The Day Of The Meltdown...
"So you're saying that he's been cutting into himself?", MaryAnne can barely fight the look of horror on her face at the words coming out of the doctor's mouth.
"I don't understand", Darren had given the doctor a look that made the man let out a tired sigh and rub his temples.
"Look, it's not my business but this is something more serious than any of that faggot, thief or whatever, rumor that's been going around this godforsaken town -", Anne's mouth had dropped open and she looked to be struggling to speak, to process the information she was receiving.
"Yes, Mr and Mrs Godson, I do know about the rumors. There are a lot of nurses who are local residents working here. I didn't want to say anything in the ward so none of them would hear it", the doctor explained and MaryAnne's heart sank to her stomach as tears welled in her eyes. She tossed a sweltering look at Darren, passing off most of the blame, quite literally judging him. She had told him not to yell at the boy about the whole gay thing, had told him to close the windows but he didn't care. Now their son wan hospitalized and the entire town was spreading things about her innocent son.
"So now the town knows me to be the father of a faggot, a rapist and a thief who is somehow becoming mentally unstable, huh?", Darren had the guts give a look that was like a mix of disgusted and pained, saddened, and it took everything in MaryAnne not to slap him across the face as he made the comment. The doctor looked like a he was very close to throwing punches but it was obvious that work ethics and the medical code to do no harm kept him from physically harming Darren in the office.
"Look, I don't know what's going on with your family and I don't really want to know but I have to say something because it's affecting my patient. You both, and I do mean the both of you, Mr and Mrs Godson, need to get your boy checked. He probably has trauma and it might sooner or later morph into a mental issue - ", Anne's worried gasp cut him off so he let it sink in and also let her ask him a question or two.
"Trauma? Is my son really alright? You know I don't really know much about this since I've never seen it up close, nor do I have anyone who has experienced this before", it was understandable and the doctor was ready to explain.
"Of course. I'll email you some articles and links to further study the issue so you'll know how to approach it. Your son is in more than just physical danger, ma'am, so you'll need to act a bit fast", the doctor had already faced his computer while Anne hurriedly called out her email address and the doctor was typing away at his computer, no doubt sending what he had promised to MaryAnne. "So, Richard is at risk of ending up in a mental home?", Darren looked so undisturbed and rather angry at something else but the doctor and Anne chose to ignore him in favor of continuing to share and receive information in the office there. And if Darren felt out of place being ignored like that, he said nothing and simply sat put while the doctor worked and his wife eagerly waited for the doctor.
Darren didn't really say anything until they were in the safety of their bedroom, windows shut this time, and then he was unloading what could only be translated and interpreted as bullshit to Anne.
"Look, Anne, we can just leave it alone and get him to rehab. It might be a bit earlier than I had been thinking but it's still a valid option. After all, Richard is the one who got himself into all of this and he's going to drag you, me and even innocent Dani into all of it. And besides, the kid needs to toughen up to an extent too. So instead of spoon feeding him with care, it's better to let him go to rehab and deal with his issues with proper guidance, you know-", Darren was speaking softly and while on any other day, in any other situation, Anne would be proud of him for being so calm, she couldn't think of anything else other than the heavy influx of disgust filling her being, twisting her stomach into knots and ties, at the words her husband, the father of her children, the father of the very child Darren was planning on abandoning, was spouting, and in her presence no less.
"Can you hear yourself, Darren? Are you listening to yourself? I should leave it? Let my baby get worse? All to protect some kind of pride inside you that you're now disguising as looking out for both of us and little Dani. You think Dani will be okay if her brother gets so bad he ends up in an asylum, huh? You don't even knows how much of an attachment your children have to each other, do you, Darren?", Anne paused to look at her husband who had been rendered speechless. Darren was blinking rapidly and his mouth just kept opening and closing in shock before he's shaking his head rapidly and his face twists into that angry look, like he was just insulted.
"I don't appreciate you talking to me like this, MaryAnne"
"I was right on the mark wasn't I, Darren? You act like you're all that. Like you've got it all figured out and you're so smart and all that but deep down inside, you're essentially an empty shell and I'm only seeing that clearly now that there's crisis in the family. I always told you, advised you. I begged, Darren. I begged. But you never listened to me and I thought maybe I was wrong about my fears but now I see that I was never wrong. It was always you and it will always be you in the wrong. Now, the only reason I haven't left town and gone to the city to prepare divorce papers is because of Danielle and because Rix will need all the love and support to get better and that's a two man job that's supposed to come from both of his parents and not just one. I suggest you get your shit together, Darren and help me out with Rix. With 'our' child. Sleep on it", Anne's last phrase was said with a finality that reverberated and sort of rattled around in Darren's head, even as Anne turned away from him, bringing up the blanket to cover herself up to her nose and settled herself down to fall asleep.
Darren was deep in thought. He stayed on his back for much longer, maybe an hour or more, thinking and listening to the soft breathing beside him. Soon, he sighed and finally closed his eyes as well, deciding it was better to sleep than stay awake any longer. He'd deal with things in the morning.
No use losing sleep yet.