Tara Carpenter | Scream VI

Therapy | Guinevere

Disclaimer: Sensitive Topics Covered. Do not read this chapter if you feel uncomfortable with topics such as mental illness and self-harm.

"Why am I here ? She's the one who is mentally ill." Cassie scoffed, crossing her arms.

"I'm not sick. Right dad ?" She lifted her head, tugging on his sleeve.

"No your not don't worry." He patted her on the top of the head gently. "Cassie stop."

"You see Joe, we don't know yet if Guivenere is mentally ill or not." The therapist took off her glasses and turned to Cassie who was on the other end of the couch. "And you Cassie, saying things like that to your sister can have consequences. How would you feel if we said such things ?"

"I don't know and I don't care. When are we leaving Joe ?" She asked in a false high-pitched voice.

"Cassie can you just-" "It's okay Joe, she has the right to express herself." She cut him off seeing that he was losing his patience.

"We're all here to see how you've evolved psychologically since Beck's death." She explained by looking in her notes.

"So for starters, Guinevere, you've had trouble expressing yourself since we changed your treatment after your mother disappeared. Any comment about that ?" She asked the blonde.

"Cassie says that when I talk I sound stupid." She mumbled in response.

"Be for real right now. She's blonde and have serious communication and concentration issues in today's society, in other words that's suicide. Even if she's academically smart no one will stop making fun of her when she will become an adult. Not to mention of her comprehension and interpretation skills which are simply non-existent." She said pointing with her thumb Guinevere not bothering to look in her direction.

"I can understand things." She scratched her forearm with her fingernails leaving some red marks.

"Learn how to tie your shoelaces, then we'll talk about it." She snapped as she turned her head towards her, her armes still crossed.

"And stop doing that when you're upset, you're hurting yourself !" She slapped Guinevere's arm making her jump.

She took a deep breath. "Hear me out, I'm worried about her. And you, Joe, are not improving anything with your behavior towards her. I'm just bringing her back to reality. Wake up she's not well, she hides under her bed when she's scared, when she's currently 16 years old !"

The room filled with silence and Guivenere gulped loudly.

"Okay..." The therapist looked at Joe who quickly dodged her gaze. "Joe do you have something to say ?"

"I'm sorry Guinevere is scared but I don't understand why-" "Your inside pocket Dad. You've been an alcoholic since Mom's been gone." Guinevere cut him off, biting her lower lip remorsefully.

Cassie smiled proudly, licking her teeth. "At least that you understood that."

"I'm not an addict okay ? It's just that when I miss your mother too much, I drink. That's all." He exclaimed defensively.

"Joe. Drinking in front of your daughters is not really a good example." She frowned as she wrote something on a piece of paper.

"I know."

"By the way, Guinevere's new meds are bad because they fix her insomnia but worsens her health when she is "awakened". She whispers mom's name all the time when she zone out. She never stands on her feet, and her teachers worry because she seems paler and stutters in her words. But you can't know that Joe since you're drunk all the time."