Just us- SBI adoption story (Just me and him book 2)

Chapter 6: diagnosis

TW- swearing

Tommy's POV:

I didn't want to be here. Phil said they would get me to do a few things and that would be it. It was just so we could work out the best way to help me at school. I could tell them what would help for school but sometimes it feels like they are too scared to ask me stuff. And sometimes I'm too scared to reply.

The place looked funny and I didn't like it, it made me feel funny. I'd been here before when we first met Eret. I stuck close to Phil: he would make sure nothing bad happened to me. He promised me he wouldn't let anyone take me away again. He let me watch Doctor Who on my iPad whilst we waited but then a lady came out of a room and suddenly we were going into it. She asked Phil questions but I didn't listen because I was watching Doctor Who and that was a lot more interesting. It was the episode with dinosaurs on a space ship, what did you expect me to do?

Then Phil made me turn it off and said it was time to do those 'few things'. What he hadn't told me was that he was leaving! He smiled at me and then closed the door, going back into the waiting area. This wasn't fair! I looked nervously at the lady, she smiled back and got out a picture book. I didn't want a picture book, I wanted Phil.

"Hey Tommy, do you think we could read this together and I could ask you some questions about it?" I shook my head. No we f-cking couldn't do that. I didn't know her and I didn't care about the book. I wanted Phil.

I burst into tears, holding Zog up to my chin and wishing this was just another bad dream. It would only be another bad dream if there was a dead dad in the corner, I couldn't see one yet. "It's alright, we're going to be fine." I shook my head. No way in hell I'm going to be fine without Phil. He had promised.

I began screaming, she tried shushing me but it didn't work. When Phil didn't come in, I ran up to the door and started banging on it. I wouldn't open it, my brain just couldn't, but I needed him. When the door opened a crack, I ran straight into Phil who was stood on the other side.

"What's happened?"

"He just burst into tears, we haven't even started."

Phil just hugged me and ran fingers through my hair and sat right next to me on the sofa, stroking Zog with me. "What's up mate, what's got you so upset?" I just couldn't stop crying and the only thing I felt comfort from was pushing myself closer to him. "You're alright, I promise."

"Tommy?" I whined, not wanting her to talk to me in the slightest. I didn't want to talk to a new person. "What if Dad stayed in here with us?"

Phil looked at me; Dad wasn't here. Dad wasn't here unless I closed my eyes. Dad was far, far away and he couldn't hurt me or Tubs anymore. I cried more. "She meant me Tommy, not your dad okay. He won't be here. But I can stay with you if you'd prefer that?"

"I'm sorry, that was my fault Tommy. Would you like Phil to stay?" I nodded weakly, still not turning back to the lady. Phil let me hug him and kept rubbing my back. It felt nice, and made me sleepy. 

"I'm going to sit right here with you, but you've got to do your best to work with Melanie okay?" Oh Melanie! That was her name. Phil and Kristin had tried to prepare me for this. I thought over Phil's questions and hummed lightly. Not really a yes but not a no either. What I really wanted was to go home but I could see that wasn't a choice.

"So how about this book hey?" I looked at her, shoved a finger to my mouth and chewed down on it and Phil turned me round and hugged me from behind. It was some stupid cat, drinking milk. Milk? MILK?! I could have cried over that.

Phil's POV:

I had no clue why Tommy was so upset. We'd been preparing him for it for a few days minimum, looking at pictures, videos and all the resources Eret's team had sent through. But for whatever reason he was distraught. Maybe it was coming back here, seeming as the last time we'd been here it hadn't exactly gone perfectly but whilst we were waiting he seemed totally unbothered.