Chapter 16

“So the countdown begins.” Richie said during breakfast on Monday morning. “What do you mean?” Sarah asked more than a little confused. “Six days until you leave, nine until I leave, twenty until I go back to work.” He preferred using the word work instead of tour, just in case. “Right, you’re playing. I hope I find a job quickly.” Sarah sighed. “You…” He almost said she could come with him. “You will find something.”

After the kitchen clean up, everybody moved to the group therapy room again.

Sarah was surprised about what today’s topic would be.

“By a show of hands, who has a job to go back to after your stay?” Their therapist asked. Richie’s hand was one of the few that rose. “Great, you’ll get to help. Today we’ll re-enact a job interview. What do you say? How do you act? Pair up with the person sitting across of you in the circle and sit at one of the tables.” He pointed to the tables by the walls.

For a second Sarah panicked but when everyone got up so did she and walked across the circle.

“Hi, I’m Jerry.” The man introduced himself. “Sarah.” “Nice to meet you Sarah, let’s find a table.”

Once sitting at their table she looked around nervously and found Richie on the other side of the room, she sighed, she’d be fine.

Again the therapist spoke. “Imagine you’re at an interview, what do you think you will be asked?” People started raising hands. “What are your studies?” “Do you have experience?’ “Why this job?” He wrote down all the questions on the white board.

Then he spoke again. “Now ask your partner these questions and decide if you’d hire them.”

Richie already had a job and was sure he wasn't going to lose it any time soon. So he asked his partner the questions.

On the other side of the room Sarah noticed it was hard to answer all the questions Jerry was asking her. They switched roles and asking questions was a lot easier.

“Not so easy is it? That’s why we do this. Now,” he started passing out pens and paper. “write down your educations and write down what you would answer in an interview.”

Sarah started writing, she wanted to write down her studies in college but decided to leave it and move on to writing down the answers she would give.

When they did it again with their answers prepared it went so much better. She knew what to say and felt more confident.



Afterwards she folded the piece of paper up and put in her back pocket. She’d keep it for next week.

Richie waited for her by the door. Maybe she was right about feeling like she was in high school, he used to wait for girls by doors then too.

“Hey, how did it go?” He asked when she walked out. “Pretty good, I’m keeping it for next week.” She padded the back pocket of her jeans where she put the paper. He would love to pad that but took her hand instead as they went to the kitchen.

“What’s on your planning this afternoon?” Sarah asked Richie while they had lunch. “Too much therapies.” He complained, he knew a better way to spend his afternoon. “You’re not alone.” Richie chuckled when she said it. “My week is very full.” Sarah hardly had free time this week. “What’s so funny?” She asked him.

“You’re Not Alone, it’s the title of one of my songs.” He smiled “I might just turn into your biggest fan.” She said proudly. “I wouldn’t mind that at all.” He gave her a quick kiss.



“See you at dinner.” Sarah hugged him a good minute before reaching up and kissing him. “You okay?” He asked a little worried. “Yeah, I just wanted a hug, I like hugs.” She said. “Okay,” he said, reassured, “see you later.”

He let her go and watched Sarah walk into the room they were standing in front. Richie walked down the hall to his own counseling.

There he was again, addiction counseling, when he realized he hadn’t thought of drinking since the first time he spend time with Sarah. He wouldn’t have been able to drink anyway but he didn’t want to either. He didn’t feel lonely which always made him drink and forget, he had Sarah, with her, he would be fine.

Sarah once again felt proud of herself and told her therapist about her morning. How she worked with Jerry while Richie was on the other side of the room. She talked to another man, thought of answers with him and practiced an interview with him.

She hadn’t felt scared, she just did was she had to do and she did it even without Richie right next to her. She was confident, next week, she’d go look for a job. As long as Richie was with her, she would be fine.

Go to the next chapter