Part Seven
I was left with my thoughts of yesterday; morning had come and gone, leaving behind rays of light cascading about. It was then, as I found myself pouring a second cup of coffee, that I decided to check on Lexie. I knew she had had another nightmare, for I had heard her crying out in her sleep. I wished I could help her somehow, someway; but she tended to put up shields of steel, preventing people from getting too close. The only one that had seemed able to break through this barrier was Ian, but now he didn’t seem to come around anymore. My heart was breaking as I was forced to watch from the sidelines as Lexie continued to live in this manner. When she was young, things had been different. We had used to live in harmony, but now all that holds our “family” together is nothing but a thin, unraveling thread.
When I reached Lexie’s door, I hesitated. An all-too-familiar silence greeted me. Softly, I pushed the door open, hoping that the hinges wouldn’t protest. As the hallway’s light cast beams into her darkened room, they revealed my forlorn daughter lying curled up in the fetal position. Her eyebrows were drawn tightly together, and her lower lip quivered, causing soft whimpers to escape from her mouth. I sighed heavily and quickly closed the door, pausing as I leaned against it. I had promised her that I would not do anything about this: the insomnia, the nightmares, the unhealthy eating habits. But if I didn’t do something soon, what would that classify me as? People say a promise is a promise regardless of the circumstances, but when someone loves unconditionally, would it not be better to break your word than watch a person hurt themselves again and again? It would take only one phone call to elicit help... Without a doubt, whether this was right or wrong, I thumbed through my phone’s contact list, stopping when the name appeared.
“Good morning, this is Dr. Randle’s office,” the receptionist answered. “How may I assist you?”
“Hello,” I greeted softly, taking a step away from Lexie’s bedroom. “This is Anna Gunzila. By chance, is Dr. Randle available?”
“Yes. One moment please, Mrs. Gunzila. I will transfer your call.”
“Thank you.”
I had to wait only a moment before the line was reconnected. “Hello, Anna? Is everything all right?”
“Ye-” I started to stammer, but stopped before continuing. “No, Aaron...to be truthful, it isn’t. I have already spoken to my husband, Greg, regarding this, and he requested me to call you only as my last resort. As an old family friend, we now need your help more than ever.”
Silence hung in the air before Aaron breathed, “This is concerning Lexie, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but how did you-”
He gave a soft chuckle, “My son, Ian, has already informed me regarding bits and pieces. The poor lad is totally beside himself. Apparently, the two of them are on the “outs” at the moment, for Lexie has been ignoring him over the past week or so.”
I winced, “Hmmm, at least Greg and I aren’t the only ones receiving the cold shoulder.”
“This is not like her, Anna.”
“I agree,” I said without hesitating. “Maybe if she were only acting this way toward us, her parents, we would say that it was an act of rebellion, but Ian too? For the life of us, neither Greg nor I can find the source of this...major issue.”
Aaron sighed, “Well, something has to be triggering Lexie in order for her to be reacting this way.”
I bit my lip, debating whether or not I should request this. Ready to reap any future consequences, I took a deep breath and went on to say, “Maybe, if I bring her in for an appointment, we might be able to get the answers we seek?”
“What kind of answers?” he drawled out, not truly following where this was all heading.
“Answers to why she is having nightmares every night!” I began to gush. “Why she hasn’t been eating-”
“Wait,” Aaron cut in. “She’s not eating?” I hesitated slightly, “No. Well, not much anyway.”
“Bring her tomorrow morning at nine. I will speak to her then.”
I closed my eyes, gratitude filling my heart, “Thank you, Aaron.”
“Anytime,” he replied sincerely before saying goodbye.
As I echoed my own goodbye and disconnected the call, I raised a hand to wipe away a stream of tears. Then, I took a deep breath before turning around, only to freeze in my tracks.
With perspiration running down her ashen face, Lexie stumbled back a step, shaking her head in disbelief. “Mom,” she whispered hoarsely, “you broke your promise.”
When I reached Lexie’s door, I hesitated. An all-too-familiar silence greeted me. Softly, I pushed the door open, hoping that the hinges wouldn’t protest. As the hallway’s light cast beams into her darkened room, they revealed my forlorn daughter lying curled up in the fetal position. Her eyebrows were drawn tightly together, and her lower lip quivered, causing soft whimpers to escape from her mouth. I sighed heavily and quickly closed the door, pausing as I leaned against it. I had promised her that I would not do anything about this: the insomnia, the nightmares, the unhealthy eating habits. But if I didn’t do something soon, what would that classify me as? People say a promise is a promise regardless of the circumstances, but when someone loves unconditionally, would it not be better to break your word than watch a person hurt themselves again and again? It would take only one phone call to elicit help... Without a doubt, whether this was right or wrong, I thumbed through my phone’s contact list, stopping when the name appeared.
“Good morning, this is Dr. Randle’s office,” the receptionist answered. “How may I assist you?”
“Hello,” I greeted softly, taking a step away from Lexie’s bedroom. “This is Anna Gunzila. By chance, is Dr. Randle available?”
“Yes. One moment please, Mrs. Gunzila. I will transfer your call.”
“Thank you.”
I had to wait only a moment before the line was reconnected. “Hello, Anna? Is everything all right?”
“Ye-” I started to stammer, but stopped before continuing. “No, Aaron...to be truthful, it isn’t. I have already spoken to my husband, Greg, regarding this, and he requested me to call you only as my last resort. As an old family friend, we now need your help more than ever.”
Silence hung in the air before Aaron breathed, “This is concerning Lexie, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but how did you-”
He gave a soft chuckle, “My son, Ian, has already informed me regarding bits and pieces. The poor lad is totally beside himself. Apparently, the two of them are on the “outs” at the moment, for Lexie has been ignoring him over the past week or so.”
I winced, “Hmmm, at least Greg and I aren’t the only ones receiving the cold shoulder.”
“This is not like her, Anna.”
“I agree,” I said without hesitating. “Maybe if she were only acting this way toward us, her parents, we would say that it was an act of rebellion, but Ian too? For the life of us, neither Greg nor I can find the source of this...major issue.”
Aaron sighed, “Well, something has to be triggering Lexie in order for her to be reacting this way.”
I bit my lip, debating whether or not I should request this. Ready to reap any future consequences, I took a deep breath and went on to say, “Maybe, if I bring her in for an appointment, we might be able to get the answers we seek?”
“What kind of answers?” he drawled out, not truly following where this was all heading.
“Answers to why she is having nightmares every night!” I began to gush. “Why she hasn’t been eating-”
“Wait,” Aaron cut in. “She’s not eating?” I hesitated slightly, “No. Well, not much anyway.”
“Bring her tomorrow morning at nine. I will speak to her then.”
I closed my eyes, gratitude filling my heart, “Thank you, Aaron.”
“Anytime,” he replied sincerely before saying goodbye.
As I echoed my own goodbye and disconnected the call, I raised a hand to wipe away a stream of tears. Then, I took a deep breath before turning around, only to freeze in my tracks.
With perspiration running down her ashen face, Lexie stumbled back a step, shaking her head in disbelief. “Mom,” she whispered hoarsely, “you broke your promise.”
