“Don’t be in a hurry. Let’s hear what Dr. Perkins has to say.”
“Okay,” Hadley replied, nodding as she took the seat.
Eric took the seat beside Hadley.
“Dr. Perkins, please tell us honestly. Is my daughter’s condition serious?”
“It’s not too serious.” Hamza gave a reassuring shake of his head and continued, “To be specific, Joy has experienced emotional strain in her relationship with her parents. But you’ve caught it early and taken action, which greatly reduces the risk of it developing into a deeper psychological issue.”
Hadley and Eric exchanged a glance and exhaled together when they heard this.
Eric quickly followed up, his voice low with concern.
“So… what do we do now, exactly? Are you suggesting I should stay out of her life completely?”
“That’s not true, Mr. Scott. It’s the exact opposite,” Hamza countered his assumption.
“You have indeed caused her some trauma, but the deeper issue is that Joy actually longs for a father’s love.”
“If she didn’t yearn for it, she wouldn’t be affected by its absence. What she truly needs is stable, consistent fatherly affection. Ideally, she would thrive in a secure family environment with both parents present.”
Understanding the couple’s situation, he added with a thoughtful tone, “Of course, in today’s world, separated parents can also provide the emotional support their child needs. Psychological issues are rare when the love is steady and genuine.”
After everything he’d said, Hamza gently summed it up.
“Mr. Scott, Joy’s emotional struggles are centered around you.”
“Yes,” Eric said, fully aware, his hands clenched tightly with anxiety. He looked up and asked sincerely, “Dr. Perkins, what should I do? My daughter cries every time she sees me.”
“Don’t rush,” Hamza said calmly.
“Take it one step at a time. What matters most now is helping Joy understand that her father loves her deeply and that, no matter what, you won’t abandon her.”
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Turning to Hadley, he continued, “Hadley, perhaps you could start telling Joy stories about family without mentioning Mr. Scott at first. Then slowly, start explaining about Mr. Scott’s memory loss and observe how she reacts.”
“Oh, of course.” Hadley nodded, realizing the value in that approach. She wondered why it hadn’t crossed her mind earlier. It was her mistake.
“Don’t be too hard on yourselves,” Hamza added with a reassuring smile.
“You are both wonderful parents. Joy doesn’t need a doctor. What she needs most is the love and reassurance only you two can give her.”
As they stepped out of the doctor’s office, Hadley glanced toward the treatment room.
“I’m going to pick up Joy.”
“Alright,” Eric said with a nod.
“I’ll head out first so she doesn’t see me.”
“Okay,” Hadley replied.
Eric lifted his hand slightly in a gesture, mimicking a phone call.
“Let’s keep in touch about the next steps, yeah?”
“Sure,” Hadley replied.
Eric paused, choosing his words carefully.
.
.
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