Epilogue
Eight Months Later…
“So, Nikole—”
“Nik.”
She looks at me over her tiny red-framed glasses with her lips pursed and clears her throat. “Excuse me. Nik, can you tell me a little bit about what brought you here to the Sunrise center?”
Her chipper tone makes me want to gag.
Brought me here.
Like I researched getaways and landed on this place. Nothing brought me here, I was sent against my will, and this bitch knows that.
“Hmmm… you know how they call Disney the happiest place on earth? I guess I just always wanted to visit the most depressing one.”
She tilts her head to the side. “You know, Nikole—”
“Nik.”
Her lips press to a tight line. “Right, Nik. After reading over your notes, it’s my opinion that you could probably get a lot out of this place if you try.”
She adjusts in her seat and plucks the glasses from her face, placing them on the desk.
“You strike me as someone who doesn’t care for sugarcoating.
You’re sick. It looks like you’ve probably been sick for a long time.
Your mental health struggles are no different than a patient with diabetes or high blood pressure.
Untreated, it’ll ruin your life. Possibly end it.
I want to help make sure that doesn’t happen, but I can’t do that if you’re not willing to let me. ”
I suck my teeth and cross my arms over my chest. It’s annoying how easily she’s able to clock me.
Part of me wants to tell her to take that fucking opinion and shove it right up her ass.
This is what they do; they make these promises to help you, then they throw a bunch of meds at you and expect you to be all better.
Either it’s a crock of shit, or I’m a lost cause because their stupid meds and their stupid therapy doesn’t work on me.
“Alright. You don’t have to trust me yet. That’s fine. Can you at least tell me what happened?”
I huff and roll my eyes before muttering, “I blew up my life.”
She lifts her chin as if to coax me to go on. “What exactly does that mean?”
I let out an exaggerated sigh and say, “I didn’t know how to be happy, so I pushed away the only man who’s ever loved me, and it all when to shit from there.”