You Have Come To The Right Place ~ (Sixx: AM)

Chapter Twelve

JAMES'S P.O.V:

10:00pm

I made it through the first day of Family Weekend, somehow... I still don't know how I did it, especially considering the family session that I had to sit though... Boy, what a shit show that was...

~ ~ ~

Six hours earlier

"It's so great to finally meet you guys!" Rachel is smiling so wide right now, and puts her hand out to Nikki and DJ to shake. "I'm Rach—"

"Pancake, right?"

I can't help but let out a giggle the second that I hear DJ say that. I nudge him playfully on his shoulder, but it doesn't faze him at all.

"You're the pancake woman!" He's sounds so enthusiastic, and I can make out Nikki shaking his head from my peripheral vision. "James told us all about y—"

I can feel my face beginning to flush, and I immediately cut in to try to alleviate some of my own internal discomfort.

"Good things, Rachel! Only good things."

"Well, everyone seems to be in a good mood...". She laughs and begins leading us out the door. "Guess it's time to find a room for our session, then!"

As we're walking, I can't help but still feel festering anxiety within me, even though that meal was a few hours ago... I'm dragging the blanket around with me because I still don't feel comfortable enough to unwrap myself... I still feel very vulnerable and unsafe in my body... It's just... not a good feeling, especially when I know I can't be alone right now.

Despite my uneasiness, DJ still manages to continue distracting me a bit with his ridiculous remarks. I can hear him talking to Nikki from behind, and I can't help but smirk.

"Wouldn't it be funny if she didn't even like pancakes—"

Rachel must have heard because she automatically grins with her eyebrows raised.

"I actually don't." She lets out a laugh, as she shakes her head. "It's kinda an ongoing joke in my family. My parents would always make all of us pancakes and I eventually got really sick of them, so I don't eat them anymore!"

DJ looks like he's in so much shock. He makes me laugh because he's totally a kid at heart and he's not afraid to show it... That's what I love about him though.

"That's insane." He still looks so curious, and I have a feeling he has more important questions to ask Rachel.

Unfortunately, Rachel cuts right to the chase before we can avoid any longer...

"Well... welcome to your first family therapy session!"

"Even though I know you're not technically family...". She pauses as she looks around with big, enthusiastic eyes. "I still think it's really important for James to have you guys involved in his treatment sooooo...."

She makes one of her free spirited, almost airhead-like, goofy smiles.

"Watcha wanna talk about?"

There is a long period of silence... I'm too fuckin' uncomfortable to say a damn thing right now... I'm still wrapped in the stupid blanket, and I feel like I'm eventually gonna be asked why the hell I haven't taken it off yet... I already have a feeling that DJ and Nikki know the reason why... I know that Rachel definitely does.

She must know that she's not gonna get an answer out of the three of us, so she jumpstarts the conversation.

"How was eating together?" I feel a small uneasy pit in my stomach as she looks at me. "You had told me how nervous you were about this... Do you want to talk a little about that?"