Page 120 of Play Nice

“I think we should try to avoid comparing our suffering. It’s impossible for us to know what others feel. Even those closest to us.”

Leda’s turning purple, she’s so mad. She looks like she’s about to levitate. Like her head is about to spin all the way around.

“Leda’s right, though,” Daphne says. “We witnessed more. And Clio…Clio was never bothered by anything…long term. She wasn’t affected the same.”

“We can grow up under the same roof and have radically different childhoods,” Maya says. “And those experiences can manifest differently throughout our lives.”

“Yeah, but…” Daphne starts.

My phone rings. Everyone looks at me.

Roy’s calling. I silence it.

“Sorry,” I say.

“That’s okay. We’ll just need to remember to silence our phones before entering this space,” Maya says, smiling.

There’s quiet in the wake of the disturbance.

“Daphne,” Maya says. “Why are you here?”

“I don’t know anymore,” she says, breaking down in tears. Real tears. “I don’t know.”

Maya nods her head. “Leda?”

33

We walk out of Maya’s office to the hopeful faces of Tommy and Amy. We watch the hope drain from their expressions when they see us.

They join us in our silent march out to the parking lot.

“Why don’t I take Clio?” Tommy says.

No one argues. Not even me.

“See you back at the house,” he says, the only one of us attempting communication.

He opens the car door for me, then goes around to the driver’s side.

He waits until we’re pulling out of the parking lot to make another endeavor to chat.

“The first session can be rough,” he says. “Better luck next time.”

“So, do you and Leda just sit around talking about what might be wrong with me?”

“No. Clio. Of course not.”

“Actually, I don’t care,” I say.

“Leda—”

“I said I don’t care, Tom.”

He backs off. He turns on some music. His nu metal playlist, unfortunately.

A few Limp Bizkit songs later, we pull into Dad’s driveway. I unbuckle my seat belt and get out of the car without saying another word to Tommy. I’m going to go gather my stuff and call a car and meet Roy at the house.

I’m almost past the kitchen table when I notice that everyone’s sitting around it. Staring at me. Daphne. Leda. Amy. Dad stands behind his chair at the head of the table, his head down.