Part Six: Ice Cream
Dolcezza Restaurant
Sunday, February 4, 2001
1:30 PM
"Dad,this is awfully expensive," Jenna said. "I mean, everything on the menu
looks good but the prices are just--"
"Don't worry about it, munchkin," Lee told her. "You can order whatever you
want."
"But $3.25 for a single scoop? We could've just gone to Baskin Robbins for ice
cream--that's where Mom always takes me."
"Well, this is a special occasion."
"Getting stitches out really isn't that special."
"I just thought you'd like to go somewhere nice. And anyway, this isn't just any
ice cream--it's gelato."
"What's the difference?"
"I'm not exactly sure, but trust me--you'll taste the difference. What would you
like to get?"
"I think--" Jenna ran her finger down the menu, chewing on her lower lip the
same way that Amanda did when she was really concentrating. "--maybe the lime
with chocolate and coconut--that sounds good. What are you getting?"
"The avacado honey orange." The way Jenna wrinkled up her face at that
pronouncement made Lee laugh. "Don't knock it till you've tried it."
Jenna smiled. "I'll have to think about that." Only a little smile and it faded
as quickly as it came, but it made Lee feel better just to see it. The waiter
came over and Lee ordered the gelato for himself and Jenna, along with two cream
sodas. He looked over at his daughter, who was now staring down at the tabletop.
"So," Lee said. "Are you looking forward to going back to school?"
"I guess so--I haven't really thought that far ahead yet." Jenna wouldn't look
at him.
"It'll be nice though--getting to see all of your friends again, huh? Do you
think you'll try for dance team later on?"
Jenna shrugged one shoulder. "Maybe--I don't know."
"Is there something on your mind?"
"Nothing's on my mind--I'm fine."
"That's the least convincing 'fine' I've ever heard. What is it?"
Jenna's face flushed slightly--she looked around. "Dad--it's a little hard to
talk about."
"Look, whatever it is--you can tell me. I'll understand." Lee tried to keep his
voice as calm and casual as possible, even as he braced himself to hear the
worst. "All you have to do is say it."
"Okay." Jenna sighed. "I'm just--with Dr. Pfaff on Monday--I don't know what I'm
supposed to do. What do I tell him? What should I say?"
"Say whatever you want to say," Lee told her. "There aren't any rules for
therapy--you're there to get help."
"But what if I say the wrong thing? Then he could say I was going crazy or
something."
"Hey--you are not going crazy."
Jenna wiped at her eyes--her voice wavered slightly. "Are you so sure? Because
some days it just feels like everything's--oh I don't know."
"I am absolutely sure about that. You've just been through a very rough
time--the things you're feeling are perfectly normal." The waiter put their
sodas on the table.
"I'll be right out with your gelato," he told them.
"I saw a movie on TV once," Jenna took a sip of her soda. "Where a girl went to
see a doctor and they put her in an institution."
"That was just a movie. No one is going to put you in an institution."
"Dr.Pfaff could--"
"Dr. Pfaff is going to be there to help you cope--he's not your enemy."
'Right,' Lee seemed to hear Amanda's voice chiding him. 'All these years of
talking about how you don't trust doctors and shrinks--and you're surprised that
it's rubbed off on your daughter?' He looked over at Jenna, taking a deep
breath before trusting himself to speak aloud. "I promise you--everything will
be just fine. Trust me."
"I want to believe you, Dad--but I'm just--I'm scared." Jenna paused. "Look, I
know this is a lot to ask but could you maybe--would you come with me?"
"You want me to come with you to see Dr. Pfaff?"
Jenna nodded.
"Why me? Why not your mom?"
"Mom's nice," Jenna said. "But--you told me things that happened to you when
you were a kid--I just think you'd understand more. Does that make sense?"
"It makes sense, Jenna--I just--" Lee fumbled for the right words. "This is your
therapy session--not mine."
"I can't do it though," the words poured out of Jenna in a rush "I can't sit
there in a room with a strange man--the door will be closed and it'll just be me
and him and he'll--"
"He'll what?" Lee was starting to suspect that some of this had absolutely
nothing to do with Pfaff--and it was giving him a slightly sick feeling.
"Jenna--what do you think will happen to you if you're in a room by yourself
with a man?" The waiter brought the ice creams over.
"Is there anything else you need?" the waiter asked.
"We're fine for now--thank you." The waiter left and Lee turned to his daughter.
"Talk to me--what's worrying you?"
Jenna stabbed at her desert with a spoon. "I don't want to talk about it." her
voice was barely audible now. "Don't make me talk about it."
"Munchkin--"
"Dad please? Just say you'll go--I really can't go by myself. Please?"
Lee hesitated. He was no fan of shrinks, especially not Pfaff--but seeing Jenna
like this--the pain in her eyes--
At this point Lee would do just about anything if it would take some of that
pain away.
'Like me,' he thought--the nausea in his gut growing. 'If she doesn't get help
she'll end up just like me.'
"Okay." Reaching across the table Lee took her hand in his. "I'll go with you."
Author's Chapter Notes:
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.