Beauty From Ashes

Chapter 4

"H-Healing? W-What is this?" I picked up the pamphlet. "Wait. My trip is for Saturday and maybe next weekend, not tomorrow." I look at both of them, and I grow suspicious. "What's going on?"

"Just read it over," my dad said. "The O'Connors came to me last week after service and asked me how I would feel about sending their son-in-law through rehab and reparative therapy. After our talk last night, I gave them a call, and they were generous enough to accept. Everything's already been paid for, and you have a flight scheduled for Texas on Saturday morning."

"'Best reviewed institution for Christian families in the States. Guaranteed to restore the purity-'." I stop reading in cringe and then I laugh it off. "This is a joke right? Dad, I don't need therapy, okay? I'm perfectly healthy."

"You've been violated and confused. But, this will help, the Lord will lead the way."

"My head's fine." I look to the both of them, more defensive. "I don't understand. I-I thought you guys said that you weren't mad at me. Why would you pay for me to go to a mental hospital?"

"That's not what this is. This is different, and the people I've spoken to over the phone are pure-"

"Purely a group of people who're gonna brainwash me! People who are gonna think I have some kind of illness!"

"No. It's as we said, this is going to help you."

I then stand up enraged. "No! No, I don't NEED any help!" I scoff. "I don't believe this. I CAN'T believe this! Are- Are you both REALLY so spineless and cowardly that you're willing to ship me away to some medical center like I'm a prize at an auction?!"

"You're NOT being shipped away," dad said.

"You're saying that because I didn't even consent!" I yell out. I turn to Kevin. "Did you set this up?"

Kevin shakes his head and throws up his arms. "They- They asked me to go to bed as soon as you stormed upstairs. This is the first I'm hearing about this," Kevin said.

"And on the day where I'm supposed to be in California at the SAME TIME?!"

"Correct. But once it's sorted out, I'm going to send my own email to this....... company and tell them it couldn't work out."

My eyes widen. "You......you can't do that...! Wha- When am I supposed to get out?!?!!"

"Whenever the treatment for you has been successful."

"Oh my god, you idiots! I don't need any treatment! There's nothing that needs to be fixed!!"

"What matters to us is that you're far away from these people! AND away from those people, you brought into our house last night!" dad yelled. "We wanted to give you freedom. But it's obvious we allowed you to have too much."

I begin to scold him. "Even if you do this, it's not gonna matter. Our work is already out there! Already around the world!"

"Yes. But after the investigation is done we'll be sure to erase all of the traces," mom said.

"Inves- Investigation?!"

"We've seen all the evidence that you were involved in the vandalism and sabotages of the churches. We're not gonna turn you into court or file charges, but we also have strong evidence to believe that these, 'PC's scandals' are suspect to other previous cases. Our reports are already set up, and these people will be dealt with once we turn it over to the authorities." She just stares at my PISSED expression. "Cheyenne. One way or another, you're done with these people."

This is an outrage. "You're insane. You're insane! Do- Do you even realize how big this career has been?!"

"Cheyenne-"