Abigail was released from the hospital later that morning and given permission to fly while being accompanied by Kevin. They were scheduled to leave on a 2:30 flight and were going straight to the psychiatric facility. Abigail had the option of spending the first night with Kevin while she was there, but at the time they discussed it, she thought she would be best to spend it alone, but reserved the right to change her mind. Because she knew that once she got there, she would have to get used to life without Kevin by her side.

They were both escorted onto the plane and Kevin was relieved when Abigail slept for the majority of the flight. He was having an extremely difficult time coming to terms with having to leave Abigail alone, but was trying to remain as positive and encouraging as possible for Abigail’s sake. He doubted that Abigail would be able to hold back her feelings if she disapproved of the idea, so he assumed she was handling it better than he was. He just prayed that he was doing the right thing by putting his feelings aside in hopes that Abigail could get the necessary treatment. He had to keep reminding himself that this was the right thing to do for Abigail’s sake.

As they were preparing to land in Orlando, Abigail woke up and she could tell right away that Kevin was visibly upset. She gently placed her hand on Kevin’s cheek and encouraged him to look at her. She had to let him know that she had accepted the alternate form of treatment and she had to believe that it was the right thing to do. “Kevin, you look upset.” Abigail stated.

“I’ll be honest Abi, this isn’t easy for me. I thought I would be able to help you on my own and now I feel like I’ve let you down.” Kevin said, not able to hold his feelings back any longer.

“This was all out of our control Kevin. I love you for trying so hard to help me and I’m not upset at you at all. I know this is necessary for me to be able to move on and you need to accept it as well. I’ll admit I’m going to miss you terribly, but if this means we’ll be able to move on and focus on our relationship again, then I’m all for it. I hate the fact that everyone is walking on eggshells when I’m around. At least this way you’ll be able to focus on the group while I’m getting the necessary treatment. I know this hasn’t been easy on you and my presence was interfering with your responsibilities. I don’t ever want to think that I’ve become a burden.” Abigail said, hoping to convince Kevin that they were doing the right thing. She felt at peace with the decision they had made, but she knew it would take much more to ease Kevin’s mind.

“You know I’m still going to worry about you.” Kevin said.

“Probably a lot less than you’ve been worrying about me over the past couple of days. At least you’ll know I’m somewhere safe at all times. I believe you’ll be able to relax a little more.” Abigail said.

Kevin had to admit that she had a point. “I’ll be all right. I know this is the best thing for you, but it doesn’t make it any easier to do. As long as I know you’re safe and making progress, I’m sure it will become easier as time goes on.” Kevin said, trying to convince both of them that he was coming to terms with the situation.

By that time, it was time to get off the plane. Kevin had a car waiting for them and they quietly drove to the psychiatric facility together.

Abigail was impressed as they drove up the long driveway that lead to the facility. It was located in a quiet country setting and she saw several people out walking around and seated on furniture located throughout the large front yard. Seeing this served to reassure her further that she was doing the right thing.

“This place looks nice. Maybe it would do me some good to stay in an environment like this as well.” Kevin kidded lightly, feeling better about where he would be leaving Abigail. Kevin parked the car and took Abigail’s hand as they entered the main building. As they stepped in the front door they were greeted with a warm and comfortable environment. Dr. Steep had been expecting them and appeared almost instantly to greet them.

“Hello Abigail. Hello Kevin. It’s good to see both of you again, although it is under unfortunate circumstances.” Dr. Steep said.

“Unfortunate, but necessary.” Abigail said as she shook Dr. Steep’s hand, making sure she made it clear that she wasn’t reluctant or afraid to be there.

“How was your flight?” Dr Steep asked, pleased to see that Abigail realized that this form of treatment was necessary.

“Not bad. I slept most of the way. I feel like that’s all I’ve been doing lately.” Abigail replied.

“Sleep is good and I guarantee you’ll have the opportunity to get plenty more rest while you’re here. Now why don’t the two of you follow me? We’ll start with a thorough tour of our facility, and then we’ll sit down and discuss a few things while Kevin is here. Then we’ll give you some time to get settled in to your room.” Dr. Steep said.

Dr. Steep spent approximately forty-five minutes giving Abigail and Kevin a thorough tour of the facility and introducing them to the on-duty staff and some of the other patients. They were both impressed by the gym and Olympic sized swimming pool available for use by the patients and the warm and comfortable atmosphere was consistent throughout the entire facility. On their way back to Dr. Steep’s office, they dropped Abigail’s things off in her room, which was decorated comfortably and tastefully. Abigail would have a private suite with a washroom, a TV and a VCR. It was explained to them that cable television was not available, but they had a wide variety of approved movies to choose from. He proceeded by explaining that family and friends were encouraged to visit in the evenings when there weren’t therapy sessions scheduled.

While Kevin was there, Dr. Steep decided it was best to proceed with Abigail’s first one-on-one therapy session. He felt it was imperative to get Kevin’s input on Abigail’s behavior and condition over the past couple of days. Dr Steep started by talking about the open and friendly environment they promoted at the facility. Abigail would be obligated to participate in one group session and one private session on a daily basis. The remainder of the time, she was free to use the facilities as she pleased, but trained counselors and staff would always be available if need be and there were staff members located all throughout the building for the safety of their patients. He hoped that given a couple of days she would feel comfortable anywhere on the premises.

Once they had discussed everything concerning the facility and the rules, they moved on to Abigail’s recent problems. She explained how she felt like she was loosing control and when she took the drugs, she only wanted to be normal again so she could be with Kevin. Kevin became emotional when he described what he saw that night and how terrified he was that he might loose Abigail. They both cried together and dealt with a lot of issues that had been weighing on their minds.

Once both Kevin and Abigail understood everything, they were given some time alone to settle into her room. It was decided that Kevin would stick around and watch a movie with Abigail that evening and he would return the following morning for a visit before he had to return to the tour. They both agreed that they felt more comfortable with the situation knowing that Abigail was going to be in a good environment that was designed to promote recovery for people suffering from traumatic events like hers.

It was a relaxing evening for both Abigail and Kevin as they watched a movie together and spent a great deal of time talking.

It was still difficult for Kevin to leave Abigail the following morning, but it made it easier knowing more about the facility. This was one of those times Kevin was grateful he had money to help the people he loved. He hated to think what her options would have been if he didn’t have the money to put Abigail in the expensive facility. If it meant he could have an emotionally stable Abigail back in as little as a few weeks, it would be all worth it as far as he was concerned.