"Dr. Wilson!" "Hi Jen. You remember my daughter Ellen?" Aaron greeted with a smile. "Of course I remember her. Hello dear." She said, smiling at Ellen, but the latter barely cared. "Honey, she's Dr. Jenomiah Frimpong, one of the best clinical psychologists in the country. She'll be helping you find yourself again, please do." Aaron introduced the young doctor to his daughter, who was far from there to respond. Her father had come to meet her lying on the floor this morning. It seemed she slept on the floor, Aaron sighed and shook his child awake, gently. She woke up feeling sore, but the hot bath helped relieve the pain, not that it was more than the pain in her chest that nothing or no one seemed capable of removing. She slept on the floor, after not being comfortable at any place she once sat to think, about the one person that was able to shutter life itself within her. Her only question was the same she had been thinking about since she heard the voice record on Esther's phone, 'why?' She never did anything to deserve this, so why would he do that to her? He could have just continued lying to her, or broken up with her like he did with his other girls. Why did hers have to be so cruel and inhumane? Her father had filed a suit of defamation and defilement against him, but it was recessed because of lack of evidence. Neither did his face show in the video, nor was there any evidence that he released it. It was through that case that she found out he wasn't even in Ghana; after telling her he'd be waiting for her in University of Ghana. Just how much had he lied to her? Was any of it real? Her lawyers had been able to get a fine from his dad in his stead, for the fact that he went with her to the hotel. Clifford's testimony should have been enough, but he couldn't testify, nor could Ellen, who was traumatized enough to think about it or answer questions on it. The judge therefore decided to recess the case till further notice. Henry wouldn't go scot free, Aaron told himself, looking at his daughter who seemed heartbroken all over again with the case. Elena on the other hand did not know of the trial because she had told Aaron not to bring that up before her again. It had been a month now, and Ellen was still not well, that's why Aaron, who had decided against therapy after bringing her home, thinking that would help her, realized he had to do something before the girl who once had a beautiful future, turned into a zombie. It did not help that his wife was too worried about her daughter as well, yet refused to ask her about the illicit video.
"I will do my best doctor. Come with me sweetheart. Can you send me her file?" Dr. Frimpong said, guiding Ellen inside and instructing the nurse to send her file. Aaron sighed, and went to his office, the therapy would last for an hour, so he could focus on his patients. "Ellen, do you know where you are? How are you doing? Sweetheart, I want you to know this is a safe space and you can talk to me. I'm here to listen to you." The doctor spoke, but she didn't move or respond. When she finally got a response from her, almost five minutes to their session over, she was crying. They had spent the session sitting patiently in silent while Dr. Frimpong tried every means necessary to get her to talk, but it was as if she didn't exist to the girl. "Is this about a boy?" The doctor had asked innocently after watching her for a while. She had almost given up when she realized she had not asked the question that most teenagers responded to, boys. She knew she had hit a nerve when the girl's ear picked her question, and she began to cry. Time was far spent, and she had other appointments, so she could only say, "Ellen, I want to help you, but first, you need to want to be helped. There's only little I can do, like prescribe anti-depressants, but the problem can only be solved if you talk to me. Here is a safe space, just between the two of us, I won't even tell your father, unless necessary, and I hope it won't reach that far. Here, take my card. I know we'll schedule another appointment, but I want you to call me if you need a break from your state, okay. I won't judge you, no matter what." The doctor explained, giving Ellen her card and hugged her. Time was up now, and her next patient was already waiting. Aaron knocked and entered after seeing the time in his office. He saw them break up the hug while Jenomiah smiled at Ellen, but the latter didn't smile back. "Oh great, you are here. I am going to prescribe some few drugs for her that you need to get. Ellen honey, can you please excuse your father and I?" Jenomiah said, writing down a prescription and excusing her. "What happened? How did it go?" Aaron asked with concern when he saw her look. "How long has she been like this?" The doctor asked. "About a month, why?" Aaron replied and asked. "Your daughter has been depressed for a month, and you are now bringing her? Dr. Wilson, she's showing signs of catatonia. We sat in there for an hour, and she didn't respond to me once, till five minutes ago. We really need to keep an eye on her. We couldn't speak, but I can tell whatever is bothering her is huge, and her trigger is a boy. I'm fixing an appointment for next week Monday, but if she comes back this way, I'm going to see her twice a week. If that does not work, I'll have to admit her before this gets out of hands. Please keep an eye on her, I've giving her my card, but I doubt she knows that. I'm really concerned about her, I'm sure you are too, so let's work together to help her. This is not the girl I met at your wedding, or saw on TV." Dr. Frimpong said her mind, scolding Aaron indirectly, and he sighed again. "I realize I should have done something earlier Jen, I promise I'll not rest until she's herself again, even if I have to take her abroad." Aaron replied firmly. "Thank you for today." He thanked her, heading out for the next patient after she told him he's welcome.
Aaron came out to find his daughter nowhere around the psych department. He was about to call her when she appeared with Chris. "Oh there you are, I was about to call you. Chris, what are you doing here?" Aaron said, going for his daughter. "I met her at the O.R; she was looking for you. I asked her where she's coming from, and she said here. Uncle, is she alright? She does not look well." Chris answered and asked. "Gee I don't know, what do you think? Was your sister fine after getting involved with…" Aaron lashed out sarcastically, but his daughter winced when she realized he was about to talk about the forbidden name. Aaron then remembered that triggered her trauma. "It's fine honey, it's fine. Chris, go to the pharmacy for these, and bring them to my office." Aaron instructed, taking his daughter away.