Dodger

She definitely has her moments although I doubt many would go quite so far.

‘Don needs to teach you some manners. I’d teach you, alright’. Those words resonated in my head long after Mr Symmonds departed. I sat in my room; the only safe place I could find, but even that wasn’t secure. I no longer felt safe anywhere in that house, and I wondered if I ever did. “I’m sick of this fucking place!” I wanted to go for a walk, but I couldn’t remember if I was still grounded or not, Sue would be home soon and I had a thumping headache. ‘Where are they? They left

Thanks for your enthusiastic comments @Hubert11 I'm glad you've enjoyed reading about Robbie's exploits, good and bad. The next chapter or episode will be posted this weekend. I can't say whether Robbie will get a break or not, but there are people ready to help him if he can keep his head long enough to allow them. It's more likely to drive him crazy. I think the sensible thing to do would be to delete it, but Robbie's not known for making wise decisions and he's not in the best shape at the moment. Thanks again.

Thank you for a very interesting comment @tesao and for some useful information on the law in Ontario, which I wasn't sure about. I'm pleased to hear this is the case though. As for Walter, it's probably a long time since he has seen the inside of a closet but I'm sure he'll have plenty to say on the matter and if needed he also has a rather useful secret weapon of his own. Donald, who we know is a homophobic racist, will no doubt see Bernie Walter as a threat to the security of his family. Maybe a wall is the answer.

Another interesting suggestion but not quite. The general opinion seems to be that Robbie should attempt to record any future sessions with Mr Symmonds and should insist on having an adult in the house at the same time. I think that's fairly good advice but Robbie doesn't always see things the same way and his recent behaviour suggests he's not in a good place. Thanks for your comment @Benji

Strange how Don hires somebody with the same characteristics. I wonder if he realises this? There is one important and scary difference between them. There is nothing in Don's past to suggest he has ever been physically abusive to anyone inside or outside of the family and despite losing his temper on a number of occasions he has never physically threatened Robbie in any way. This guy doesn't seem to have the same restraint, whichnis not what you would expect from someone in his line of work. Thanks @Bft

Like you @SolarMaxx I seriously doubt this guy's credentials. So many mistakes have been made it's little wonder that Robbie's problems seem to be multiplying. He needs a level-headed, experienced professional to step in and bang a few brainless heads together. Luckily for Robbie, there's someone who meets this description waiting in the wings with a very able deputy. Whether they will be allowed to help Robbie in time to prevent a tragedy remains to be seen.

Thanks Steve. You make so many good points, I don't know where to start. In fact everyone's comments seem to be on the ball. It takes me a few days to get through them, but I'm not complaining. You mention the phone call from Walter which didn't happen. I don't know if it would have made much difference but the ex-social worker will play an important role in the rest of the story. I think we can safely say the asshole Don has found isn't worth whatever he's being paid. His first session was pretty ineffective and you have to question his credentials. Robbie managed to get to him but really he was quite tame for a so-called troubled teenager. His thinly veiled threats should not only be worrying for Robbie but also for Don, who despite undoubted mental abuse hasn't shown any inclination to cause physical harm to any of his family. He needs to be made aware of these threats and this is the big problem. Robbie is slipping rapidly into a dangerous frame of mind and becoming increasingly isolated. Someone needs to recognise the danger signs, quickly.

Mr Symmonds has obviously been a poor choice of counsellor and considering who chose him, this was no big surprise. The warnings from the principal and the ex-social worker were also an indication of what to expect. So far, they have only been able to warn Robbie, their powers are limited at the moment but this may soon change. If Robbie did one thing right, it was probably choosing not to follows Nicola's misguided advice. It may have worked for her in the past but Robbie's situation is entirely different and this obviously would have been a giant step backwards for him. We'll have to see what Don's secret weapon is, but the fact that he has reached the stage where he feels this is necessary suggests that he's losing the battle of wits. However, Robbie's mental condition and rapid deterioration is clearly evident now in the way he is continuing to isolate himself. Anxiety attacks, depression, lack of sleep, violent temper, irrational behaviour. These are serious issues that need to be addressed before it's too late! Thanks for your comment @spikey582

Robbie will need to explain what happened to Walter and Mr Andrews. They are aware of this guy and they will surely now start to put some pressure on Don to get rid of this fake counsellor. As for the secret weapon. Well, there's been a number of suggestions but no one has quite hit the nail on the head yet. Thanks @NimirRaj

A car would be nice but Robbie needs a licence first. I agree that Robbie would have been doing himself a great dis-service if he were to allow himself to be bullied back into the the closet, just to please Don. Not the best of advice from Nicola. Thanks @Israfil

I'm a tattoo virgin and never been pierced so I fall into the first category. I'm also allergic to pain and discomfort and hate sitting down for long periods with anything to do. Too much like going to the dentist for my liking but who knows. Never say never.

Well, usually guys like Don, who are on the offensive all the time, tend to have more than their fair share of stuff to hide. He spends a lot of time out of the house.

This is a very interesting comment. I agree with everything you say. Nicola's idea was a bad one and even Robbie was sensible enough to dismiss it. I don't think he was very smart during his 'so-called' counselling session but Mr Symmonds reaction is worrying. Robbie didn't say anything really bad but this guy seemed on the verge of losing his cool. Not very good credentials for a counsellor who must surely. No wonder they didn't want him in the school. There is nothing that Don enjoys more than seeing Robbie arguing with Nicola or not talking with Daniel. It's one of the ways Robbie has played right into his hands. Divide and rule. Thanks @Sweetlion

Thanks @chris191070

Ha ha. Sorry to get you all heated Tim. I'm guessing you're not too happy with 1. Nicola, 2. Sue 3. Don (of course).

Thank you @Butcher56 Mr Symmonds obviously has his own agenda when it comes to "helping" Robbie. Don may have gone too far by hiring this guy. We will have to wit and see what his secret weapon is.

For who, Don? Although I can't imagine him having too much luck with Sue. And a man of the church too. Not sure if it is banned here or not for minors, but I'd be surprised if he's anything more than a religious bigot.

Robbie definitely does things the hard way, although I'm not sure if it would have been a good idea to follow Nicola's advice. She means well, but in this situation, I think it would have been a step in the wrong direction for Robbie to suddenly say it was all a mistake. Whether Don believed him or not it would be a clear victory for the bigot. After getting this far, Robbie should probably stick to whatever principles he has and put his trust in Walter. It's clear that Robbie still likes Nathan a lot more than he's prepared to admit even to himself. If this is true and he discovers that Nathan wasn't cheating on him then he may spend the rest of his young life regretting his rash actions. He needs to find out exactly what happened and Alex may be a good place to start. Thanks @Shadow086

If Don recorded their conversation then he'll probably be asking for his money back as this guy was ineffective and amateurish. He allowed Robbie to get to him, when I think Don would have been hoping for the opposite. He was supposed to be recommended. By who? Thanks @Kjamieson

Anything is possible but I agree the guy is obviously a freaking dick!

“Who’s Walter?” My sister was leaning into me demanding some answers. She knew how uncomfortable I became whenever there was physical contact between us, and often used it to her advantage. “He’s a friend of mine, now get off me.” I pushed her away, but she quickly re-attached herself to my arm. I hated it when she was like this. Clingy, girlish, and annoying. I preferred it when we were fighting. Siblings were supposed to fight, especially adopted ones, but being overly sweet was still

We're gonna need a bigger boat!

We'll be staying until the wind changes.

Well, that's something to look forward to.