Addison nodded. "You have a good support system?" 
Odessa nodded quickly. "Oh, yes, my mom is my best supporter. She helps me so much. And I have the greatest friends."
"You've opened up a lot Odessa. I'm very impressed. I can see you want to get better. I'm going to prescribe you antidepressants to take. I also want you to spend as much time with your friends as possible. I don't want you to be alone. . ." 
She listened to her therapist list off all the side effects of the antidepressants and suggestions for her while taking them. Odessa thought about the weight she felt lift off her shoulders by talking about everything that was going on. She wasn't being judged or looked at like a crazy person. She knew it wasn't going to be easy coming back and having to talk more about her problems, but she thought of Miguel and what she promised him. He was working so hard on gaining his strength back. Odessa owed it to him to try and better herself just like he was trying to better himself.
After the therapy session was over, Odessa thanked Addison and left the building. Her mom was waiting for her in the car. She opened the car door and slid into the passenger seat.  "Hi, Angel Face," Thalia smiled. "How did it go?"
"It was okay. A little overwhelming, but, I expected that."
"Well, I made sure to find the best therapist for you. Addison is fabulous. Do, what should we do now? We can go home and watch a movie, play cards, invite the others over—"
"Um, actually, can we go to in and out first? I'm feeling kind of hungry." Odessa shaky asked. 
Thalia's face softened and her lips turned up into a small smile. "Of course we can, honey. Anything you want."
As they drove to the fast food place, Odessa reached her hand over and placed it on her moms that was resting on the gear shift. Thalia smiled to herself and squeezed her hand, feeling tears in her eyes.




















Johnny had taken Thalia's advice but she should've expected that he would do it Johnny style. The mother and daughter watched with concern as he pushed Miguel to do the obstacle courses he had set up. Miguel was to the point of recovery where he was able to use crutches, which didn't make it easier, but it was progress. "Let's go slowpoke. Use those gimp legs!"  Jonny ordered as he followed Miguel while wheeling in the boy's wheelchair.
Miguel was trying to hop over metal bars with his crutches and ended up tripping over one of them.  Odessa's eyes widened and she squeezed her mom's arm. "Mom!" 
"Trust the process, honey. Trust the process." Thalia replied even though she wasn't trusting the process.
More days passed and the adults set up another obstacle course for Miguel.  Odessa walked by him carefully to make sure he firmly fall. He used his crutches to step on censer blocks that led to three long planks for him to walk across. "All right, Sensei, I think i'm getting the hang of it." He smiled at the man.
"Oh, yeah? Think fast!" Said Johnny and he threw a large hall at him.  Miguel instinctively raised his hands and caught the ball but it hit him in the chest and he began to fall backwards.  
Odessa's eyes widened once again and she quickly stepped forward with her arms out. Miguel ended up falling into her and it sent both of them tumbling to the ground. "Oof." She groaned as her back hit the concrete and he fell on top of her.
"Sorry, Dess." 
"Johnny!" 
"It was an accident!" The man shouted back.