Rehab

01-The Beginning

Robyn's POV
"Hello", I sighed "My name is Robyn."
"Hi Robyn.", the circle of people called back to me.
"And I'm....an alcoholic."
"Very good Robyn." Dr.Wang smiled at me while slightly pointing her pen in my direction. "Can you tell us a bit about yourself?"
"You mean the reason why I'm here?",I asked softly.
She nodded.
I cleared my throat and fumbled with my fingers," It's a long story actually. I never thought I had a problem until a few days ago."
"Would you mind telling us your story? That's only if you feel comfortable though. You never know, your story could help someone here."
I looked around nervously then shrugged. I'm here for change so I have to be willing to take the first step and like she said, my story could help someone here. I took a deep breath before starting.

"Robyn please just listen to me, you're not healthy. You need help.",mother pleaded on her knees.
I smirked and rolled my eyes. Here we go again. Ma is being overdramatic as usual and I'm really getting sick of this shit. "Mommy, I'm fine. Now please stand up."
"If your father was alive he would not like to see you like this all the time. Always drinking, and for what reason? Please Robyn, I just want the best for you."
My heart sunk at the mention of my late father, the greatest man that ever lived. Well, at least in my eyes. I tilted my head at her and chuckled in disbelief and slight anger. "Mom, I'm fine. I'm twenty fucking four years old and I sure as hell don't need you making decisions for me. And for you to bring up daddy like that, that's a low blow even for you."
She crumbled her face and looked up at me then slowly rose to her feet. She looked me dead in my face and stared at me before sending a hard slap to my cheek,"Have you lost your damn mind! So you think you're now grown enough to curse at your mother like that? Huh?"
I held my cheek in pain and in anger as we stared each other down not saying a word. I remember daddy having to break up hundreds of fights like this over the years, but after his death three years ago there was no one except my younger brother Antwan to break them up. With Antwan away at college, mom just never knows when to quit.
"I swear to god I want you out of my house." I huffed as my anger only began to rise and my heartbeat picked up.
Ma just stared back at me,"You're actually throwing me out of your house? Because I came here to help you?"
"Get out!",I yelled.
She grabbed her purse and keys and headed out of my house without a look back at me and mumbled, "You need some serious prayers."
I stomped over to the kitchen and opened the liquor cabinet and pulled out my bottle of Henny. I don't need a glass in my own damn house so I took a swig right to the head. I pulled back and allowed the brown liquid to pass down my throat. I winced at the burning sensation but boy, did I need that.
It's been the same thing with mom for the last two years. She swears she's some kind of psychologist or something but I'm fine though. I really don't feel as though I have a drinking problem. You get one DUI and everyone thinks you have a problem. Mom, Grandma Lynn and Papa Joe, Uncle Roger, Aunt Patricia, and even a few of my cousins but not Antwan. Antwan may be only 19, but he's had my back like no other. He's over in Arizona for college which isn't too far from us in L.A but damn, I miss my baby brother. Especially in times like this.
He's a spitting image of our late father and his wisdom is just about the same as his so having him to talk to is what keeps me sane, at least until he comes home for the summer. Like clockwork, my phone rang and it was him. I smiled as I held the phone to my ear and answered," Hey Twan."
"What the hell is mom talking about Rob?",he asked half asleep.
"You know how she is, take a wild guess." I replied.
"And I also know how you are so I just ask, was it really necessary to kick her outta your house? That's our fucking mom Robyn."
I rolled my eyes,"You're the baby so of course you don't understand."
"Honestly, if she's bitching this much over some damn rehab then it won't kill you to go. At least she'll leave us alone if you do. I can't really focus on my studies with her blowing my phone up every five minutes."
I pulled my phone away from my ear and checked to see if I was really hearing those words or if I just imagined them," Me? Go to rehab? For what? I'm not an alcoholic!"
"I know that, and you know that as well. I say you go check it out and when them doctors send you back home then mom will leave everybody alone."
I was silent as I pondered his suggestion.
"I'mma sleep on it. But damn, that might fuck up my rep."
He was silent for a moment then said,"Man, you dumb as fuck!"
We both laughed.
"A nigga over here tryna get some sleep before my final exam and y'all over there fighting over some bullshit. I gotta get back to sleep sis. Check ya later."
"Stay up lil nigga, see ya in three days.", I smiled through the phone.
"Yeah, like I'm looking forward to breaking up fights all summer" he mumbled.
"Shut up!" I laughed before hanging up.
*Two Days Later*
It's been two days since I last spoke to mom which is good for me. I go to work and just come straight home to a few drinks and reality tv during the weekdays but today is Friday and now that I'm off from work, I ain't got shit to do. My phone buzzed with a text from my boyfriend Travis around 9ish.
Babess:Whatchu on tonight babe?
Me:I wasn't plannin on nothing but I might step out with Mel
Babess:Yall should come thru to Playhouse
Me:You buying bottles??
Babess:Do you know who the fuck I am? Of course I'm buying bottles
Me:Lol okay I'll go get ready
Babess: Hurry that shit up babe don't keep my ass waiting
Me:Okaaay
I laughed at his aggressive ass. He swears up and down that he's THAT nigga. He's a rap star on the come up so shit, I guess he is THAT nigga. Damn near every female around town wants my man because he's fine as hell and everyone knows he's gonna make it big. I laughed to myself as I called up my bitch to let her know we steppin out tonight.
*Later that night*
"Mel, why the fuck you tryna take an uber when you know we came with my whip?", I asked as we stumbled out of the club around 3am.
"Bishh, we lit as fuuuck.",she smiled. She draped an arm around my neck and pressed her lips to my ear as she thought she was whispering but said aloud,"Come ride with me. We'll get your car in the morning."
We giggled.
" Haa" I wobbled as I struggled to find my balance in my tall ass heels. "No I'mma drive. Wait a minute, where's my nigga at?"
I spun in a circle too fast and fell over but was caught by Travis as he came out of the club with his boys and a few chicks.
"Woah, you good Rob?",he asked as he helped me stand up straight.
"Yeah," as I furrowed my eyes and tried to focus on who these females were. It was as if I were looking through a kaleidoscope, there were at least four Travis's so I struggled to know just how many women were with him and his boys.
"You coming with me babe?",I leaned over to snatch a kiss.
His ass curved me and said,"Um, nah. We finna head over to my crib to smoke this bag of weed I got in my car."
"And y-you didn't invite me?", I slurred
"Robyn you should be home, yo drunk ass would be throwing up all over my new shit."
His friends all laughed. I just watched as Mel's uber pulled up and the driver helped her inside.
"You not taking the uber with her?", Travis asked.
"I'm not leaving my car here. Unless you wanna drop me off?", I asked him with a smirk.
He turned over to his friends and said," Yall can start heading over to my crib, I'll be right there." then he turned over to me and said "Bruh, you better ride with yo friend, I'm out."
"To fuck those bitches over there right?",I pointed.
"You trippin, look I'll call you tomorrow.",he shrugged.
"Yeah whateva bitch ass nig-" I leaned to the bushes and threw up.
I stood straight and saw he was on his way over to his car already. I walked over to a slumped Mel in her uber and shut the door for her then proceeded over to my car. A white 2016 Chevy Malibu.
I was sad as shit that my ngga really dissed me in front of his boys like that. Who even does that? I sat in my car and looked at myself in the mirror and said to myself," Alright Robyn, now you're gonna drive on home. The streets are pretty empty but you better pay attention."
I started up the car and drove slow as hell and I knew I was swerving because I started feeling nauseous but surprisingly I never got pulled over. All was well up until I was tryna pull into my driveway but it looked as if my mom was at my house because her car was in the way.
At this very moment my foot was supposed to step on the brakes because I was planning on just stopping the car until I got my mom to move her car so I could park my car in my driveway, but instead it seemed to slam the gas pedal. My car rammed the back of my mother's Camry. I looked up and saw that my mom was asleep in the car without her seatbelt on and the force threw her head first into the windshield.
At this moment, I shut off the car and rushed over in shock and the neighbors were piling out of their house to observe what had just occurred. Mom was slumped over the steering wheel and her head was bleeding.
"Oh my god! Mommy!" I cried. "Somebody call 911!"
*flashback ends*

"So uh," I paused "that's what happened. That's why I'm here."