Relapse / Recovery

Recovery

*Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep Beep. Beep-- *

"MmmMmhm" He groaned then followed with a yawn as Dre quickly shut off the alarm.

He didn't want to get up. The stress from the night before had crept into his dreams and interrupted his sleep. Not even sleeping with Dre could help him stay asleep. It was just a low moment. A one time thing that's it. He was caught up in his emotions and wasn't thinking right. He wasn't about to throw it all away because of one memory. He just needed to get through today and that's it.

Wait.

Oh shit!

Marshall sat up quickly and looked over at Dre "what day is it?"

Dre laid back with his eyes closed and let a smile come across his face "Do I really need to answer that?"

"Monday?"

"Monday."

He looked around the room for a second "oh shit I gotta pack."

"Is that what you're focusing on today!?" Dre joked "I mean you got some time to back before the party tonight."

"Party?" He asked worried

"At Promises. Remember? You really think I'd throw a party party with drinking n shit to celebrate your sobriety? You're funny."

It was all smiles when they showed up at the facility that day. He couldn't turn down a hallway without people giving a 'congratulations' and it felt good. Rather than having 2 individual sessions they instead did a group session. The group leaders did a joined presentation about living sober and bring proud of it. It was all tips and tricks he could use to get out of drinking or keep himself sober. After the presentation the staff members who he had had session with, including his yoga instructor, gave him letters and cards full of words of encouragement to take with him. They talked about how proud they were and asked him to check in constantly so that they could hear how he was doing. Although it's not like they couldn't just type his name into Google and find out what he'd been up to. After his sessions was therapy, and this time he really felt he'd need it. It was the last day. Of course he was happy but that didn't mean he wasn't scared. Anxious. A little sad about leaving the place. He'd have to leave all the people who understood exactly what it was that he'd gone through. No one else would get it. But he was excited to see his kids. He had a lot of making up to do, first with them then with his friends. It was like being sent out on your own after living with your parents. It was a fresh start and it was scary. All he ever did was drugs, what would he do now? Get a new hobby. He had to. If he indulged himself in his writing then that should be enough but still. He spoke with his therapist and they explored his fears and anxieties and came up with the usual ways around them. That's the best he could do.

He took an extra few seconds to walk down the halls that day. He stepped out from his therapy sessions and instead of going straight to Dre instead started towards his old room. He just wanted to see it. He wasn't sure if anyone new had been put in it so he didnt try to enter. Left and right he looked to make sure nobody was around. He let himself rest against the wall across from the door. Just a month ago he was seeing that door for the first time and he was terrified. Now he was terrified go leave it. It didn't matter that he'd moved out of the place two weeks prior. He wasn't sure how long he'd been standing there but it was probably time to head back to the front before Dre got worried. He must not have been gone long because his friend didn't mention him being late.

They had a few hours to kill before they had to be back at Promises so Dre offered to help him pack his things.

"So I was thinking." Dre said while folding a shirt "we'll get there at like 5:30? Stay til 7? 8 at the latest right?"