Point Of View 2 [*Do not read until you've read the same chapter of ATW]

Chapter 124 What A Thing To Do

*James*

In a way, I'm glad Nate and Julia aren't here to witness this. Because every time I get mail like this I break down. Last thing I need is to stress Julia out and I really don't want Nate of all people seeing my cry. Paul and Julia have been gone for a good half hour yet I'm still a whimpering mess. Jeremy is with Mike who had to be transferred to his room for an IV so he's not here either. Trevor, Trisha, Casey, Evan and Jonah are with me in the backyard.

"James, how often do you get letters like this?" Trevor asks while passing the envelope to Jonah like it's fucking Show & Tell Day at preschool. I shove my palms in my eye sockets and both Trisha and Casey sit next to me trying to console me.

When Jonah looks at the piece of mail his eyes widen.

"Not often, but enough." I mutter. "This is his way of showing me he is always in control."

The envelope gets handed back to me but my hands are too shaky to hold it and it drops to the ground. The photo falls out and I have to look away.

"Can you show the police?" Jonah picks up the paper photo and studies it once more. It's not the photo that scares me as much as the handwritten caption underneath it.

"I've tried. We've tried. Joe has friends on the police force. He donates a lot of money to them. Money that should go to my mom."

"Yeah but-" Jonah continues.

"There's got to be something you can do, James." Trisha doesn't get it either. This is out of my control. I see Jonah look down at his phone and his shoulders sag.

"They found Nate." His eyes gravitate to Trisha. That's all she needs from him.

"No..."

Trisha doesn't cry often. Not at all. So when she does cry, it's hard to watch. Now not only am I crying about my sadistic father, but Trisha is crying over Nate. Trevor catches on to what's happening now.

"Paul said he's in rough shape. Mac and Natalie tried to talk him out of it but there was no getting him to stop." 

"He fell off the wagon?" Evan, still being fairly new to the group, asks and Jonah nods.

"Yeah, he's down a whole bottle of whiskey in one sitting." Jonah reads from his texts.

"Shit."

"I can't do this." Trisha gets up and heads inside Julia's apartment. Evan and Jonah both follow. Casey and Trevor remain with me.

"This day just keeps getting better, huh girl?" I lean over and pet Maggie.

"I'm sorry you all are going through so much, James. If there's anything I can do to help or even just someone to vent to, I'm here for you." Trevor pats me on the back. "It's sounds like you all have a lot going on."

"They ALWAYS have a lot going on." Casey says in her unfiltered way.

"Yeah, but this whole thing with your dad... James, I know you go to all the group sessions here and take advantage of all the Avalon has to offer, but if you would like a one-on-one session, I'd be happy to take you on as a patient while you are stuck here."

"Really? You'd do that?" I perk up a little. I know some people don't believe in counseling. People hard like my sister Ashley. But I find it helpful, and my mental wellbeing is important. I'm always trying to find ways to better myself in every department of my life and emotional health is just as important as physical health in my book. Especially when you have endured living with someone like Joe Gallo. You need as much healing as you can get.