A/N: I GOT MY LAPTOP BACK!
Sorry I went AWWOL (Absent from Wattpad Without Official Leave) on you for a few days, but I got my laptop back. Turns out that there was a problem with the hard drive and all my info was erased. I spent the last couple of days transferring info from my computer to the laptop, making sure it is the latest version of the file and installing programs... Anyway, on with the story!

*****

Lydia's POV

I ran my finger one more time over the photo, where his handsome, intelligent face was.

"And how does that make you feel?"

My finger halted and my nose wrinkled, the smile no longer on my face.

How does this make you feel, how does that make you feel - why did Counselors always ask that?

I'd come to abhor that sequence of words.

It was such a lame question, a hollow question when it came from them. They didn't care; they were just trained to ask 'How does it make you feel' after everything you said.

"Lydia?"

I looked up at Miss Randi Rayner. There was so much wrong with her, starting with the name.

What kind of a parent would name their female child Randi, spelled with an i at the end, mind you?

And the whole thing - Randi Rayner - even if she was a male, I would not pick a Counselor with such a simple name. It sounded like that of a cheap car dealer or some sleazy PI.

Oh, ant that title!

Miss.

Miss?

Not even married and here to give me advice on my family?

Me?

A woman with two children and with a husband for nineteen years?

"Lydia, are you listening to me?"

"Of course I'm listening." I tried to fake a smile. Not that the girl in front of me had earned the gesture. But they liked it here when you smiled.

"So, how does your son's sexual orientation make you feel?"

I gazed back down at the photo album in my lap.

He was so handsome!

The tip of my index finger found his face again, caressing it.

My handsome, intelligent Nathaniel!

"He had a girlfriend, you see, a really nice, quiet girl of Italian origin... Irene was her name," I told her, looking at my son standing on a platform with a certificate in his hands. First place. He had won first place with the essay he'd submitted. Two days later, it came out in print in the local newspaper. His smile was a bit stiff, but I knew he was happy; I knew he was proud.

And so was I.

My intelligent, intelligent boy...

My Counselor sighed - how unprofessional! - and renewed her prying onslaught.

"Lydia, we've been through this before. I realize you need time to deal on your own with situations you find difficult, but you'll have to eventually talk about them. If not with me, then perhaps with your family or someone else in the Help Center..."

I snorted.

I wasn't a woman in the habit of producing such a noise, but I couldn't help it. Norville Clinic for Addicts was anything but a help center. Sure, some of us had a room of our own instead of sharing it with another patient, of course there was entertainment provided - television sets, a library, walks in the garden, bingo games and so forth - but in the end, it wasn't that different from a prison.

We had to go to bed and get up at a specified time, the meals were prepared for us and we had no say in the menu, the staff - loyal guard dogs to the owner of the establishment - were watching us at all times and we had visiting hours; you had no need for visiting hours if you were free.

"They are coming over today, did I tell you that?" My eyes lifted to her dark ones, hidden behind a pair of reading glasses. "My family, I mean. Oh, and Raiden - a dear friend of Nathaniel's. He's such a lovely boy, that Raiden, although not as intelligent as my Nathaniel. Or as handsome." I leaned forward, my voice quieter. "He has red hair and Asian eyes. The father is Irish and the mom Japanese, you see." I straightened up and spoke with my usual tone. "He looks well enough though."

"And you are happy that they would be visiting you?"

"Of course I'm happy!"

Silly young thing!

"How can I not be happy that my hardworking husband and my overachieving son will be coming over?"

"And your daughter? Is Vallery also coming?" Her hand didn't even twitch towards my file to check for the name. She had rarely opened that file before me, preparing for our sessions ahead. If it had been another Counselor, one with experience and status instead of a little girl, dressed in a shirt and pencil skirt in an attempt to appear professional, what with her reading glasses and hair in a bun... Well, if it had been a person of experience and not her, I'd commend them for their foresight by preparing ahead for their patient's arrival. In her case, it was probably another try at mimicking a proper Counselor.

"Yes, Vallery is coming," I replied to her.

"And how does that make you feel?"

There it was - that question again!

I closed the photo album with more force than I intended to, my lips pursing as I leaned back in my sofa and away from her.

"I'm happy. She's my daughter."

"Would you like to talk about her? I feel like I already know Nathaniel as you've told me a lot about him, but I'm still unfamiliar with Vallery."

I frowned at her.

My previous Counselor, Dr. Marlow - now there was a proper name for his position - had been much more professional and had never asked me to speak about anyone but whoever I'd wanted to speak about. And he barely asked questions, just nodded and hummed most of the time. Such a shame he'd left; such an ill fortune that this was who he was replaced with.

"Of course I've told you about her. She's my daughter and Nathaniel's twin."

"Yes, I know that, but what else? What is she like?"

"She's a girl. She isn't as smart or as diligent or as obedient as Nathaniel." I plucked a lint off my skirt. "She's just Vallery."

"I see." She made a short note in her notepad and looked at her phone. "Our session is up for today. I hope you have a great time with your family and Raiden. You could tell me all about it next week."

I got up with a smile; the torture was finally over!

Now I could go back to my room and prepare for Nathaniel's visit.

I heard the girl speak again - to me or to someone else, I didn't pay attention - and clutched the photo album tighter. I had brought it to show her what an amazing son I had, but she kept changing the topic to things other than his achievements. And why had she asked me about Vallery?

There was nothing important to be said about Vallery; there was about Nathaniel.

I should hurry up and dress for his visit. The dreadful people who worked here didn't allow patients access to the kitchen so I couldn't prepare a meal... He must miss my homemade food so much!

My poor, poor, perfect boy...

*****

George's POV

"The Reeds here to see Mrs. Lydia Reed," I announced and the old man in the tidy uniform nodded and pushed on a button in his cubicle. The air filled with a brief buzz and the white iron gates opened before us, displaying the paved road that would lead us to the main building. It was less than a five-minute drive before I was searching for a parking spot. I'd barely put our vehicle to rest when I saw my wife in a long beige dress and light coat approach us.

"Oh, here you are, my dears, at last!" She opened the back door and held it for Nathaniel to come out. Lydia kissed on the head first him, then the other boy. "And Raiden... So good of you to come!"

"It's been a while Mrs. Reed." The redhead smiled politely.

"Darling, I've missed you so much; has it been a week already?" She walked over to my side and linked her arm with mine. "Time flows dreadfully slow here."

Vallery jumped out of the vehicle, slamming the door.

"And I see you haven't learned any manners while I was gone. Just look at how gently your brother closed the door."

Our daughter didn't spare her a glance and my wife turned to me again.

"Shall we take a walk in the garden? It's so stuffy inside."

"Yes, I'll just go sign me and the kids in the visitor log and be right with you."

"Splendid! We will be over there." Lydia pointed to a not far away bench underneath an oak tree. "Come on, kids." She let go of me to take Nathaniel by the hand. "Oh, and is this for me?" She asked once she saw what was in our son's other hand. "Chocolates? How thoughtful you are of your mom! Not that it surprises me. Raiden, have I told you about that time Nathaniel..."

Her voice disappeared as we moved further apart from each other - she walking on the small stone path and me on my way into the main building.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Reed," the young receptionist whose face I remembered, but name always forgot greeted me. "Is it just you this week again?"

"No, three more," I answered him. "Lydia whisked them away. Would it be alright if I write them in?"

"No problem, Mr. Reed. Just put their names here," he handed me the visitors log, "and they can sign on their way out later."

"Thank you." I filled in my name, followed by those of the kids.

"Miss Rayner asked me to tell you that she wanted to speak to you."

I nodded as the news didn't surprise me. The Counselor always wanted a word in private to discuss how my wife was doing.

"Is she in her office now?"

"I believe so," the lad replied.

"Thank you."

I headed for Miss Rayner's office. I was pretty certain what I'd hear there; might as well get it over with.

*****

A/N: I asked last time whether you'd like a chapter from the POV-s of the parents and some of you said you'd be interested. Well, what better time for that than now? The twins couldn't possibly know what is going on in their mother's head or the information that the Counselor would give their father.

Needless to say, next chapter will start with George's POV, but will have one of the twins' or Raiden's afterwards.

So, did you enjoy the chapter?

Please support it with a VOTE if you did!

Did it change your opinion of Lydia or do you feel the same way about her even after you've been in her head?

Which POV-s are you most interested in? Vallery's? Nathaniel's? Raiden's? Anyone else's?