Fake Dads and Feelings

After the first day, the group decided to take shifts at the hospital so that they all could get some sleep and a few of them could attend classes.

When her morning shift was over, Annie found Jeff sitting in the waiting room. She gave him a small smile and sat down next to him.

"How is he" Jeff asked, looking down the hall in the direction of Pierce's room.

"The same," Annie answered matter of fact. "He'll be fine."

She shifted her entire body to face him. "How about you?"

"Me?" he asked with raised eyebrows. "I'm great."

When she gave him a skeptical look he added, "Tell me you're not worried that Pierce's sick head game did any lasting damage."

Annie didn't answer, just looked at him, searching his eyes. Jeff determinedly held the eye contact, but he felt his pulse speed up at the thought of what she might actually discover. She had a way of reading him he found disconcerting.

After a few seconds she tilted her head and asked, "Jeff, have I ever told you about Family Day at rehab?"

"Was it as depressing as Greendale's Family Day?"

She ignored his snark and kept talking.

"Right before you graduate from rehab you have to go through Family Day. It's where your family members come and participate in a therapy session with you," she explained. "It gives you the chance to say things to them that you need to say, and for them to see that you're on the mend and ready to leave the facility."

Jeff didn't understand why she was telling him this. "Are you suggesting that Pierce go to rehab and that we'll have to go to this Family Day?"

"No," Annie replied, shaking her head. "I'm saying that my parents didn't show up. My mom never wanted to admit that I had a problem, and she really didn't want to acknowledge that I was in rehab, so she didn't show. And she bullied my dad into not coming, either."

Jeff silently hoped he never met Annie's mother, because from everything he had heard, he was pretty sure he hated her. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

"That's not the point," she barreled on. "When I realized my parents weren't coming, I was devastated, but then my counselor played the role of my mom in our therapy session. I was able to say everything I had been afraid to say to her for so long."

Annie gave Jeff a pointed look. "It didn't matter that it wasn't my real mother listening. What mattered is that I said it; that's what brought on the healing process."

Jeff thought about the myriad of things he had yelled at Pierce the day before. He gave her a smirk and cocked his head to the side. "You know, that was almost in the vicinity of subtle. Nice job."

He was expecting a smirk back, but she remained earnest. "All I'm saying is that maybe the idea of facing your father wasn't such a bad thing."

"C'mon, Annie, you know Pierce was just yanking my chain. He was being intentionally cruel."

"I know," she replied. "But maybe by trying to be cruel, he actually did you a favor. Whatever you have to resolve with your dad, you now know you can do it, even if your dad's not here."

When he remained silent she sighed and said, "Anyway, I just thought that might help," then got up to leave.

Jeff placed a hand on her arm, keeping her in her seat. "I know what you're trying to do, and I appreciate it. And," he conceded, "You may even be right."

For that he earned a smile. "Really?"

"Really," he confirmed with a nod. "And I know it's not fun for you to talk about rehab, so thanks for sharing that with me."

Annie shrugged. "It's no big deal."

"Now who's in denial?" he asked softly, teasing.

This time he did get a smirk, along with a slap on his arm.

"I gotta get going," she said after they shared a chuckle. "Are you going to be all right with him?"

"I'm not going to kill him, Annie, of that's what you're worried about," Jeff answered sardonically. "Besides, this almost beats going to class."

"Lucky for you I have my handy dandy recorder," she said in a sing song voice. "I'm going to copy my Anthropology notes for everyone tonight. It will be just like you were in class!"

He groaned at her enthusiasm and lifted himself out of his seat. "Goodbye, Annie," he said gruffly as he walked across the waiting area.

As he reached the hallway he looked back. She was hunched over, adjusting her backpack over her shoulders. When she saw him watching her, Annie smiled and waved.

She looked so innocent he wanted to cry. He settled for giving her a goofy grin and waving back.

Sighing, Jeff made his way to Pierce's room. Between dealing with a grumpy, old, detoxing man and staring at that damn tiara she insisted on giving back, it was going to be a long afternoon.