Ivory Tower

"From the beginning. I want to know everything from the night you left until a few minutes before I go here. I need to know everything," Josh begged, holding Genny's hands.

"When I asked you to get engaged again and you told me why you couldn't or didn't want to right now I realized how much I had hurt you," Genny began. "I realized what all I had put you through and I wondered if you were truly still happy with me."

Josh's heart ached. He was dying to tell her that he was beyond happy with her, but he didn't. He let her speak. It had been a long time since he let her tell her story.

"I left the way that I did because I knew if I told you that I had made the decision to get help that seeing you would make me stay. If I told you to your face that I was leaving to get help, I'd just want to stay even more. I needed help. Help that I couldn't get here," Genny stated. "If I stayed here I got support, but no solution. I needed a solution."

"I left you in the cruellest way possible and I haven't truly forgiven myself for it. It was just something I had to do. It was the only way that I could truly go through with leaving," Genny sighed, squeezing his hands.

"Tell me what it was like in the treatment centre," Josh ordered softly. A part of him didn't want to know while another part desperately wanted to know what it was like for her. He wanted to know everything from the people she met, to the doctors, to the meds, to what colour her bedroom walls were.

"The people there were nice," Genny nodded. "They didn't treat me like I was 'crazy'. They treated me like a normal person who just needed a little extra guidance and help. I think it was a really good decision on my part."

"What was it like? What did they do?" Josh asked.

"There was a lot of therapy," Genny replied. "There were like group activities. Arts and crafts and stuff. Group therapy where we all got to talk about our problems. Most of the time we were left on our own to relax and be free."

"Did they help you?" Josh asked. He wanted to know if they had helped her, he wanted to know if his old Genny was back.

"They did," Genny smiled. "I love the people there. They became like a family to me. They really helped me. I haven't had an 'episode' in about four months."

"Oh, baby. I'm so proud of you," Josh smiled softly, holding her face.

"Thanks. I'm proud of me, too." Genny smiled.

"So you're back? For good?" Josh asked.

"Yes," Genny nodded. "I'm home."

Josh leaned in and kissed her forcefully, laying her back on the couch. Something in him was telling him to stop. They weren't together anymore, yet they were about to have sex in their old apartment. Well it was technically his apartment now.

"Why didn't you tell anyone that you were leaving?" Josh asked, pulling away for a moment.

"Because I didn't want to," Genny replied. "I didn't want to make it public knowledge. I just wanted to go and get help and not worry about telling people."

"You didn't even tell your mother," Josh stated softly, sitting upright. "Do you know how scared she was?"

"I called her telling her I was okay!" Genny fought, sitting up as well.

"Your own mother," Josh scolded, getting up and glaring at her. He was angry again. He didn't know where it was coming from and why now, but he was mad at her once more.

"I needed to do this for me," Genny explained once more. She felt awkward now. She felt stupid for assuming she and Josh would be right back together again once she told her story.

"It's always for you, Genny. Everyone is always doing things for you and you repay them by fucking off and checking yourself into a hospital without telling them. When something like this happens you tell the people that you say you love and care about," Josh fought, getting angrier by the second. "You don't run off in the middle of the night and leave your once fiancé a fucking note on the goddamn bathroom mirror!"

Josh was mad. He was yelling at her, and he never yelled. It was easy for Genny to see that he was livid with her. He had been sympathetic for a brief moment when he found out she had put herself in the hospital for help, but once she told her story he was back to being angry.

"You can stay here if you want," Josh muttered, walking to the front door and grabbing his things. "I'll move back in with my parents."