informed consent | short story + one shots

getaway

"Yes." Natalie nodded, "There is rejecting, which is basically the parent taking every opportunity to let the child know how unwanted it is. In a variety of ways. It's often about name-calling, swearing and such. Then there's terrorizing, which means parents who threaten and punish. Third is isolating. It's when a parent doesn't allow the child to leave the house or meet friends. It can get worse when they restrict the food or keep it away from siblings too. Exploiting means that the parents force the child into an activity without regard for their development, such as young kids being responsible for very adult tasks around the house. Fifth is corrupting, which is parents who reward their children for bad behaviour, such as bullying or using drugs or stealing at an inappropriate age."

Mia nodded slowly while Natalie explained. The woman opposite her then took a breath, "And then finally – which I think is what happened to you – there's ignoring."

The hair on Mia's arms stood up as she stared at Nat, her hand now resting on top of Ribbon's back, who was half asleep against her. Natalie put down her pen, "Parents who are unable to respond to the needs of their children. They don't show attachment or provide positive nurturing. They don't show interest, they refuse affection and sometimes don't even recognize the child's presence. The parents might be physically there but... emotionally not so much."

It was silent in the room until Mia slowly nodded, "Mhm. I recognize that."

"Thank you for saying that." Natalie praised and Mia shot a weak smile. Natalie then sighed, "It's probably a mixture of a few types. I've heard you talk about a lot of things too that could fit the rejection-type. Like the criticism, the comments about your clothes or your body, the demeaning jokes, the treating you like a child. I think it's actually a mixture of rejection and ignoring."

Mia didn't respond and Nat tilted her head to the side, "You did say you never really got any physical attention, right? Like hugs?"

"No." Mia shook her head, "I-I remember... Aidan and I were young and we went to bed. We wanted to say goodnight to mum and dad and they both hugged and kissed him, even tucked him in. They never did that with me. Instead I got a new toy to keep myself busy, but they nearly always showed him attention while forgetting that I was there."

Nat shot her a sympathetic look before slowly nodding, "I think it's really good that you can voice those feelings and thoughts." She said it because they both knew that mere weeks ago, Mia would've bottled this all up. Mia felt a warmth in her chest at the praise and recognition from Nat. Harry did the same thing when she was open and vulnerable, sharing things that she'd normally keep to herself.

Mia had to learn that it was okay for her to talk. That her thoughts and emotions were valid and not walked over. It was strange, really. She had noticed that the way she treated Harry at the charity event was sort of the same way her father had treated her mother all her life. Mia had grown up seeing that behaviour until her mother just moulded herself into what her father wanted. And now they were both as bad as the other.

Mia shuddered at the thought that Harry would ever behave like that. She didn't want that at all.

"In combination with your hypersensitivity to emotions, it must've meant you had an unhappy childhood?" Natalie carefully asked.

Mia learned a lot about herself in these sessions. Not only did she realize she grew up in a narcissistic abusive household, but also that she was hypersensitive to emotions. The one had to do with the other, probably. Her hypersensitivity probably originated in PTSD that she had from her childhood without even really realizing it.

It was a paradox. Her parents neglected her yet at the same time completely wanted to control her. Mia felt torn between the two, because they spoke against one another. On the one hand, it seemed like they cared, on the other it was clear that they didn't.