What's eating you?

Chapter 25

I shifted uncomfortably in the plastic chair, as more girls slowly shuffled their way into the room. It had been Tate's idea for me to seek out group therapy, and for a moment it seemed like a good idea. But now looking at some of these girls, it was like I was watching the last stage of death.

" Okay ladies we will be starting in a few moment, so please find a seat." A large woman stood in the middle of the make shift circle. Her dyed auburn hair was pulled into a loose bun. Crows feet began to form in the corners of her faded out green eyes, and her shoulder slumped forward.

A girl what seemed buzzed cut black hair slid into the seat next to me, and began rocking back and forth. Her lifeless jumped from one person to the next, finally settling on me.

"Hi." The girl held up a pale hand and spoke in a childish voice. I took a hard gulp, not knowing what to say. The girl looked about my age, maybe a little taller, but spoke like a four year old.

"Hi." I whispered, slightly scooting the other side of my seat.

The girl continued to stare at me, her life less eyes twitching inside her skull. I was about to stand up and move when a young woman came up behind the girl and placed a loving hand on the girl's shoulder. 

"Be nice Tilly, this young lady is new here." The woman spoke in a motherly tone. Tilly's lifeless eyes soften and she gave a toothless grin.

"I'm sorry sweet heart, Tilly looks meaner than she really is." The girl grabbed a hold of the woman's hand and gave it a soft squeeze.

"I'm Sandy, Tilly's older sister, and this is my baby sister." Sandy's dark eyes glazed over.

"I'm Jacky." I spoke in a soft timid tone.

"Well it's nice to meet you Jacky." Sandy released Tilly's hand and leaned against the wall, behind Tilly's seat.

"Okay, it seems everyone is here, I guess I'll start this off." The large woman standing in the middle, flashed a brilliant crooked smile. " My name is Bernie, like the boy's name, I will like to welcome all of you to  Your Body Is Beautiful. This is a none profit organization, focusing on the struggle for girls, and boys on body image." Bernie's green eyes seemed to glitter as she spoke. " I would like to welcome Jacky, she is new to the group therapy idea, and we are very pleased that she joined us today." Butterflies jumped wildly inside my stomach. I slightly raised my hand off my thigh, and gave a small wave.

"I wanted to start this off with a little of my back story, since there are a few new members." Bernie's eyes sadden as she began to speak. " Well, I am a forty-eight year old woman, with no husband, no job, on the verge of losing my home. It wasn't always like this. No," She gave a sad sigh. " About two years ago, I got a call from my, then, husband saying our daughter Dorothy had been in some kind of accident which left her in a coma, and the doctors where very sure she was never coming out of it. I rushed to the hospital and for three weeks, I racked my brains for answers. I couldn't understand how, my daughter, who I had only seen hours earlier, was now in permanent coma. Dorothy was a smart girl, had just been accepted into a top notch college and was about to start traveling abroad. Then one day I was sitting in her room, and I notice a orange medication bottle sitting on the edge of her desk. Dorothy was never the one to use drugs, so out of curiosity, I picked up the bottle and that's when everything clicked into place." Tears glisten in the back of her eyes. " I read over the label and saw the diet pills had been given to Dorothy about four days before her accident. The bottle was pretty large, but empty. That's when it made since. Dorothy had stopped eating with us, for a while, but she would always tell us she was taking her meal and eating in her room because she was studying. Her father notice that she was wearing baggy clothes and working out a lot more. In a state of panic I called my husband and asked him what type of accident was Dorothy in. He told me he wasn't entirely sure, but he said one moment Dorothy was standing up talking about school, and the next she was on the floor seizing and foaming at the mouth." Bernie used the cuff of her shirt and dabbed away a stray tear.