Love Comes from Unexpected Places

Chapter Eighty-Eight: Bereavement Counselling

"How's Charlie?" Fiona asked handing Sophia a drink, she knew that things had been rough the past couple of weeks and she hated that Charlie was left to suffer like this; everyone was doing what they could for him to help in some way. 

Charlie had grieved for a few days before he had thrown himself into his work when Renee and Phil had returned to Florida; he hadn't been the same since Bella had died and Sophia worried that he was going to end up dead. 

"I have no idea... he's been working nearly none stop," Sophia murmured, she had tried to speak with her uncle but since he had returned to work things had been crazy; she had no idea what to do to get him to slow down. 

Fiona sighed and wondered what they could do to help Charlie more, he didn't deserve what had happened and he was clearly struggling with what had happened with Bella. 

"I was thinking of signing him up for the counselling, there's a group that meets up in Port Angeles," Sophia said getting the leaflet from her bag and handing it over to Fiona, she had done a little research after Bella's funeral and this seemed like the best option there was for Charlie. 

Fiona took the leaflet and read through it, she nodded her head knowing that this would be helpful for Charlie; no one was sure how to handle what had happened but it was clear that Charlie needed someone to talk to. 

Billy was doing his best to reach out to his best friend and get him to do something other than work while Sue took him lunch since they were worried that he wasn't eating as much as he should when he was alone. 

"It looks good," Fiona murmured nodding her head and handing the leaflet back to Sophia, her best friend was going to have one hell of a task to get Charlie to agree to attend bereavement counselling. 

Everyone in Forks knew how stubborn the chief of police could be and it was going to take some convincing to get Charlie into counselling even if it was good for him.

"How are you going to get him there?" Fiona asked sipping on her own drink, she couldn't imagine that Charlie would go willingly and she was a little curious about what Sophia was going to do about it. 

Sophia smiled at Fiona, she was going to need a little help with that part and with Paul and the others all in school there was only one option; she had signed Charlie up for a session later that day. 

"I'm actually going to need some help with that," Sophia said making Fiona eye her nervously, she had no idea what was going through her friend's mind but she doubted that she was going to like it. 

The two were practically alone since Mia was with her father for the day and Austin was at play group since Fiona had been at work; she was due to pick him up later that afternoon when she was done. 

"I told Charlie you needed some help picking something up from Port Angeles," Sophia explained smiling at her friend, it was a little lie and she hoped that Charlie was going to be too mad at her; it was the only way that she could get him to take the afternoon off work. 

Fiona stared at Sophia and groaned, she had a feeling that she knew where this was going; she was going to have to call Billy and ask him to get Austin if she was going to Port Angeles with Sophia and Charlie. 

"When do we leave?" Fiona asked making Sophia smile at her, she was glad that her friend was going to help her; she didn't know what to do when it came to Charlie. 

Sophia quickly started to fill Fiona in on what she had planned, it had been two weeks since Bella's funeral and it was time to get Charlie the help that he needed.

***

Charlie huffed glaring at Sophia, he couldn't believe that she had tricked him into coming to this place; he didn't need help and he thought that he was coping well with what had happened. 

Sophia looked at her uncle feeling a little guilty that she had tricked him but it was the only way that she could get him to agree to come; she knew that talking to people who were going through the same thing as he was would be good for Charlie. 

"It's only an hour," Sophia murmured patting her uncle on the shoulder, she led him over to a seat and sat down next to him; Fiona had volunteered to stay with the car since it had been hard to find a parking space. 

Charlie grumbled to himself, he knew that Sophia was trying to help but he didn't see what was wrong with the way that he had been dealing with what had happened; he was getting more work done and that couldn't be a bad thing. 

"It's just one meeting," Sophia murmured as the room started to fill, she peeked around at the other people and she was sure that this was good for her uncle; she didn't want him getting himself killed over this. 

Charlie didn't say a word, he doubted that he would be coming back and this was just a waste of time; Billy had tried to get him to talk to someone when Renee had divorced him and disappeared to the other side of the country with Bella. 

"Is this seat taken?" asked a soft voice making Charlie look at the woman who was standing before him, he shook his head and signalled for her to take a seat; he crossed his arms and stared ahead not wanting to get involved in what was happening. 

"I'm Grace," the woman said introducing herself, she could see the man that was new and she had been to several meetings before; she could remember how hard the first meeting could be. 

Charlie blinked at Grace, he wasn't sure why she was talking to him and he wasn't sure what to say to her; he peeked at Sophia who was messing with her mobile.

"Charlie," he replied turning back to the woman, he didn't see the harm in talking to her and he doubted that she would change his mind about coming to these meetings; he just wanted to get back to work before it was late. 

Grace smiled at Charlie, she watched him for a moment and she guessed that his loss was still knew; she had been cut off when her son had died and it hadn't been easy to open up or accept what had happened. 

Grace could only imagine what the man next to her was going through, she had just finished her shift at the local hospital and she knew that things would be tough for him; she knew these meetings would be good for him as they had been for her. 

Charlie glared at the man that was running the meeting, he hated that he had been forced to come here and he didn't know what Sophia was playing at; he peeked at his niece as she slipped her mobile back into her back. 

Sophia chewed on her lip hoping that Charlie wasn't going to glare at her for long, she just wanted him to get some help; he wasn't coping and she had promised that she would look after him. 

Charlie had been there for her when her parents had turned her and Mia away, Sophia knew that things were hard but she couldn't imagine what he would have done if she didn't step in. 

Sophia didn't know where the Cullens were but she doubted that they were going to be anywhere near if something did go wrong; they would be focused on newly changed Bella and the crazy newborn stage. 

Charlie peeked at the clock, the sooner that this was over the better and he was going to be having some stern words with his niece when they got back to Forks; he didn't see how this meeting could ever help him.