Christmas Therapy

“You know a place then?” Allen asked with a smile. If that’s what his dad wanted, he would comply. It would be fun—he hoped.

***

Heather flexed the foot of her bad knee while she raised the other to protect her back. Dana, her new assigned physical therapist instructed for ten reps. Heather followed her as best she could and tried her best not to think about Allen. She didn’t bash him to his boss, but she only stated she preferred someone different. His supervisor made the change and Dana showed up the following session.

Too much rattled Heather’s brain. First Allen’s ex-wife—wife returned, and now her mother and father were dating. Was she serious about getting married? Her mother couldn’t. How could she forgive him after the heartache and misery he put their family through? Her mother didn’t know what she was doing.

“Okay, I think we’re finished,” Dana said.

“Thank you very much.” Heather took her time to stand to her feet and followed her to the door. Upon opening it, she met her mother face to face. Dana spoke but then left mother and daughter alone.

Heather’s mother forehead furrowed. If her behavior irritated her, it was nothing compared to Heather. Her mother walked past her, plopping her purse on the couch. Heather grabbed her cup of herbal tea on the coffee table and sipped it.

“Give me one good reason for your behavior the other night?” Her mother placed her hands on her hips. She tapped her foot.

“Me? You’re dating the man that left you. Or did you forget that?”

Her mother pointed at her. “You only saw part of it. I was there—every day. I pledged my life to him. Marriage is not one-sided, and your father and I learned the hard way. It’s taken me years to forgive him, but even longer to forgive myself.”

“Forgive yourself?” Heather shook her head as she sat on her sofa. “He’s got you thinking this was your fault?”

“Heather, you leave this between me and your father.”

“It involves me, Mom. If you’re talking about marrying him again I—”

Her mother held out her left hand, showing her round cut diamond ring. Heather’s mouth fell open. It was out of her hands.

Her mother sat next to her. “You can’t hold on to that anger.”

She shook her head. Heather was tired of crying, especially over her father and Allen. Mostly Allen.

Her mother patted her hand. “I was angry too. He left, and I had to raise you and Sonia on my own. I didn’t hear from him in years, but he’s changed. That’s why he’s been writing to you and Sonia. He knows he’s made a mistake. I can forgive him. I don’t want to live the rest of my life holding onto bitterness.”

Heather covered her mouth with her hand. The wall she built around her heart was all she knew. Letting anyone inside made her gulp down breaths. Not hating her father? Her hate was all she had. She couldn’t stand looking at him the other night. Yet, there was a familiarity she hadn’t noticed until now. She had his eyes.

She didn’t remember much about him, but when he called her “sweet pea,” her heart dropped in her chest. She was such a daddy’s girl growing up, and he left her. Heather was on her own. She had to step up and look after her mother and sister if he wouldn’t.

Now he wanted to come back? She didn’t trust him. She could only pray her mother would come to her senses.

“When are you two planning on doing this?” Heather asked.

“Next weekend at the courthouse,” her mother said.

Heather threw her head back, but she held back a bitter laugh. “Why the rush?”

“We’ve had a wedding before, we don’t need all that stuff now. All I want is the man I love and for my daughters to give me away.”

“You can’t be serious. What did Sonia say? Is she on her lunch break?” Heather grabbed her phone to call her sister, but her mother stopped her.

“She’s having lunch with your father.”

Heather dropped her phone in her lap. She shook her head as she shut her eyes. Was she the only one in her family that didn’t lose her senses? “Why?”

“I talked to her last night after she dropped you off. She’s willing to listen to him.”

“I’m not.”

“I want you there, Heather. It’ll break my heart if you don’t come,” her mother said.