It had become something of a tradition for Enrique and Marta to spend the day doing fun things on the days of her psychology appointments. They would go get lunch or some sort of treat or maybe go shopping at the GUM. Enrique always let Marta decide, but it was getting to be where she would want to spend that time with friends soon - especially since she was making friends.
Marta had changed quickly in the last week. Online school had been a good choice for her and going to Kallisti had been helpful as well. That still surprised Enrique, but Marta was growing. The other kids there had accepted her without question. Then she had gone to a group session with them and Elyse's friend Hayden and her confidence had soared. She still struggled. The previous day she had a minor episode, but given that it was minor and her issues were becoming less frequent, she was healing a bit more.
Marta had wanted to go to the coffee shop she had seen Elyse and her friends in the other day, and of all things, she wanted coffee. That was new too. Elyse had informed him that Marta was showing interest in boys now too. She just was growing up, and that would make things more difficult, but still, she viewed Enrique like a big brother. Marta ordered a cappuccino and sat down, Enrique sitting across from her.
"How is school going?" he asked her.
"Fine - working hard and learning a lot. Sterling helps when I don't understand things. It's easier with the smaller group and being with friends," she said honestly. "Did you have fun the nights I was with Elyse."
Enrique smiled. They had been enjoyable evenings. "I did - made a new friend myself." He and Marisol had a dinner date one night, but neither one felt ready for anything besides friendship and Enrique was content with that.
"Oh," Marta said with a mischievous smile. "Is it a girlfriend?"
"No it's not like that at all..."
"Ricky's got a girlfriend...Ricky's got a girlfriend..." she said in a teasing singsong voice. "I'm kidding! Glad you had fun!"
It was things like that that reinforced that Marta was changing. She never would have teased him like that before. Enrique was getting the idea that he was beginning to see what Marta would have been before her trauma. Now that it was being dealt with, it was starting to come out.
Marta had changed quickly in the last week. Online school had been a good choice for her and going to Kallisti had been helpful as well. That still surprised Enrique, but Marta was growing. The other kids there had accepted her without question. Then she had gone to a group session with them and Elyse's friend Hayden and her confidence had soared. She still struggled. The previous day she had a minor episode, but given that it was minor and her issues were becoming less frequent, she was healing a bit more.
Marta had wanted to go to the coffee shop she had seen Elyse and her friends in the other day, and of all things, she wanted coffee. That was new too. Elyse had informed him that Marta was showing interest in boys now too. She just was growing up, and that would make things more difficult, but still, she viewed Enrique like a big brother. Marta ordered a cappuccino and sat down, Enrique sitting across from her.
"How is school going?" he asked her.
"Fine - working hard and learning a lot. Sterling helps when I don't understand things. It's easier with the smaller group and being with friends," she said honestly. "Did you have fun the nights I was with Elyse."
Enrique smiled. They had been enjoyable evenings. "I did - made a new friend myself." He and Marisol had a dinner date one night, but neither one felt ready for anything besides friendship and Enrique was content with that.
"Oh," Marta said with a mischievous smile. "Is it a girlfriend?"
"No it's not like that at all..."
"Ricky's got a girlfriend...Ricky's got a girlfriend..." she said in a teasing singsong voice. "I'm kidding! Glad you had fun!"
It was things like that that reinforced that Marta was changing. She never would have teased him like that before. Enrique was getting the idea that he was beginning to see what Marta would have been before her trauma. Now that it was being dealt with, it was starting to come out.