Family Therapy

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“So …. Jamal …. When was it that you started having ‘these feelings’??” The Shrink, Dr. Nova put her fingers up in quotation marks …. Ever since that incident at the house Rev. Brown insisted that, they go to therapy ….. Luckily, no one said why the two were fighting … but she knew sumthin had happened …… “I mean …” Jamal spoke with his head down ….. “For a while now … It just sorta happened ……. One day I’m playing X-Box and singing in the choir … and the next I’m in the back seat of a car feelin on sum …well … uh … u kno …” “PENIS, Mr. Brown?” Jamal blushed …. “Uh yea …”  “Well … let’s fast forward to your family ….. Tell me about a time before all of the conflict started”  Dr. Nova took her pad and leaned back in her chair ………
 
“Well …. We are the average normal family I guess … church several times a week … I am the oldest of six ….. My parents have been married for 20 years ….. We eat dinner at night together ….. Well at least we used to ….” Jamal looked over at the rain outside …. It seemed to rain more in his life since that night ……… “So when did things change?” she asked …… “I dunno … I mean … it just did …..”  “Could it be when you started acting out on your impulses with Penises and male friends?”  Jamal was silent ….. “ I think you kno the answer to that Mr. Brown ….. So why is it that you and your family are here?”  “Well … Mah cousin did sum things to me and he got into a fight with this guy who tried to stop him ….. And my mom thinks Imma prostitute”  They both laughed …. “Well … Im going to bring your parents in along with your siblings …. We need to have a family session …..” Jamal sat back …. Was he ready for this???  At least the Dr. Understood where he was coming from … Hell … she looked like she pinched hit for the team a few times herself …….
 
Everyone comes in and sits around the chairs in the room …… “Ok  I’m glad everyone is here … We are going to talk about some things that are going on in the house …. And I want everyone to be totally honest about their feelings ….” “I feel this is a waste of time …” The kids laughed as Marquice made the remark ….. “That’s an honest statement …” Dr. Nova replied …. “But today we’re here to try and discuss the issues centering on Jamal and his choices in life ….. And how they are tearing your family apart ….” Jamal felt like a ton of bricks hit his face …… “Oh thank heaven Dr. Nova … You see how he is just out of control ???”  “Yes … just talking with him I can see how he has been corrupted and not in his right mind ….” “Dr. Nova??? I …I …. Don’t understand … we were just talking ….and now this?” Jamal teared up …… He’d let himself get comfy and she took advantage of that …….  “Everything you said to me was indicative of the problem centering around you … not your family …. Things changed only because you decided to act on these ‘feelings’ you think u have … which has clouded your judgment … You are even blaming family members for trying to seduce you when it was you who was caught on your knees giving Oral sex to your cousin who was trying to get u sum help ……”
 
Jamal watched as everyone centered his or her view on him ….. He felt so low at that point ….. Was she right? Was he the cause of the family’s pain?  “And you’re Father isn’t here today because he is thinking about leaving us because of you!”  Rev. Brown shouted to everyone’s surprise ….. Earlier that day Dea. Brown had given her the news that he was not going to the session … that he thought she was acting to harshly on Jamal  and he would be leaving for a while ….. “It’s all your fault Jamal …. You and your sick ways!!!!!” By this time, Jamal couldn’t control the tears …. Was it because she was right or no one believed him … He just couldn’t stop the tears …… “See Jamal … if you would just listen to your parents … and stop trying to live this unholy lifestyle …… All the problems in your family … Your brothers smoking …. Your sister’s behavior at school … your parents’ divorce … none of this would be occurring … Don’t you see how you are the root of evil???”
 
Jamal shut down … he couldn’t say anything … no one was listening to him …… he  just cried ….. “I think this week’s session is over … Next week we can discuss how we can mend the family from this point ….” Dr. Nova walked out of the family room leaving the Brown family looking mad at Jamal …… “Daddy is leaving because of you ……I hate you!!!” His siblings removed themselves one by one from the room …… leaving him and only his mother …. She was feeling conflicted …her baby was hurting …. And so was she …. But was he the cause of her pain???? “Ma … please … please don’t do this to me …..” Jamal pleaded as he looked at her ….. “I … I need you ….”  “You need God, because only he can forgive you now …..” she spoke softly trying to fight the tears from her eyes ……. And walked away …….
 
Jamal had no one …. No one believed him about Patrick .. or anything ….. Y had Dudley stopped him that night?? hE could’ve been finished with all of this ……. One he walked home(Rev. Brown wouldn’t allow him in the car anymore …) He walked up to the house …… Dudley was on the porch waiting for him …. “YOU!!! …. Y did u have to stop me??? Huh?” Jamal was heated …… “Wat are u talking about?? I came to check on you after wat happened the otha day ……”  “Thanks to you and your hero ass My whole family is in shambles ….. I shoulda been dead !!!!”  Dudley walked over and hugged him …. Jamal hit him at first and again … and then started cryin …. “It’s gonna be okay … trouble don’t last always …. I promise u ……” Dudley hugged him ….. They walked over to his car and got in … “Where are we goin?” Jamal asked as he, wiped tears from his now read face ...  “Don’t worry …. We going somewhere that’s gonna help you …..” Dudley pulled off and headed over to Norfolk ….. The TACT(Tidewater Aids Crisis Taskforce) Building held a group for LGBT teens each night …. Dudley had volunteers there a few years ago ……
 
They pulled up to the parking lot and Jamal saw people ….. well mostly white guys and girls …. They were all hanging on each other ……. “Where is this?”  Jamal noticed Ocean View … but had never seen this building …… “This is … a place where u are safe to talk about wats going on …..”  They got out the car …. Jamal trusted Dudley so he wasn’t that worried …. That was until this large Hispanic looking dude with a beard came over and spoke …. “Hey Honey ….. Wats your deal?  OH My stars .. Lil Du .. is that you???”  The guy came and hugged Dudley …. Jamal looked puzzled … “Hey Mitch …. Just in the area and I wanted to bring a friend by …. He is ….well u kno …”  “Say no more sweety …… Hi I’m Mitch and this is  our group …..”  HE waved folk to come over …… “This is Jonathan, Alex, Marshall, Jean, Sarah, Phillip, and Jessica …. And you are?”  Jamal paused …. And looked at Dudley …… Dudley shook his head ….. “I’m uh Jamal ….”  “Well come on in Brown suga … let’s talk about why ur face is so sad ….”  They followed them in … Dudley held Jamal’s hand ….. Jamal squeezed it as he sat down ……. He had no idea wat to expect ……

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