Secrets Left Neglected

Chapter 56

Nick

Emilia and I have just sat down at the I-S and are enjoying a hot loaf of bread before dinner when the yelling begins.

"Stop correcting me, Caoilainn!" Tadhg hollers at her. "You're not my doctor."

Then more quietly, "Tadhg, it is. Here. It's right here next to our picture. You have to remember to turn your head and look to your left. Remember what the doctor said-"

Caoilainn doesn't have the opportunity to finish however, before Tadhg goes off on her. "I just said you're not my damn physician, Caoilainn. Stop acting like-"

"I never said I was your doctor, Tadhg," she interrupts, clearly frustrated. "I'm just trying to-"

"Yeah, well, don't Caoilainn," he yells. "Don't you think I know to look left? I'm telling you. That friggin' menu wasn't there. You probably put it there after I looked the first time. This is just like dinner the other night with the mashed potatoes. Don't you get tired of this? This repeat of the same old shit? "

"What?" I hear Caoilainn respond in surprise. "Tadhg, you're not making sense. I would never-I'm just trying to..."

At this point, Emilia's looking at me, butter knife hanging in mid-air for her bread. She leans forward and whispers to me. "What kind of donnybrook is going on in there, Nick?"

Scowling, I turn my head away from her.

"Hey," she says, dropping her knife with a clang on the plate sitting beneath her hands. "What was that?"

I turn back to her and frown. "Not now with the weird words, Em. This sounds serious."

Baulking, Emilia sits back in her seat. "Well, that was rude."

"What?" I reply whispering. "It's just not the time, ok? They're fighting. This isn't funny." I try to explain.

"I wasn't trying to be funny, Nick" she starts to say, but when the sound of breaking glass reaches my ears, I stand up and move towards the office doors, hesitating before knocking. "You guys ok in there?" I call out. For someone who's never had the occasion to hear Caoilainn fighting before, I sure am getting my fill these days when visiting the I-S. First her fight with Ruari and now this one with Tadhg.

Emilia creeps up beside me and listens until the door opens abruptly in front of us. Standing so close to it, we almost tumble over ourselves when the door's flung open. "We're fine," Tadhg grumbles, exiting the room in a huff, a trembling Caoilainn kneeling over a broken picture frame in his wake. When she starts to cry, Emilia runs forward to hug her. "Oh, Caoi," she sympathizes, helping her pick the mess up. "I'm so sorry, honey. I know you didn't ask for this gardyloo, but I'm here for you if you need a shoulder to cry on, sweetie."

As Caoilainn weeps in Emilia's arms, I turn to follow Tadhg. Finding him outside in the circle garden, I approach from behind and tap him on the shoulder. "Hey, man. What happened back there?"

Shrugging my hand from his shoulder, Tadhg moans that it was nothing and to leave him alone. Not accepting his response, I move forward until I'm in front of him. "That didn't sound like nothing to me. Caoilainn's really upset in there. I've never seen her like that before. Emilia's with her, but you need to go back in there, Tadhg."

Ten minutes later, and getting no-where fast with him, I leave Tadhg to see how Emilia's doing with Caoilainn. I walk inside and find them sitting at the bar. Ruari is fuming behind the bar and is mixing chocolate into milk for his sister. I nod my head at him upon approach. He walks around the corner of the bar, taking off his apron. "He's outside," I tell him quietly. "I think he's more pissed at himself than her. You might want to give him a few minutes."

"Yeah, we'll see," Ruari replies in tight control. "I'll be back. Watch the bar for me, Nick."

Sighing, I lift my hand as he walks past me ignoring my suggestion. "Sure thing, Ruar."

Picking up Ruari's tossed apron, I tie it around my waist and get to work, filling neglected drink orders on his behalf. Meanwhile, Emilia gently speaks to Caoilainn. "How about a counselor, Caoi?"

"He's already seeing so many of them, Em. I don't know if another one would help. I-"

When Emilia grabs Caoilainn's hand, she looks up. "Not for him, but for you, Babe."

"Me?" Caoilainn replies shaking her head instinctively. "But, I don't need a shrink. I mean, I'm not the one-"

"No, you're not, Caoi," Emilia continues. "And that's the point. Maybe talking to someone outside this whole situation can help you deal with everything and will give you a place to let everything out."

I can tell Caoilainn's instincts are fighting the suggestion by the way she's shaking her head against it. Unless she's teaching them dance moves, Caoilainn barely speaks to people. The idea of confiding in a counselor must terrify her. Then again, it might really help her. "I have to agree with Emilia on this one, Caoilainn. I think someone to talk to could really do you some good. It might even help Tadhg indirectly."

Caoilainn opens her doe eyes wide at my comment and I can see she's considering our advice. A good first step.

"Thank you, guys," she replies softly. "I'll think about it, ok?"

"Anytime, Caoilainn," Emilia and I say at the same time.
________

Resource for the YouTube video above:

Title: Brain Injury and You: Caring for the Caregiver

By: BrainInjury Association of Massachusetts 

Published On: December 12, 2012