30 Days In Rehab

Day 22: Monday

"How was being back in the group session?" Tee asks as she braids my hair straight back. "Whew chile," I begin, "it was going fine until this new girl, who looks every bit of 18, decided to try and call me a liar."

"What?"

"Yeah and she doesn't even know me! But I cant trip because her arms are wrapped up like shes a severe cutter and shes sporting a black eye so she probably reserve the right to be angry after whatever she went through."

"Poor baby... I hope she heals from whatever she dealt with."

"Yeah, me too. And then a member of the board approached me afterwards and we spoke for a while. She said she can't wait for my 30th day." I pick a piece of lint off my sweatpants. "I can't wait either man. I'm tired of driving here every other day. I'm also tired of paying them damn fees. They always asking money towards events that you don't even go to!"

I chuckle, "then don't pay them!"

"No! Because what if a event finally catches your attention, and you wanna go, but I had decided to not pay for it? Then what? You gone be sitting in here miserable and I'm gonna feel like shit." "Wow mom, I really appreciate that." I say sarcastically. Her comb smacks against my face as she sucks her teeth. "Ow! You bitch!" I snap before laughing.

"Shut up before you get punished."

—-
We stand, well I sit, outside the building in silence. I glance up at the tall building, my eyes on the 8th floor, the crystal clear windows. "I asked you where you would like to go," Willaby states, " and you gave this address. Why?"

I inhale, "this was where I lived." I point to the 8th floor, "8th floor, condo B, facing the street."

"Is this where you lived with your abusive boyfriend? Before you left the state?" I nod, "I was here for years. I remember when I finally left this place. I discovered that my boyfriend had cheated so I packed his stuff and was about to throw the bags on the street. But when I opened the front door, he was there."

"You think you finna leave me?" He asks, tilting his head, getting to his feet.

I start taking slow, small steps back, putting distance between us. "You wanna leave? Fine." He continues with a sinister smile on his face. "But you're gonna leave in a body bag." His tone drops and I turn to run. I make it past one of my couches before his arms grab my waist. I scream as he lifts me into the air and throws me. I land with a crash onto my favorite glass table. I scream as his boot is exposed to my stomach.

"He beat me senseless."

"You wanna leave me?!" He screams.

I turn onto my stomach and try to crawl away. He grabs my hair and a punch is delivered. I take the hits as I steadily try to get away from him.

Deep breaths, deep breaths, just don't stop moving.

"Don't stop moving Steph, don't stop moving, is all I could tell myself. He told me I was going to leave this place in a body bag... and I believed him."

"You still want to leave me?! Here, let me help you!" He shouts. Seconds later, I'm picked up and thrown again, this time towards the door. The doorknob smashes into my ribs on impact. I groan as I drop to the floor.

Get up, keep moving.

I cough up blood as I use my doorknob to help me to my knees. My head hits the door again as Christopher punches me again. I watch in horror as he lifts his foot and slams it onto my ankle. I scream in pain as he grabs the same ankle that he crushed and drags me away from my exit. "You fucking belong to me!" He shouts as he begins pulling and tugging at my sweatpants.

"I screamed and screamed and screamed. I screamed my heart out and no one, not one single neighbor came and knocked on the door. They heard what happened, I know they heard because the walls were thin, but they chose to ignore it as he raped me."

I slap his hands away and he backhands me, the taste of blood in my mouth. He successfully pulls my sweatpants to my ankles as I scream and try to hit him. He grabs both of my hands in one hand and slams them above my head. I scream and cry at him to stop as he rips my thin pair of VS thongs with one strong pull. I kick my legs and he punches me in the nose. As I choke on my own blood, he begins unbuckling his pants. I scream as he quickly shoves himself into me.

I thrash under his body and attempt to pull my wrists out of his hands but he holds me down with all his might. With every thrust he does, pain shoots through me, going a thousand miles an hour. The pain is so powerful that I can't manage to scream anymore, just gasp. By the time he reaches his climax, I'm out of breath and in nonstop pain.

"And when I broke free, not a single soul opened there door to take me into safety as I ran away."

A phone ringing catches his attention and he stands, pulling his pants up. He turns and starts to walk towards the sound and I use that opportunity to stand up. Despite the pain in my ankle, and between my legs, I quickly slide my sweatpants up, limp, and throw the door open and begin running.

"Why did you want to come here?" Willaby's voice is low and sadness is throughout it. "Because of my need to forgive... I feel it in my heart that I need to forgive the people who lived on that floor with me, the people who would pass me in the hallway and never meet my eyes. Those people who hurt me just as much as my ex did because they chose to let that happen to me... and I need to forgive me for not forcing them to help me."

"Explain."

"I should've knocked on there door and pulled their conscious out. I should've screamed in that hallway and confessed that I needed help. But instead, I kept the help that could've been waiting for me behind one of those doors away from myself."

Willaby nods beside me, "every person involved in a conflict is to blame for something. Is this you accepting your blame?"

"I see how I could've helped myself now, and I see how my pride stopped me. So yeah, I see and accept the blame." A lone tear drops down my face and I wipe it away. I'm so sick of crying. "Stephanie, you are a magnificent woman. In the few days that I've known you, you've left me astonished everytime but, this moment tops the cake. Not many people can see their part in a problem but you did. You saw your part, acknowledged it, and have moved to forgive yourself. The amount of strength you show is amazing. The way and rate that you are healing is incredible. And I truly believe that you do not need me..."

I glance up at him in shock, " but I do! I-I-I Wouldn't have gotten here without you!" He smirks, "yes you would have. I haven't done anything but taken you outside."

"No-no-no-no you've given me wisdom!"

"You're a wise woman Stephanie, I simply said the things that you hadn't thought of yet."

"Willaby, I—"

"I'm sorry but out time is up, it is time for us to return to the facility."

What do y'all think? Is Willaby right? Was he only saying things that Stephanie already knew? Did he just open the door for her to walk through? Tell me!