Kaleidoscope

Chapter Fifty-One

As soon as Danny came back home, the family had another counseling session with Dr. Connelly. They had all had time to simmer down and think about what had been said, and the atmosphere in the room was far less tense than the last time.

Dr. Connelly decided to start with the subject of Danny's addiction, looking for the individual reactions of the family.

Theresa was the first to speak. "I felt sad for him and guilty at the same time. I know, now, that so much energy was focused on me, my getting into the best schools, my activities, my grades, that he became invisible to the rest of us. And when I did pay any attention to him, it was to criticize him for not being the person I thought he should be."

"What do you have to say to Danny? Talk to him."

"I'm sorry, Danny. You had so much to offer, and I just didn't recognize it. I hope you can forgive me."

"Danny?" said Dr. Connelly.

"I've learned a lot in my therapy about understanding and forgiveness, Theresa, and I know now you only wanted for me to succeed. I hope you can forgive me for how obnoxious I was to you, especially after your accident. That's when I felt most left out. That's why I went away."

"Anyone else have anything to add?"

Tom spoke next. "I never realized how much we were ignoring you. I know it's been hard for you, too. I know you've had an unbelievable struggle lately and I'm very proud of how you've handled it. You've really become a man."

"Thanks, Dad, that means a lot."

Dr. Connelly chimed in next. "How about you, Rose? Has the last session helped you at all listening to your family's feelings?"

Rose shifted uncomfortably in her seat. For once, she paused to think before she spoke.
"I'm sorry too, Danny, about the way I've behaved. It's just that I felt so hurt that you wanted to leave and go away to school when I needed you at home. And now, I have Jen possibly going far away and leaving me, too."

"But, do you understand why I left, to begin with, Mom?"

"I do now, but it still hurt a lot, especially after your father left."

"Do you want to address Tom, now, Rose?" asked Dr. Connelly.

Rose looked across the room into Tom's eyes. There was sadness in them that she had never noticed before. She cleared her throat and began to purge.

"I've come to realize that you felt abandoned, especially when I was so focused on Theresa, but I still am finding it hard to forgive you for your affair. I'm trying, but it's still very hard. When you walked out, I felt so alone, that's why I grasped for Danny."

Danny interjected. "But, don't you see, Mom? You only grasped for me when Dad left. Before that, I was a nobody in the family."

"That's not true, Danny. I always loved you. I guess I didn't show it very well."

All this time, Jen was quiet. She finally spoke.

"I wish I had been around to see all of this, but I was so busy with school, I didn't pay much attention to the family except when the accident occurred. I could have been more helpful myself."

Rose bit her tongue wanting to upbraid Jen for leaving now, too. Instead, she rallied herself, dug deep and began.

"Jen, I didn't greet your news about Brad AND about your new job very well. I'm sorry about that. He is a wonderful guy. I'm still having trouble digesting why you would want to take a job so far away. Won't that hurt your relationship?"

"Brad and I have talked a great deal about it, Mom, and he wants this for me. We'll see each other as much as possible and then see where he goes next year when he graduates. We're taking one step at a time. That's all any of us can do."

There was a pregnant pause as everyone in the room took in Jen's last sentence—taking one step at a time. And that was exactly what they were doing to heal.

Dr. Connelly, feeling this was a good stopping point, brought the session to a close.

"Well done, everyone. I think you've begun to address each other now. There is still a lot of talking and healing to be done, and I think we still need to meet. Go home, and remember how you felt in this room today. We'll meet again in two weeks if that's alright with everyone.

There was a consensus of agreement, and everyone turned to leave. Danny's eyes connected with his Mom's for the first time since he had come home. Perhaps they were coming to the other side of understanding each other.

Tom looked at Rose. She looked back. Theresa didn't miss it.