𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴

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Dan, Deb, Nathan, and Jayden walked into the therapist's office.

"I still think this is a big mistake," Dan grumbled.

Deb shot him a look. "Think whatever you want, Dan. We haven't felt like a family for a while, and we need to find that again."

"Coming from the woman who always put work first," Dan retorted.

Jayden sighed, his frustration evident. "Can you cool it? She's at least trying to get us back to a good place, unlike you."

"Would you stop talking out of turn?" Dan snapped back

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"Would you stop talking out of turn?" Dan snapped back.

"Dan, stop it!" Deb interjected.

Nathan grumbled to himself as they took their seats in the therapist's office.

The doctor greeted them calmly. "Truth is hard. But hostility stays outside. Who would like to start?"

Dan crossed his arms. "Well, you're the one with all the answers, Doc. Why don't you tell us?"

The doctor maintained his calm demeanor. "Hostility stays outside, Dan."

Deb sighed. "Things have just gotten out of hand, so we thought we could use some—"

"No, YOU thought," Dan interrupted.

"...objectivity," Deb finished.

The doctor turned to Nathan. "Define 'gotten out of hand.' Nathan?"

Nathan looked away. "Pass."

Deb took a deep breath. "We reached the breaking point two weeks ago when my son—"

Dan cut in, mocking her. "You hear that? 'My son.'"

The doctor stepped in. "Deb is speaking now, Dan."

Deb continued, her voice trembling slightly. "When our son collapsed on the basketball court after taking drugs to boost his performance."

Dan dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "The kid made a mistake. He knows that."

Deb's eyes filled with tears. "His father has been bullying him about the sport since he was old enough to hold a ball."

The doctor looked at Nathan. "Is that true, Nathan?"

Nathan remained silent, staring at the floor.

Deb added, her voice rising. "And on top of that," she pointed at Dan, "he's been neglecting and bullying our other son, Jayden. Dan constantly criticizes Jayden for pursuing his own interests, and making him feel like he's never good enough. It's just gotten out of hand."

Dan scoffed. "Bullying? Stop being so dramatic."

The doctor turned to Jayden. "Is this true, Jayden?"

Jayden nodded slowly. "For the most part, yeah."

Dan rolled his eyes. "His mother is so quick to put the blame on me, but up until recently, job always came first."

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