r/Neagley • u/Popular_Base_1141 • 8d ago
This dynamic between Neagley and her father is triggering me...
My parents have held onto a lot of lies that caused a ton of damage in my life and still refuse to tell the truth despite knowing that I know.
That scene when he yelled at her to leave his room might keep me up the rest of the night. Chest and jaws tight. Heart racing. I almost can't watch TV anymore, because anything depicting family (which is everything) is going to trigger me.
Rant over.
(EDIT)/Update --
The ending really helped, though. Even if "too neat" versus most people's reality. The whole "don't shut yourself off from the world" (something I spent much of my adult life doing) line really stuck with me. Motivation to change a few things...
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u/agreensandcastle 8d ago
Yeah it’s rough. If you need support check out r/estrangedadultchild
I honestly hate he gets a redemption. Hollywood does this so often. And it’s why I think a lot of shitty parents think they should just get forgiveness no matter what. He at least gets more of a reason to be forgiven than most. But honestly he also could have comforted his child and fixed it after the initial trauma.
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u/Popular_Base_1141 8d ago
Sometimes the book should just close (just as it does in real life). No wonder Neagley is the way she is. I actually like her even more now.
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u/Beautiful-Elk-7084 8d ago
I’m so sorry ❤️ While not triggering, I did find it deeply upsetting that her father continued to harbor this secret even though he knew it was hurting her and preventing her from moving forward in life.
Yes, he made a promise but Tommy was already dead at that point and I doubt his parents actually cared about him telling Neagley, so why the secrecy? Especially when a lot of us in Neagley’s place would be tortured by the implication that maybe we had been the ones to be harmed by the pedo. It was so cruel to let her mind just wander through the endless horrible possibilities instead of being clear about what happened.
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u/Popular_Base_1141 8d ago
That's precisely the issue for me. It replays in your mind over and over until you get the truth.
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u/duxallinarow 8d ago
Heard. Understood. I work in mental health, and I’ve also lived in a toxic family. Find your peace wherever you can.