingredients for a turkey and cheese sandwich before slamming the door shut. I lay everything on the counter, appreciative that my mom has already pre-sliced the lettuce and tomatoes. Some tasks are still difficult and it seems she has really thought of everything to try and make my life a little easier. She even put the mayonnaise in a squeezable bottle so I wouldn't have to struggle to spread it.