His Baby Girl by Rosa Mink
Chapter 13
Clint
The sunlight gleaming off the front doors of the clinic is telling me to turn around before I get burnt. I have no desire to go in there and see what Jenna did this time. I just got Mel back to being healthy. We’re thrilled with the idea of having two babies. The police found that jackass Daryl’s body in the woods and they ruled the death accidental. Said it looked like he slipped while attempting to hide out and tumbled down a hundred-foot cliff.
I have a feeling that even if they didn’t believe that they still would rule it accidental after what they learnt about the jerk. All I can say is thank god that Mel got away from him before he could hurt her worse. She told me the truth about that hospital stay, why she hated them, couldn’t bear the thought of being in one of those room again, and I will fight for her with every breath to ensure she never is again. Hearing just how much it affected her makes me damn glad that I went to the Knights to get that bastard out of this world.
Her admittance of everything, her vulnerability has brought us even closer together making things so much better, but now, I have to deal with Jenna’s mess.
The receptionist nods at me, buzzing me through the first set of doors and I greet Dr. Patricks before he shows us to a conference room. There’s another doctor in it that I haven’t met and I’m curious as to why I’m here now.
“This is Dr. Abbot, he is one of our psychiatrists on staff,” Dr. Patricks states and I nod in greeting at him.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Lowell,” Dr. Abbot says, and I settle to hear what they want. “For your awareness, Jenna does not know that you are here and has not asked for you to come. We would like to bring her in shortly but first, I wanted to ask about any additional family medical history you might have.”
“Such as? My parents were both only children and they died in a car accident when I was twenty, they were in their mid-forties but were both healthy from what I recall. Jenna’s mother had severe issues with substance abuse, but I never met any of her family, so I don’t have a lot to add I’m afraid,” I admit and the man nods, making a few notes.
“Were you close to your parents? Did you ever observe any, odd behavior from them?” Dr. Abbot asked and my brow lifted in confusion. “Depression, mood instability, random outbursts of anger?”
“No, they argued like most folks but until they died life was pretty tame. It was only when I met Jenna’s mother that I ever dealt with stuff like that.”
“Her mother displayed these symptoms?” the man questioned, and I nodded.
“I know she occasionally used before she got pregnant with Jenna, but she was clean when Jenna was born. There were a lot of episodes after Jenna was born until I learnt that she was using again. I took Jenna from her and became primary guardian, then full guardian when Krystal couldn’t stay sober. I could tell when she started using again because the episodes restarted and just grew worse.”
“Thank you for that information. It is possible that those episodes weren’t solely from drug use and that is what we’re trying to determine now. Jenna has been here for almost two months, she was out of withdrawal by the end of the first week, but it was in later weeks of her stay that these behavioral issues truly began to appear. The incident with her friend, the attack on the nurse, and more recently, an episode of self-harm. We feel that perhaps there is an underlying cause that Jenna was using the drugs to cover, self-medicating,” Dr. Abbot said before reading off a list of behaviors that were all very familiar with not only Jenna but also her mother.
“Irritability, anger, fits of rage or hostile behavior, restlessness, rapid speech. Poor concentration and judgement. Unusually high sex drive. Impossibly high goals. Paranoia. There may also be times where you’d see episodes of sadness and crying, feelings of hopelessness or guilt. Loss of interest in everyday activities. Trouble concentrating and making decisions. Change in appetite. Thoughts of self-harm. Need for more sleep or the opposite, sleeplessness. Do any, or possibly all of these sound like what you’ve experienced with Jenna, or her mother?”
“I can’t say all of them but most yeah,” I admit. “You think that Jenna inherited a mental illness from her mother?”
“Yes, I believe so and due to the episode of self-harm, we have been allowed to extend Jenna’s stay,” Dr. Abbot states surprising me. “I believe that last someone spoke to you that you refused to allow Jenna to return to live with you if she left the clinic. It’s my understanding that you are paying for the rehabilitation stay rather than insurance. I feel that it is imperative that Jenna get the proper treatment and need to ask about continued financial arrangements. With moving this from a drug rehabilitation stay to a potential mental wellness stay, your insurance company may be willing to pay for the needed treatment.”
Shock flows through me, questions of how I may have missed something more serious with Jenna, but there’s one thing that sticks out most to me that I can’t do—let her near to Mel again. Especially not if she does have something affecting her, making her not think rationally. “Yes, I refused to let Jenna return to my house in order to protect my girlfriend.”
“Her friend Mel?” he says, and I nod. “She hasn’t spoken favorably about her, so I understand that. She feels betrayed by both of you that you’re together.”
“She was the catalyst to getting Mel and I together, any betrayal was from her to Mel. She set her up to the potential of being seriously harmed knowing that Mel has anxiety when in large and noisy crowds, unruly parties where people are drinking and doing drugs due to childhood trauma by her mother and the woman’s boyfriend. Mel’s asthmatic and suffers from PTSD due to a hospitalization when she was fourteen. Jenna’s stunt here, caused Mel to have not only an asthma attack but also a panic attack and she nearly had another at the hospital when the doctor tried to admit her.
“Jenna knows that Mel’s health can be fragile and if she knew how badly it would hurt Mel, I’m afraid she’d find a way to do something that would require a hospitalization. Mel is almost ten weeks pregnant with twins. She just got over a case of pneumonia. I won’t risk her being hurt. I love my daughter, but Mel is the best thing that’s happened to me, and with two babies on the way, I can’t risk it,” I tell them not about to be ashamed of protecting my girl. It’s not the easiest choice, but with everything that Mel’s gone through, I can’t abandon her—won’t. Jenna has other options. Mel being with me is the only one that I can see making me and her happy.
“I agree,” Dr. Abbot says surprising me. “In her current state, I believe it wouldn’t be a matter of might but when she would attack Mel next. In a state like she had when she attacked our nurse, I wouldn’t risk her being around two newborns either. I’m hoping though, that we can get her to a better place with the right medication and therapy, including some family therapy, so maybe one day there will be more integration. Right now, the best place for her to be is here. As quickly as her episodes have changed in behavior, inpatient therapy is the only option right now. For it to succeed, we have to get her buy-in on it. Do we have your permission to charge your insurance for the new therapy?”
“Yes, and I’ll pay for anything else needed still. I just want everyone to be clear that Mel’s safety has to come first to me. She’s been through too much trauma in her life to add any additional from Jenna onto it.”
“We understand,” Dr. Patricks states giving me a nod. “What I discussed earlier with Dr. Abbot based on his assessment of Jenna since her arrival here has us recommending at least a six-week full inpatient care plan. Depending on any resistance she may show and the time it may take to find a right medication and treatment plan, it’s not unheard of for a patient to be in a full inpatient status for at least three months.”
I nod taking it all in wondering what might happen if Jenna doesn’t agree and how long they might be able to hold her.
“I ordered the two-day hold after the initial incident as I wanted Dr. Abbot to have some additional time to assess Jenna. When she became combative with our staff, we filed for a court-order to extend that hold. It was approved for a duration of two weeks to further assess and provide counseling to Jenna. With the attempted self-harm yesterday morning, we went back to the courts, and they have approved based on Dr. Abbot’s testimony a full psychiatric hold. Currently, Dr. Abbot has the authority to determine when she can be released and make all medical decisions for her.”
My head swirls a bit at that news but relief hits as well. Knowing that Mel won’t worry daily about the possibility of Jenna just showing up and trying something is a peace of mind.
Dr. Patricks continues and I contemplate his words for a long time. “We presented the knowledge that Jenna was originally brought into the clinic for our six-week drug therapy program and everything that was observed during that time and through the last two weeks. If you would like to petition to be named temporary guardian and be able to make those decisions instead, please let us know and we will provide what help we can with the necessary paperwork. In cases like this, family involvement can be the thing that pulls patients through.”
“I’m not a doctor, I won’t pretend that I’d begin to know what’s best for her. Especially not something that can be this delicate. I’ve never been the best when it comes to emotions, especially Jenna’s and the way they can swing from happy princess to furious witch in a single day, conversation occasionally. I honestly don’t feel that I’d be the best person to make the decisions. As for therapy, if Jenna’s willing to try then I’ll do whatever I need to help her, but…”
“You won’t risk any harm coming to Mel,” Dr. Patricks says with a hint of a smile, and I nod.
“Before we bring Jenna in, to warn you she has bandages on her right wrist and neck. She grabbed a sharp knife and cut her wrist then stabbed her neck. It didn’t hit anything major, and the bleeding stopped quickly, but the locations are those that could have resulted in a more dangerous result. She’ll be restrained but she’s lucid and has not been started on any new drugs as of yet. I wanted to speak to you and get your thoughts on the possible diagnosis that I’ve assessed in my professional opinion that she is suffering,” Dr. Abbot adds making my brow lift his way. “Your indications on the varying moods, the quickness of the shifts between them, are consistent with my assessment of bipolar disorder. Drug addiction can be prevalent in individuals with this disorder, it’s estimated that fifty-eight percent of individuals with bipolar can suffer from some sort of addiction.”
“Is it genetic?” I ask as thoughts of Krystal flow back through my mind.
“Yes, it can be hereditary, and from the sound of it, her mother may have suffered from it as well. If all that was being treated was a drug addiction, it’d be quite easy to ignore the other signs,” he said before the door opened, and a nurse wheeled a scowling Jenna into the room.
“What are you doing here? I thought you decided I wasn’t your daughter anymore,” she grouses, and I take a deep breath before responding.
“No, I said you weren’t allowed in my house, and I wouldn’t finance your bad choices any longer. I never said you weren’t my daughter.”
“Jenna, we wanted to discuss something with you today, and I asked your father to join us,” Dr. Abbot said stopping her when she started to open her mouth again. “Yesterday afternoon, I was granted the authority to extend your stay with us until such time as I believe you not to be a danger to yourself or anyone else. It also granted me the authority to make all medical decisions for you until such time as well.”
“That’s bullshit!”
“With this, you are not allowed to refuse medication that we provide,” he continues as though Jenna didn’t speak. “Do you understand?”
“Understand that you all somehow colluded to keep me here when I don’t need to be here, to what? Drug me until I’m a damn zombie drooling in a bed so he can go run off with that pathetic irritating insufferable bitch. I told you she was trying to steal my life!” Jenna’s voice rises until she’s screeching. My jaw tightens as I try not to respond seeing the looks on the other two men’s faces.
“Jenna, I would define what you just said as paranoia, the belief that everyone is conspiring against you, out to get you. It is one of the behaviors that I often see in patients like you, with bipolar disorder,” Dr. Abbot says, ignoring all of Jenna’s interruptions as he continues to describe the disease and potential treatments to her, including drugs, therapy, and a regular life cycle—regulating when she sleeps, wakes, eats, and sees others.
“Starting tomorrow, we are going to begin the first medication and see how you respond. Tomorrow afternoon, you’ll begin therapy with Dr. Kingsley, and I will be overseeing things from there. You are permitted the opportunity to appeal the court’s decision but until such time that they might hear your case and reverse the guardianship hold, you will take your medications as given. If you do not, you will be restrained and given it,” he adds, which makes her start screaming that we’re all hurting her, bringing the door open to a wide-eyed nurse.
“Is there anything you’d like to say to your daughter today, Mr. Lowell?” Dr. Patricks says and I glance towards the other man trying to decide to tell her the news about the pregnancy. The look on his face keeps me silent on that.
“Jenna, I just want you to get better, to start feeling better. I love you; I just can’t watch you hurt yourself or anyone else anymore. I’ll be here when you need me. Both Mel and I will be,” I add, biting my tongue when she starts yelling obscenities about Mel again. The nurse wheels her out and I drag in a deep breath.
“When we’ve found the right medication regimen, I think it would be helpful to tell Jenna that Mel is expecting your child in a family therapy session. Until then, I think all it will do is cause more of that and threats against her that aren’t helpful. I will keep you informed, and we’ll be in contact to help schedule those sessions in due time. As for the offer to contest the court order,” Dr. Abbot said, “we will provide her the names of attorneys that work with individuals with no money, as I assume you won’t be financially supporting that effort.”
“No, I won’t be. She’ll likely threaten to do it every day but in the end she won’t because it would require her to follow through on it. She has a lot of ideas but no action if she’s the one that has to do something.” I give them both my thanks before I head out, going home to get my girl, hold her tight glad that she’s safe and well.
“Hi, you okay, daddy?” she asks, sinking into my arms when I walk into the house.
“It was a lot to take in, the psychiatrist for the clinic got a court order for guardianship over Jenna. She stabbed herself with a knife, and the court granted him the authority to make medical decisions for her. He wanted to know some background on our families, then read me a list of behaviors and they sounded just like her and Krystal…he’s diagnosed her with bipolar disorder.”
“I’m sorry but it would make sense, explain why she’s changed so much, why she hates me,” Mel adds, and I pull her tighter into my hold, kissing away the sadness in her eyes.
“I love you and our babies. We might need to do some family therapy and it’ll depend on the progress she makes, but I won’t bring her back into this house if she’s even remotely a threat to you or the babies. You’re my baby girl, my number one, and nothing is going to change that.”
“I love you too, daddy. I’m really glad you answered the phone that night, brought me home, made me yours.”
“I’d never have let anyone else have you. Get to lose themselves in your hot little pussy, you’re all mine, it’s all mine,” I tease her.
“Yeah? Then prove it daddy,” she returns, letting out a little squeal when I pick her up and take her to our room, doing just that.
