30 Days In Rehab

Day 21: Sunday

"Stephanie, how nice of you to join us... You've been missed these last couple of weeks." Minister Joseph greets, giving me a warm smile. I return his smile and nod at him, slightly uncomfortable as other people in the group stare at me with annoyance. Its understandable, especially since the last time I was here I threatened to beat someones ass. Hehehe.

"Now for those who have forgotten, I am Minister Joseph and this is a safe place where you can say how you feel without being judged. And today I would like to welcome a new member, Selene, to the group." Everyones eyes go from my face to the new girl. She seems young, like a teenager. Shes light skinned and beautiful, but she has an ugly black eye. I also notice that her arms are bandaged up to the elbows. "Considering that you are returning to us for the first time in weeks, Stephanie would you like to start us off?"

Eyes are back on me and I sigh. I inhale, "I am... better. I'm not 100% but I not at 0 either. I'm learning myself again and starting over."

"I am happy to hear that Stephanie,"Joseph grins, "I am also happy to hear you address yourself without saying Humpty. For those who do not know, Stephanie came here after a tramatizing event 3 weeks ago and she was--"

"I was beyond broken and shattered. I was lost."

Selene scoffs, "Yeah, right." She mutters. Joseph looks at her while I ignore her. I don't know what demons shes fighting so I'm not going to entertain her disposition. Just like how Lisa didn't entertain mine. "Anything you would like to share Selene?" Joseph questions. She scoffs again, "She claims she came here broken and shattered and lost and I call bullshit!" She shouts. "How is it that she came here all these things and suddenly shes perfectly fine?! If whatever the fuck she went through was really that bad then she would not have bounced back that quickly! So I think she's fucking lying!"

Joseph looks to me, "Stephanie would you like to explain?" I hesitate for second before nodding and turning to face Selene, who is looking at me enraged. "First of all, I am not perfectly fine. I said I not 100% but I'm not at 0. Secondly, you have no idea what I went through before I came here and I don't know what you went through so I'm not going to fault ou for trying to downplay my experience but I am going to tell you that you shouldn't underestimate someones struggle because of how they are gathering themselves."

"Bitch I don't need you to take that fucking tone with me, youre not my fucking mom." Selene snaps.

How do I respond. How do I respond? "Let me tell you this. I said nothing to offend you so you can fix your attitude. If I was the same woman that was in this group 3 weeks ago, I would have been smacked your childish and disrespectful ass for even thinking about talking to me like that. But I'm not going to because you don't know me. So let this be your warning. Because the next person you speak to like that wont give you my mercy."

She stares at me in shock before lowering her head, pouting. I look back to joseph to see him smiling at me, with his eyes wide in shock. "Stephanie, I can definitely see improvement in you and I am proud of you and the way you just handled that situation. But now it is time to move forward. Who would like to go next?

---

I stand in the common room, staring at the giant bookshelf in front of me. In all honesty, I haven't read a book in years. When I was in college, I would read a bunch of books, partly because it was mandatory, but also because I loved them. Books gave a feeling of escape and peace for me. To be able to go anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds and become whoever I want always gave me a sense of freedom that I never had.

My gaze slides over the books, sadly none of them catching my attention. Maybe when I leave here I can go to Walmart or Barnes and nobles and buy me a collection. Someone clears there throat behind me, causing me to glance over my shoulder. I find Joseph and an older white lady with short cut, light brown hair. Her aura screams authority. "Stephanie, this is Ms. Gilmore. She is one of the members of the board that you will be going before in a few days." He introduces. The woman smiles at me and stretches her hand out, "it is a pleasure to meet you." She greets. I return her smile as I grasp her hand, shaking it briefly, "the pleasure is all mine."

"Ms. Gilmore is making her rounds through the floors, getting a glance at patients who are preparing to go before the board without them knowing."

"I find this very helpful in my decision. You never truly know whether someone is well until you see them when they believe no one is watching."

"I agree." Coos Joseph. "We we're leaving a patients room when she noticed you over here and took interest in you."

Gilmore nods, "You seemed to be deep in thought, do you mind sharing them?" I nod, "I was simply thinking about how much I used to read," I wave my hand at the book shelf, "and I was contemplating buying books when I go home."

"You say when you go and not if... do you feel that you've healed enough that you can venture home now?" She asks. I shrug, "not right now because there is still a lot that I can learn and work on, but I am confident that within the next 9 days, I will be ready." She's impressed as her smile widens, "you're very smart. I look forward to seeing you on your 30th day." She nods at me before walking away. Joseph shoots me a grin with two thumbs up before following behind the woman.

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