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   "He is stubborn." She laughs, a small smile pulling at the corners of my lips before it falls again. Her smile soon falls as well, and I can tell by the way she nervously begins to tap her nails against the table, there is something she came here to tell me. She pushes her hair behind her shoulder and finally finds my own gaze. My heart rate immediately picks up, thumping harshly against my ribs. "Clover, before Harry moved out to college, he made Ross and I both a promise. He swore he would stay sober, he would find an AA group and go to meetings. And if he didn't keep that promise, meaning he relapsed, we would send him right back to rehab." She explains, my anxiety skyrocketing. "We told him as little as one slip up and he we was going. Come to find out it's been multiple slip ups. One landing him in the emergency room and surgery." She continues, a lump forming in my throat as my sinuses begin to grow stuffy as tears prick the back of my eyes.

   "So. . ."

   "We've signed Harry into a rehabilitation center in Maine." She tells me, basically punching me in my stomach. I blink back the thick tears that blur my vision, but it does nothing. I feel my bottom lip begin to tremble, a singular tear pushed over my waterline by the multiple waves of tears forming in my eyes. I slowly shake my head, squeezing my eyes shut as I lean my face into my palms, unable to even think. "I'm sorry." I hear her say in a shaky voice. I sniffle quietly, pulling my warm face from my hands to find her gaze. Her eyes are glossy as well, and it's not hard to tell just how much this upsets her as well.

   "How long?" I ask, wiping my cheeks. Katherine stares at me for a moment, before she sighs and leans back on her chair. I feel incredibly naive for not even knowing how long an average stay at a rehab center is. The way her lips fall into a small frown is almost enough to answer my question.

   "Three months minimum." She says quietly, staring at me with eyes full of sympathy. My lips part and all of the air escapes from my lungs. I swallow thickly, closing my eyes in attempt to understand. "Harry's addiction requires a lot more attention and help than some others." She adds on. I know he needs help, and rehab is good for him. I've wanted it for him since the first time he relapsed, and now he's going. He's going to get the help he deserves and needs. "He needs you, Clover. He won't take it well, but it's our last resort." She continues and I know that she is absolutely right. His addiction has become excessive and it's leading him in the wrong direction.

   "I understand." I voice finally. My words come out shaky and uncertain, but I know this is what Harry needs. I love him, and I want to spend the rest of my life with him, but I'm afraid of constantly worrying if he's sober or not. I can't spend my life wondering that if every time comes home a minute late, that he was shooting up. I want to be able to trust him, I have to have confidence that he won't do that. And right now, I don't. And he doesn't have the will power to say no, either. It's for the best. "When does he. . ." I begin to ask the question I'm also it too afraid to have answered, Katherines eyes glossing over once again.

   "He will leave when he is discharged." She tells me, my throat closing up as I stare up at her. So he leaves if not tomorrow, the next day. "Ross has made arrangements with his school and he will continue his study in rehab online." She explains briefly, my heart pinching. "It'll be good for him, I know that's hard to see right now, and this is a lot to take in, but he deserves the help."

   I nod in agreement, using all of my power to force back the ongoing wave of tears. I swallow harshly, pushing my hair behind my ear.

   "I want you to understand this decision, you're apart of our family, Clover." Katherine tells me as she pushes to stand up from our table. Her words make my chest feel warm and I slowly nod in response. "We're not telling him tonight, go and be with him. Ross and I are going to head to our hotel for the night."