Facing the Truth

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it, Ashley, I think you have anorexia," Gerald said, his voice firm but laced with concern. Ashley felt like she had been punched in the gut. How did he know? She had been so careful to hide it, to make it seem like she was just stressed or busy. Ashley's eyes widened in shock as Gerald continued, "I've done some research, and I've talked to some people. I know the signs. The weight loss, the obsession with food, the secrecy around eating... it's all there." Ashley felt a wave of shame wash over her. She had been so careful to keep this a secret, to hide it from everyone. But Gerald had seen right through her. Gerald took a deep breath before continuing, "And I've booked you a spot at a treatment centre. It's a residential program, and it's going to take a few months. But I think it's necessary. You need help, Ashley, and I'm not going to let you continue down this path alone." Ashley felt a surge of anger and denial. "You can't just book me into a treatment centre!" she exclaimed. "I don't want to go!" But Gerald was firm. "I'm sorry, Ashley. This is non-negotiable. You need help, and I'm going to make sure you get it." Ashley felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes as she realized that Gerald was serious. He was going to make her go to this treatment centre, whether she liked it or not. She thought about all the times she had lied to him, all the times she had hidden her eating disorder from him. She felt a deep sense of shame and regret. "Why are you doing this?" Ashley asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Gerald's expression softened, and he took her hands in his. "I'm doing this because I love you, Ashley. I want to help you get better, to overcome this disease. I want to be with you for a long time, and I know that I can only do that if you're healthy." Ashley looked up at Gerald, and for a moment, she saw a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could get better. Maybe she could overcome this eating disorder and live a normal life. But as she thought about the treatment centre, and the months of therapy and hard work ahead of her, she felt a wave of fear wash over her. "What if I don't want to get better?" Ashley asked, her voice laced with defiance. Gerald's expression turned stern. "Then I'm afraid I won't be able to stay with you, Ashley. I love you too much to watch you destroy yourself. I need you to want to get better, to want to live." Ashley felt a pang of sadness and regret. She knew that she had to get better, for herself and for Gerald. She took a deep breath and nodded, "Okay, I'll go." Gerald's face lit up with relief, and he pulled her into a hug. "I'm proud of you, Ashley. I know this is going to be hard, but I'm going to be here with you every step of the way."