Chapter 229

"Why – why do you have Amelia?" "What did you tell your friend Alicia Spaw last night?" I ignored the question from Sarah, asking Amelia one of my own. Her eyes widened, her hands on her lap twitched, her eyes avoided mine. "Nothing," all I get was attitude. "Really because she heard what you had to say, I mean I didn't know you were a doctor Amelia, that you knew so much more than I did as Oakley's parent. Did you know Sarah that on top of the self harm that Oakley took a bottle of pills? Had to have her stomach pumped?" I turn asking Sarah sarcastically. "Amelia..." Sarah said with pure sadness, shaking her head, "Pat, what did Ben's school call for?" she eyed Ben but still gazed at Amelia. "Well he wrote a paper on his hero, and it was about Oakley, his teacher, Mrs. Spaw said it wasn't appropriate because he picked Oakley..." Sarah nodded absentmindedly, "I'm sure it was a lovely paper Ben," she praised him. "Ben can you go on up to your room until we need to leave for our session with Wagner," I said wanting to deal with Amelia without him as our audience. . . . I sighed loudly, "What were you thinking Amelia?" the exasperation in my voice clear, "Wagner said not to make this whole thing some sort of event that Oakley has to hide away in shame but with as hard as it is going to be for her you thought it would be better to escalate the rumors she'd have to deal with?" She growled at my statement before standing, bolting to her feet, fire in her eyes, "And what about me dad!? What about the rumors I'd have to deal with-" "So you thought you'd make them worse by adding to what Oakley has done?" "I made it her own fault so people wouldn't be talking about you, saying you weren't a good dad. That's all people are going to say, talk bad about you and Mom because she's in the hospital." "But Amelia... why tell Alicia? You weren't helping-" "Even now after what she did you still think she's better than me mom?" Amelia asked pained. "No one is better than anyone else-" "Yes she is, to Ben to Mom and now you dad..." her eyes welled, "Mom bends over backwards for her but she doesn't even like her. Now people are going to look badly at mom and you because she's moving out with Uncle Grant... If she didn't want to be here, why didn't she just ask for her to go live with him?" taking a breath she continued, "Everyone says you're going to pick her over mom and I, but mom deserves you and you said things would get easier over time but now she did this and everyone's going to be talking about it," she cries. I take her hand in mine, "First, if Oakley is painting me as a bad father, she's well within her rights to do so, I have done so much wrong but you don't see it because I've tried my hardest to make sure you know I love you as much as I love my biological children. In doing so, I overcompensated with you Amelia.... And I know this is hard for you, but that's why we have Wagner, what you did, said about Oakley won't fly... so while I know you are struggling, you're grounded, no phone, no internet, no study groups, nothing. Home and school. Two weeks," I state firmly before heading up to speak to Ben. . . . Oakley Lawson (Bumblebee) POV – November 27th 2014 Dr. Wagner stood next to me while dad signed the papers, Uncle Grant, Aunt Julia, and Ben waiting nearby, "Remember what we went over Oakley if you feel panicked or overwhelmed call me, talk to your uncle Grant, someone, try to relax before you do anything. We are all here to support you, you have my number right?" she asked kindly, prepping me before we left. I nodded, pulling out her card with her cell number for just in case, "Yes, I remember." "You're able to go home, but things still need to be worked on so you'll be seeing me twice a week still, does that sound okay?" she asked but I knew it was not an option to lessen the amount of sessions per week. It wasn't that the therapy wasn't working it was that I had too many things hiding and couldn't really be as honest as needed. Still I nod once again, going to stand by Ben and Aunt Julia, smiling that I would be getting out and sleeping in my room at Uncle Grants place but first I had to do something. . .