NORMAL ?
...d nowhere else to turn. When I went home that day with my assignment from the counselor was to tell my parents Samantha's story, and so I did. My parents denied the allegations of Samantha's story. They told me that Samantha made up the story. That made me feel better, but it also made me angry towards Samantha. She was trying to ruin my family. My friendship with Samantha ended that day. Two years later when everything was normal, and life was moving along nicely, I was summoned to testify in court. I was confused. I thought my father did not do anything wrong. Why did I have to go to court? The courtroom smelled stale and sterile. I had to stand in front of people some familiar and some not. Tears were running down my face. The salt from my tears were on my lips. I could taste the salt as I answered all the horrible questions. I felt like my throat was swollen shut. Every eye in the courtroom focused on me. I just knew they could see my heart pounding beneath my shirt. Every word was difficult to say. The judge found my father guilty that day. He received four years of probation and mandatory therapy. Not enough punishment in my opinion. Another requirement of the probation was that my father could not see me anymore. He had to move out of our home. I was so confused by all this. It consumed my mind. I was failing all my classes after my sophomore year so I quit school. I spent the next year working full-time and spending everything I earned. That gave me a small sense of happiness. That small sense of happiness was short-lived. Toward the end of that year, I discovered a letter written to my fathers’ therapist. It outlined all the disgusting things he had done, to my friend Samantha. Finding the letter was good for me. I was forced to face my denial and anger. I could finally be angry with my father. I was on a path to healing. Soon after I was surprised to find out that my father was able to move back in our home. The next few months were spent fighting with my parents. They lied to me about everyth...