Therapy: Tate Langdon

Chapter 2

I wake up to the view of my white ceiling feeling as exhausted as ever. My fingers were numb and my legs had pins and needles in them.

I run my fragile fingers through the new thread laced into my right wrist. I look to the left of my bedside table and my alarm clock lights up the numbers 4:15. I had been sleeping for at least 6 hours by now.

My sense of smell awakens when the scent food cooking from downstairs fills my nostrils. I may have a strong detestation for my mother, but she sure makes great food.

I walk down the wooden stairs of my house. I turn the corner to find my mom stirring a pot of fettuccine noodles. That explains the smell.

"I cooked fettuccine alfredo. You've slept for a day and a half by the way. The morphine really knocked you out." says my mother

A day and a half? This couldn't be real. Sure enough, when I checked the date, it was May 12th, a day after I was released from the hospital.

I open my phone to the iMessage application and text my only real friend Cassandra, or as I like to call her Cassie. We were considered "odd" at our school which somehow brought us together somehow. Cassie has struggled with an eating disorder since she was 13, and has yet to overcome it.

To Cassie💖:

Hey

Only seconds later she responded.

From Cassie💖:

Hey, why weren't you at school for the past couple of days?

I couldn't tell her the truth. She already had too much on her plate with her anorexia and everything.

To Cassie💖:

Oh um well I just didn't really want to go haha.

From Cassie💖:

Kelsey, we both know damned well your mother would flip out if she knew you skipped school. Tell me what really happened.

Shit, now what was I supposed to say?

To Cassie💖:

Well, I kind of went to the hospital...

From Cassie💖:

Oh please don't tell me you did what I think you did :(((

To Cassie💖:

I'm really sorry Cassie :(

From Cassie💖:

Please promise me you'll try to stay strong? :)

To Cassie💖:

I'll try my best Cassie

By then our conversation has ended and my mother calls me to the dinner table.

I help put out the plates and cutlery on the table. Surprisingly, I am quite looking forward to enjoying this meal. I don't look forward to much these days.

My mother scoops three large spoonfuls of fettuccine to put in my plate. I twirl a few noodles on my fork as the steam hits my face. I blow on it to cool it down.

I don't usually sit down to eat with my mother since I usually bring my
meal upstairs and watch netflix. But I guess it's not really an option right now.

We don't talk for at all for the first 10 minutes of dining. Until she opens her mouth to speak and break the awkward silence between us.

"I forgot to mention that in two hours from now you will be going to your first therapy session with Dr. Harmon." my mother tells me