Todd rose from his hospital bed abruptly and angrily. The sudden activity, after such a long period of inactivity, caused him to sway unsteadily. Both his sister and his psychiatrist rushed to his side. Dr. Evans reached him first and caught him before he hit the floor, helping him back onto the bed.

“Careful, sweetheart,” Viki exclaimed. “You’re still quite ill.”

“Maybe so, but I’m not sick in the head. Get your damned hands off me,” he growled at the doctor.

“Todd,” she said sternly. “Dr. Evans is not the enemy. You need help. Give him a chance. Please.”

“No, I don’t need my head shrunk.”

“It’s not a sign of weakness to need someone to talk to,” she encouraged. “I benefited greatly from a good therapist.”

“Some benefit. Your shrink tried to make you kill your own son, not that I would have minded that.”

“Todd!” she exclaimed. She glanced at Dr. Evans in embarrassment before taking a deep breath and turning her attention back to her brother.

“That doctor was the exception, not the rule,” she explained calmly. “Dr. Hanen helped me reclaim my life. Dr. Evans could help you do the same.”

Todd looked around in confusion for a moment before asking, “What did you do with my coat?”

“What?” she questioned in surprise.

“My coat. The black one. I like that coat. Where is it?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart.”

He grumbled irritably, running his fingers through his hair. A look of astonishment crossed his face.

“You cut my hair!” he uttered incredulously.

“They had to cut some of it, Todd,” Viki explained. “It was so matted and dirty they couldn’t get a comb through it.”

“You let them cut my hair,” he reiterated.

“It still touches your shoulders, sweetie. It will grow back.”

“Think I can have something besides Jell-O today? I hate that stuff,” he posed.

Viki was perplexed by the jumps in conversation. She looked to Dr. Evans for help.

“I’m sure that Dr. Wolak will let you have some solid food today,” he offered.

Todd looked at him angrily. “What are you still doing here? I don’t need a psychiatrist. Go away. I’m tired,” he stated, lying down and turning his back to them.

The doctor motioned to a bewildered Viki to join him in the hallway. They left Todd to rest.

“What was that all about?” she puzzled as she closed the door behind her.

“His thinking is not cohesive. He's easily confused, and his thoughts are scattered. That's why he's jumping from one thing to the next. These are symptoms of PTSD. Medication will help. Just give it time,” he assured her.

She smiled weakly, looking back at the closed door.

“I think it’s time to introduce your brother to his new therapist,” Dr. Evans said.

“You’ll still oversee his medication and check in on him, right?”

“Yes, I’ll continue seeing him every day while he’s still in the hospital.”

“And afterwards?” Viki asked.

He paused before answering. “It depends on where Todd goes after he’s discharged.”

“Well, he’ll come home with me, of course,” she stated with certainty.

“He may not be able to do that.”

“What do you mean?”

“We need to make certain that he’s not a danger to himself or others before he can be allowed to go home with you,” he told her gently.

“And if he is?” she inquired hesitantly.

“Then he’ll need to be placed in a psychiatric treatment facility.”

Tears formed in her eyes as a feeling of dread washed over her.

“Oh, Todd,” Viki whispered.

HEAD GAMES

Chapter 16

Viki held onto Todd’s arm protectively as she guided him toward Llanfair. Kevin was following closely behind. He had argued against having his uncle move in with his mother but lost that fight before it had even started. Todd was worming his way back into Viki’s life, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

They reached the house just in time. Todd was exhausted after the short walk from the driveway. She feared he was not yet strong enough despite having been in the hospital for two full weeks.

As they entered the front hall, Kevin let his disgust be known by slamming the heavy wooden door. The sudden noise reverberated throughout the entryway, startling Todd who turned toward the sound instantly.

“No, Daddy,” he pleaded. “I won’t do it again. I’m sorry.”

Viki was surprised by his flashback. She thought that, since he hadn’t had one in a couple of days, he was over that stage of his illness. She caught him, falling to the floor with him as he collapsed, trapped within his own memories.

“Don’t hit me again. Please, Daddy. I’ll be good. Please,” he begged.

His sister tried her best to comfort him. “Shhh, it’s okay, Todd. You’re not there now. You’re safe. It’s me, Viki.”

But he was lost in his own world.

“Powell, no! Don’t hit me. Please, Daddy,” he continued to cry, holding his arms in front of him in an effort to ward off the imaginary blows.

Viki rocked him in her arms, making soothing sounds of reassurance. Eventually, he calmed down. When he quieted, he looked around dazed.

“Viki?” he questioned in bewilderment. “What’s going on?” He searched her face for understanding.

“Nothing, sweetie,” she lied. “You just felt a little faint. Let’s get you upstairs to bed. I’ll bring you something to drink once you’re settled.”

She struggled to help him off the floor. Begrudgingly, Kevin lent her a hand, and the two of them got Todd into the guestroom beside Viki’s.

“I’ll be back with some juice in a few minutes,” she called as she slipped back out into the hallway.

Once the door was closed, Kevin was immediately in her face.

“What the hell was that all about?” he demanded.

“Keep your voice down,” she reprimanded, gliding around him toward the back stairs.

He followed his mother all the way down to the kitchen and watched her prepare a glass of orange juice for his uncle.

“Well?” he inquired. “Are you going to tell me what just happened?”

“He’s just exhausted from his trip from the hospital. That’s all.”

“He’s hallucinating, Mom!”

“No, he’s not. He just had a flashback,” she corrected. “It doesn’t mean a thing. He’s just tired and sick. Remember, he’s had a horrible ordeal.”

“What’s to keep him from having a ‘flashback,’” he said sarcastically, “and trying to rape you like he did Marty?”

“Kevin, that would never happen,” she stated adamantly.

“How can you be sure?”

“His psychiatrist and therapist would never have allowed him to come home with me if they thought he was a threat to himself or anyone else.”

“Since when is Todd not a threat to anyone?” he asked snidely.

“Kevin, Todd’s been through a horrifying experience. Try to show a little compassion.”

“I’ll show him some compassion when he gives this family the same consideration,” Kevin replied huffily.

“Kevin,” his mother spoke softly. “You’ve made your feelings toward Todd perfectly clear for years now. I think it’s time to try to let go of some of that anger and see what’s really going on. My brother is ill. He has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is a very real illness. And, as you’ve witnessed first hand, Todd definitely has it. Perhaps your time and energy would be better spent learning some more about PTSD instead of constantly harassing me about Todd. My feelings for him are not going to change.”

That said, she picked up the glass of juice and headed upstairs, leaving her son with his mouth hanging open.

As she reached the door to her brother’s room, Viki looked back toward the stairs. She felt a little guilty about chastising Kevin; he was only trying to protect her and the family. But she was so weary of the non-stop feud between him and Todd. It had to end, for everyone’s sake.

She shook her head sadly before quietly entering the guest room.

Downstairs Kevin thought hard about his mother’s admonition. Cassie had also told him several times that he needed to put an end to the hostility; it was unhealthy and unproductive. Logically, he knew this. But why, he wondered, was it so hard to break the habit?

Todd baiting had once been the center of his world. Did he really want to go back to that way of life? It was exhausting. It usually did more harm than good.

Could he do it? Could he really put all the animosity he felt toward his uncle to rest? And what would Todd do in return? Gloat? Goad him? Or could Todd also put the bitterness to rest?

Kevin sighed in resignation. He did not want to go back to the antagonistic relationship. He had come too far since Todd had left to return to that grievous way of life. Maybe it was time to grow up.

He crept up the stairs where Todd had been settled to tell his mother the news. He imagined how proud she would be of him. This brought a slight smile to his lips.

But the smile faded as he reached the bedroom. There he saw his mother sitting on the side of the bed stroking Todd’s hair lovingly, motherly, as Todd lay asleep on his side.

The green-eyed monster of jealousy reared its head. Kevin turned and walked away.