‹ Prequel: Ana
Sequel: Relearning Laura ›
The "You're Not Fat" Campaign
Visiting Hours
I am pulled from group that afternoon by an announcement saying that I am needed at the nurses station. I trudge down the gleamingwhitehallways in my hospital socks (squiksquiksquik) and arrive at the nurses station and say "You wanted me?" and the nurse (curly red hair and glasses and dimples) says "You have visitors, they're in your room."
I trudge to my room (squicksquiksquik) and open the door and see them.
Mom.
Dad.
"Laura," Mom breathes. She is up and hugging me before I can say anything or even move, and her arms are tight around me.
Nonono I don't like this I don't want to be touched no no no.
Mom feels me flinching away from her and she lets go and her blue eyes are drippingsad.
"Sorry," I mutter. Mom sits on the wooden chair and Dad is still sitting on the grey chair and I sink onto my bed.
Dad is holding a bag and he hands it to me and says "We brought you some things" so I look inside and there are my sweatpants and my leggings and Rick's dark purple hoodie and the tattered stuffed dog I have had since I was two and my Harry Potter books and an extra pillow.
"Thank you," I whisper.
We sit in silence for a while. What do you talk about when your parents are visiting you in a psych ward?
Dad says that Meg misses me and Mom says that she's going to go over to Rick's house later and call me and let him and I talk and I say something about group and then "Visiting hours are now over, visiting hours are now over" so Mom and Dad stand up and they look at me with drippingsad eyes so I let them hug me and then they whisperinmyear "I love you" and then they leave and I am alone again.
I trudge to my room (squicksquiksquik) and open the door and see them.
Mom.
Dad.
"Laura," Mom breathes. She is up and hugging me before I can say anything or even move, and her arms are tight around me.
Nonono I don't like this I don't want to be touched no no no.
Mom feels me flinching away from her and she lets go and her blue eyes are drippingsad.
"Sorry," I mutter. Mom sits on the wooden chair and Dad is still sitting on the grey chair and I sink onto my bed.
Dad is holding a bag and he hands it to me and says "We brought you some things" so I look inside and there are my sweatpants and my leggings and Rick's dark purple hoodie and the tattered stuffed dog I have had since I was two and my Harry Potter books and an extra pillow.
"Thank you," I whisper.
We sit in silence for a while. What do you talk about when your parents are visiting you in a psych ward?
Dad says that Meg misses me and Mom says that she's going to go over to Rick's house later and call me and let him and I talk and I say something about group and then "Visiting hours are now over, visiting hours are now over" so Mom and Dad stand up and they look at me with drippingsad eyes so I let them hug me and then they whisperinmyear "I love you" and then they leave and I am alone again.