One Hundred Sleepless Nights

I was back at the hospital, yesterday after Avela woke up from her coma we decided to head home to give Cassie more privacy with her sister. Today I brought them food and stuff to keep them comfortable for the next few days. Cassie called me last night after Avela went back to sleep, she told me everything about the condition Avela’s in.

It sucks to know she has to endure the torture of rehab, and the fact that it’s crazy expensive doesn’t help either. I remember how devastated Vic was when he had to put Mike in rehab, not to mention the disappointed looks on Mama and Papa Fuentes. Mike’s drug problem was bad, like almost Avela-bad. He started off smoking weed once or twice a week, then it becomes frequent and it hits the point where he gets high almost every minute of the day. I thought he would stop there but he began to try cocaine, heroin, and pills. When it got really bad, Vic stepped in and brought Mike into AToN Center back in San Diego. He stayed there for 90 days because he kept relapsing every time he made progress, but once he was allowed to get out from the facility, he was a different man. He is now 3 years sober, no alcohol and no substance intake whatsoever. Not even smoking!

When Cassie told me about Avela going to rehab, the first thing that popped into my head was to take her to AToN center, seeing how Mike turned out I figured it’d be best for Avela to go there. But then I remembered that it cost about 20 thousand dollars per month.

I went up the elevator and straight to Avela’s room. She was asleep and there were leftover hospital food on the table, I scanned the room and saw Cassie sleeping on the couch with her laptop open. I was going to wake Cassie up when I accidentally saw what was on her laptop.

Cheap rehab facilities + California

My heart sank when I saw what she typed on the search bar.

I saw rehab pamphlets on the floor, there’s one called Talbot Recovery Solutions and it costs about 12 thousand dollars a month. OH! And it’s located in Utah, freaking Utah! Damn doctor, is he trying to ship her into isolation in the middle of the desert?

Then I saw one that caught my eye, Crossroads Foundation of San Diego. It is an all women rehab center and it’s in San Diego! I flip the brochure open and the payment methods can be adjusted to one’s income. This is perfect!

But will she be on board when she figures that she has to move to San Diego?



“Are you sure this wont blow up on our faces? I mean, don’t get me wrong I’m totally in with this idea but I’m just scared that she’ll be offended” Jaime spoke when we were in the car, on the way back to the hospital.

After seeing those brochures and the Internet search on Cassie’s laptop, I left all the food and the goodies with a note and went back home to talk to the guys. Now we’re all here and we’re about to purpose an idea to Cassie.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, I really want her to go along with this idea and I really want to help her in any way that I could. But what Jaime said really hits me; I really don’t want to offend her by offering her this plan.

“We’ll talk slowly, you know, try not to creep her out or anything” Vic piped up

I pulled into the parking lot and put the car in park, we all went straight Avela’s room to find Cassie but she wasn’t there.

“Hey, do you know where Cassie is?”

“Who are you?” She sat up and stared at me with a confused look.

Oh right, we haven’t actually met yet and I’m pretty sure telling Avela about me was the last thing on her mind right now.

“I’m Tony, I really need to talk to her though, do you know where she is?” I smiled then her face was relaxed.

“She’s in the cafeteria working on something, you’ll find her there with her laptop”

I nodded, said thanks and we all walked towards the cafeteria. She was in her usual spot, with her laptop and her tumbler. She was a wreck, she looked like she hadn’t slept in days and her hair was a total mess.

“Hey there lady, don’t you look great” I smirked and her head shot up, she smiled and closed her laptop.

“I got your note this morning, thanks for the food and the coffee. What are you guys doing here?” She looked at Vic, Jaime and Mike.

“Uhm, we have something to talk to you about, you mind if we sit down?” I pointed at the chair in front of her.

“No, no, sit down please” We sat down and we all look at each other.

“Uhm, this morning when I dropped your food and coffee, I kind of accidentally looked at your computer screen and you were looking for rehab facilities”

She sighed and looked down, “you weren’t supposed to look, Tony”

“I know and I’m really sorry, but maybe we have the solution for you. I saw one rehab center that’s only for women, it’s secluded, it’s not like some fancy laboratory and I think it’ll be good for Avela to be in a homey environment. What do you think?”

“Uh… Well it’s great and all but…” She paused, “I don’t have the money” She said the last part quietly while playing with her fingers.

“But what do you think about the rehab place? Would you put Avela there?” I asked again, preparing for the big thing.

“Yeah, of course. But it doesn’t matter since I don’t have any more money saved up after paying these hospital bills”

Here it goes.

“What if I say you don’t have to worry about it?” She looked up and looked at me with her furrowed eyebrows.

“The rehab place we’re talking about, it’s located in San Diego and it’s not really far by car from our home there and since you’re having trouble… financially, we thought we’d take care of it for you” Vic spoke up and we all nodded in unison

“A 60 days rehab program all paid, just need your signature here as her relative” Jaime pushed an envelop towards Cassie who is now staring blankly at us.

“Cassie? Are you okay?”

Her eyes were glassy and she was biting her lips. Then suddenly she stood up, knocking down her chair.

“Excuse me” She sniffed and ran out form the cafeteria.

Ah fuck!

Mike, Vic and Jaime stared at me as if asking what we should do. I groaned and stood up form the chair.

“I’m gonna go find her, you guys stay here” I walked around, to Avela’s room, to the gift shop and basically every inch of this hospital but I can’t find her. I tried calling her but it all went to voicemail.

Then I remembered, the parking lot.

I ran out the front lobby and there I found Cassie, standing over the flowerbed with a cigarette on her lips.

“Cassie, are you okay?” I stood next to her with my hands in my jacket pocket.

“What do you think Tony?”

“Why did you run? Are you mad at us?”

She threw her cigarette to the asphalt and sighed, “What were you thinking doing all that? Bringing Mike, Vic and Jaime into all this? Huh?”

I stayed quiet.

“Do you think I’m some charity case that needed pity from all of you? I can take care of my sister and myself, I don’t need your money and I definitely don’t need you telling people that I’m fucking poor! Its embarrassing Tony!”

“I’m sorry Cassie, I really am. That wasn’t my intentions, I just want Avela to be better and I want you to not have to worry about getting her better. Please Cassie, let me do this for you, let me help you” I grabbed her arm and squeezed them, trying to assure her.

“I’m not a charity case”

“You’re not, you’re my friend and I’d do anything for my friends”

“I can’t take money from you, it’s not fair and I would never do that. And San Diego? What you expect me to just pack up and move? I can’t stay here and have her sent to San Diego by herself. See Tony? These things are worth thinking about”

“I’m not expecting you to just pack up and move, but I thought this would be a great opportunity to start fresh, you know? Move to a new place, get a new job, meet new people”

“Get a new place? I can’t even afford to send my little sister to rehab and you expect me to get a new place? Tony what the hell is wrong with you”

I mentally slapped myself for being such a retard.

“We’ll figure it out okay? But please let us do this, for you and for Avela” I moved closer to Cassie, still holding her hands.

“Fine, I’ll think about it, okay?” She looked up to me, I smiled and nodded.

“That’s good enough for me”