Trauma Grieving

Chapter 10

Emily's POV

I walked into the kitchen, where Mom was making dinner. She was stirring a pot of soup, her movements quick and agitated. I tried to sneak past her, but she caught my arm.

"Emily, help me with the salad," she said, her voice tight.

I nodded, feeling a surge of anxiety. Mom had been on edge all day, and I didn't want to set her off.

As I chopped the vegetables, Mom's eyes kept darting to the clock. She was waiting for Dad to come home, I realized. She always got like this when she was stressed or anxious, and Dad's presence seemed to calm her down.

But when Aunt Rachel walked in the door, Mom's expression didn't change. She just kept cooking, her movements stiff and controlled.

"Hey, still good in kitchen as always?" Aunt Rachel said

Mom didn't respond. She just kept stirring the soup, her eyes fixed on some point in front of her.

I exchanged a worried glance with Max, who was sitting at the table doing his homework. We both knew to stay out of Mom's way when she was like this.

But then, out of nowhere, Mom slammed down the spoon and turned on me. "Emily, you're not doing your homework! Why aren't you studying?"

I felt a surge of fear. "I was doing it, Mom. I just needed a break."

Mom's eyes flashed with anger. "A break? You don't need a break. You need to focus on your schoolwork."

I bit back tears, feeling frustrated and hurt. Why was Mom being so mean? Didn't she understand that I was trying my best?

Rachel's POV_

I watched the scene unfold, my heart aching for Emily. Vee's behavior was erratic, and I could see the fear and uncertainty in Emily's eyes. I knew I had to step in to try and help Vee understand the impact her mood swings were having on the family.

After dinner, I approached Vee, who was cleaning up the kitchen. "Vee, can we talk?" I asked gently.

Vee looked up, a hint of defensiveness in her eyes.

"I think we need to talk about what's going on with you," I said, my voice soft. "The kids are worried about you, and Johnson looks like he's at his wit's end. What's happening?"

Vee's expression softened slightly, and she looked away, her eyes welling up with tears. "I don't know, Rachel. I just feel overwhelmed all the time. I don't know how to control my emotions."

I nodded, understanding. "It sounds like you're struggling with some heavy stuff. Have you considered talking to someone, maybe a therapist?"

Her reply wasn't what I expected "Rachel did you say therapy, How dare you teach me how to be a good mother?" I kept still looking at Vee as she continued to lash out.

Vee's POV_

I felt a surge of anger as Rachel continued to offer her advice. Who was she to tell me what to do? She'd given up her own child and abandoned her family without a second thought. What did she know about being a good mother?

"You think you're so perfect, don't you?" I spat, my voice venomous. "You think you can just waltz back in here and start giving advice? You were an irresponsible mother, Rachel. You gave up your own child. What do you know about being a parent?"

Rachel's face fell, and I saw the pain in her eyes. But I didn't care. I was angry, and I wanted to hurt her.

Johnson stepped in, his voice calm but firm. "Vee, that's enough. Rachel's just trying to help."

But I was beyond reason. I was tired of Rachel's judgment, tired of her pretending like she was some kind of expert on parenting. "No, Johnson, it's not enough. Rachel needs to understand that she's not qualified to give advice on parenting. She's got a lot of nerve, coming in here and acting like she's some kind of authority."

The room fell silent, the tension palpable. Rachel looked like she'd been punched in the gut, and Johnson's expression was a mix of concern and frustration.

"Vee, let's talk about this later," Johnson said gently. "When we're all calm."

But I was beyond calm. I was seething with anger and resentment. And I wasn't going to let Rachel get away with her holier-than-thou attitude.

Johnson's POV_

I watched in dismay as the argument between Vee and Rachel escalated. I knew Vee was struggling, but I didn't realize how deep her hurt and anger went.

As I tried to intervene, Vee's words cut deep. I could see the pain in Rachel's eyes, and I knew I had to do something to stop the argument before it went too far.

"Vee, stop," I said firmly, stepping in between her and Rachel. "This isn't helping anything."

Vee's eyes flashed with anger, but I held firm. "Let's talk about this later, when we're all calm," I said gently.

Vee nodded, still visibly upset, and stormed out of the room. The tension in the air was palpable, and I knew we had a long road ahead of us.

I turned to Rachel, who looked like she'd been punched in the gut. "I'm sorry, Rachel," I said, feeling a wave of empathy. "You didn't deserve that."

Rachel shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. "I knew it wouldn't be easy," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I didn't expect it to be this hard."

I put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "We'll get through this, Rachel. We'll figure it out together."

As I looked at Rachel, I realized that we all needed to work together to heal and move forward. It wouldn't be easy, but I was willing to try. For Vee, for Rachel, and for our family.

Sophia's POV_

I watched the scene unfold, feeling a mix of emotions. Part of me wanted to intervene, to defend Rachel, but another part of me was fascinated by the dynamics between Vee and Rachel.

It was clear that Vee was struggling, and Rachel's attempts to help were only making things worse. I could see the pain in Rachel's eyes, but Vee was too caught up in her own emotions to notice.

As I watched, I felt a pang of recognition. I knew what it was like to be hurt by someone you loved. I knew what it was like to lash out in anger and frustration.

But as I looked at Rachel, I saw something there that gave me hope. Despite Vee's harsh words, Rachel didn't lash out. She didn't retaliate. Instead, she looked at Vee with compassion and understanding.

It was a moment of clarity for me. I realized that Rachel wasn't perfect, but she was trying. And maybe, just maybe, I could find it in my heart to forgive her.

As the argument continued, I slipped out of the room, needing some time to process my thoughts. I didn't know what the future held, but I knew that I had a choice to make. I could hold onto my anger and resentment, or I could try to forgive and move forward.

The thought was both exhilarating and terrifying. But as I stood in the silence of my room, I knew that I was ready to take the first step. I was ready to try.