Parenting

20

a month later...
AMELIAS POV
Riley has been having nightmares almost every night. Owen and I have let her sleep in our room the past few weeks but today we're bringing her to one of the children therapists at the hospital. Owen and I figured that since it was continuing so badly that a professional could maybe figure out how to ease her dreams or what's going on. We told her she didn't have to go to school today and Owen and I took the day off for her appointment. I walked downstairs and Ava, Liam, Logan, and Olivia were eating breakfast. Riley and Noah were still asleep, and I was hoping Riley would wake up after I got back upstairs. The kids kinda knew what was going on with Riley but we didn't tell them much about it until after we see what a professional had to say.
"Do you guys have practice after school today?" Owen asked.
"I don't, but can I go out to lunch with Justin?" Ava asked.
"Sure," I said.
"Can I hangout with Jamie?" Liam asked.
"Where?" Owen asked.
"Lunch probably," Liam said.
"Yeah," Owen said. Jamie and Liam still weren't technically "dating". I don't know.
"I have practice until 2:30 today," Logan said, "coach shortened it because he has somewhere to go."
"I have nothing after school like usual," Olivia said. Owen and I got their lunches out and put them on the counter as they all finished their breakfast. Liam and Ava left first per usual and then Olivia and Logan left together.
"I'm gonna go upstairs before Riley wakes up," I said. Owen nodded and finished cleaning the dishes. I opened the bedroom door and Riley was still asleep, maybe she wouldn't have a nightmare this morning. I was so worried about her, I mean a few bad dreams are normal but hers are so constant, I'm worried something is wrong.
-
We dropped Noah off at school and we were now walking in the hospital to Riley's appointment.
"Are you ready to talk to the doctor?" Owen asked.
"What am I supposed to say?" Riley said.
"Well she's just going to ask you some questions, and you just answer them as honestly as you can," Owen said.
"Will you be there?" She asked.
"Daddy and I are going to wait right outside, and there's a window in the doctors office so you can look out and see us anytime during it okay?" I said. She nodded and we got to the physiatrists door. Her name was Lilith Dolan. We were coworkers, she was nice and I had heard a bunch of great things about her so Owen and I trusted her a lot.
LILITHS POV
Today I was meeting with Doctor Shepherd-Hunt and Doctor Hunt's youngest daughter. They had both consulted me on advice and I told them to bring her in. I'm glad they trusted me as a colleague. There was a knock on my door and I opened it to see them, and their daughter Riley.
"You must be riley," I smiled and bent down to her height, "I'm Doctor Dolan, but you can call me Lilith okay?"
"Okay," she smiled, "I'm riley."
"Riley why don't we go over here and talk while your mom and dad wait outside for you, it won't take long," I said. She nodded and followed me as Doctor Shepherd-Hunt and Doctor Hunt waited outside. I let her color while we were talking, lots of kids like playing with toys or something during visits because it calms them.
"So riley your mom and dad have been telling me you've been having bad dreams," I said.
"Yeah they're scary," she said softly.
"What's scary about them?" I said.
"Someone is trying to hurt them," She said.
"Who?" I said.
"A man with a gun," she said.
"Do you know the man?" I said.
"No, He's the man from the TV," she said.
"The TV?" I question.
"Yeah the news," she said.
"Do you remember why he was on the news?" I asked.
"He was the stranger in the hospital," she said.
"Why was he a stranger?" I asked.
"Well my older sister Ava told me that he wasn't supposed to be here," she said.
"When did you see him on the news?" I said.
"When my mommy and daddy were at work. My siblings were watching it, they said there was a man with a gun in the hospital," She said sadly.
"Can I show you a picture and you tell me if that's him?" I asked. She shook her head no.
"I know what he looks like," She said.
"But I don't," I said, "can I clarify?" She shook her head slowly yes.
"Okay," I said, "why don't you come sit next to me." She got up and sat in the chair next to me and I researched Gary Clark. I shower her a picture and she got up and went back to her coloring page.
"Was that him riley?" I asked. She nodded.
"How often do you have these dreams?" I asked.
"A lot," she said.
"What do you do when you wake up?" I said. I noticed she looked over at the window where her parents were.
"I look for them," she said.
"And if you can't find them?" I asked.
"I get scared," she said.
"Do you get scared when you aren't with them? Like at school?" I said. She nodded.
"Okay," I said, "well thank you for talking with me Riley."
"Can I go to my mommy and daddy now?" She asked.
"Yup," I said. I opened the door and she ran to them. I motioned first them to come in, but without Riley.
"Hey Riley, you know where mommy and I were sitting by the window," Doctor Hunt said.
"Yeah?" She said.
"Can you go sit there while mommy and I talk to Dr.Dolan? It'll be quick," Doctor Hunt said. She nodded and ran over to the chair.
"Thank you," I said. They came in and sat down across from me.
"Is she okay?" Doctor Shepherd-Hunt asked.
"Doctor Shepherd-Hunt, Doctor Hunt, I believe I do have a possible diagnosis," I said.
"You can call us Owen and Amelia," Owen nodded.
"Okay," I nodded, "she definitely is experiencing some trauma from the shooting here, I'm not sure what she saw online about it but she mentioned seeing it on the news with her siblings. I think because of the trauma she's experiencing in her dreams she's also developed separation anxiety from you two."
"What do we do for her?" Amelia asked.
"Well there's a number of treatments we could try," I said, "we could try weekly therapy sessions or we could try some medication that could calm her brain at night to try to stop or ease the nightmares. I know it's something to consider so you don't have to decide now, you
can certainly call me in the future or I could advise other therapists if need be."
"Thank you," Owen said, "we appreciate it, we'll definitely be in touch." They both shook my hand and left with Riley. I really felt bad for the little girl, she was hurting a lot at such a young age.