The Dance Part 2

Chapter 288 Rules

Rules. Firm solid unbending rules. No exceptions. Matt read over them carefully. He chuckled to himself knowing Bam would have appreciated the rules, respected the rules.

No drugs or alcohol
No cell phones
No relationships
Attendance at all sessions
No digital media (tv, music, and games)
Restricted activity
Strict scheduling

He surmised that he wouldn't have trouble with the majority of them. He was at rehab to dry out so that one was a given. He had already surrendered his cellphone at check-in although he would miss the ability to keep in touch with his family and most of all Jill. He was already in a relationship he wanted to keep and quite frankly, the majority of patients at the facility were men. He didn't see attendance as an issue as he had nowhere to go except home. Since he worked long hours, he never had the time to spend watching tv or escaping into video games. The last two rules were a little more difficult. Being confined to four walls would be a challenge. He and his family were used to being outdoors but he reminded himself it was only for four weeks. Strict scheduling would be his biggest obstacle as the watch he wore never told time because he always forgot to replace the batteries. In addition, he was never one for clocks as his sleep patterns were erractic at best.

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Jill woke to find Matt's side of the bed empty. Just as quickly as he had slipped back into their marriage bed, he had slipped back out. Jill reached for his pillow and snuggled it against her chest. His scent was still present and she smelled of his sex. She closed her eyes reliving the night before. The touch of his hand on every curve of her form. The heaviness of his body pressed to hers. The way only he could make her feel. It would be a long thirty days.

When she finally found the strength to pull herself out of bed, she spotted his wedding band on top of a note by the side table. The note simply read, "Keep my love close to your heart. I will claim you and my wedding band when I return." It was simply signed M. Jill took his ring and added it to her necklace keeping it close to her heart as he instructed.

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During new patient orientation, the schedule of how each day would be structured was distributed. Matt surveyed his group taking note of their names and places of where they were from and adding them to his schedule. They were an eclectic mix of people each struggling with their own addiction. The lead counselor directed the group's atttention to their schedule. The rehab facility wasn't joking about the strict scheduling. For the next thirty days, this would be his regimen.

Daily Schedule
Wake Up
Breakfast
Individual Counseling
Group Counseling
Lunch
Free Time
Alternative Therapies
Fitness
Dinner
Group Discussion
Free Time
Lights out

"Are there any questions," asked the counselor.

Matt raised his hand. "Can we have visitors, like family?"

The counselor looked at her clip board. "Mr. Brown, is it?" Matt nodded. The counselor addressed his question. "During the early stages of therapy, patients are not allowed any visitors. We want your focus to be on healing and building camaraderie with recovery specialists and other patients. Old habits are hard to break and new ones are even harder to develop."

Matt appeared visibly disappointed with the counselor's answer. He just hoped his boys would understand his absence and not feel abandoned. He knew his brothers and their wives would help pick up the slack.

The counselor dismissed everyone until dinner to give them time to explore their new surroundings and to meet one another. Matt returned to his room and unpacked his things. At the bottom of his bag, he found a  framed picture of himself and Jill and a note in Lila's script. He placed the picture on the table next to his bed. He opened the small envelope and read the card.

Matt,

You can do this. I believe in you.

Lila

His best friend, his first true crush, was always there pushing him forward when he felt at his most vulnerable. He picked the picture up of he and Jill remembering how happy they were when it was taken. He whisperwd to himself. "I will not fail. I will make you proud of me once again."

James Taylor-You've Got a Friend