“How are you feeling?” She didn’t look any better.
“Okay, I guess. The usual. Hungry and bitchy. I thought I would come and see if you wanted to venture out to the cafeteria with me.”
“Yeah, sure. I just need to get dressed. I can’t go in my nice clothes.” I posed, and she smirked at me.
“Had some hot sex, did we?” She wiggled her eyebrows at me.
“Yeah,” I said, uneventfully. She furrowed her perfect ginger brows at me. I had always told her how amazing Henry was, and how he could bring me over the edge with such finesse, but she must have thought otherwise this time. So I added, “It was amazing, like usual. He really focused on me, getting me there a few times like he always does.” Was that too much information? She smirked and nodded with approval. Maybe not.
Then I sighed. I saw the “here it comes” look on her face. “Right afterward, he jumped up and grabbed a bottle, sucking it down. It made me so fucking angry, it hurt.”
“Oh,” was all she could muster.
“Yeah. It was like he let go, then hopped up, grabbed the bottle, and sat back down with me, like I was just going to cuddle up with him and Jack…or whatever the fuck he’s drinking.” Claire turned around as I dressed. “He said he’ll quit. I have half a mind to dump every last bit of it.”
“You should,” she muttered.
“I don’t know if I can. He needs it. He would be sick without it. I have dumped some when he hasn’t been looking before, but he keeps finding more.”
“He has to detox at some point, hon.”
“He does, for sure. I’ll have to think about it.”
We continued to chat about Henry’s drinking, while we headed out the door to go to the cafeteria. “I can tell you one thing. Nick is sick of it, as well. I’ve had to talk him out of kicking his ass on more than a few occasions. He said he sees what it’s doing to you and how much it upsets you. Plus it stresses him out, a lot. He feels like he has to do the work for two.” I hung my head. She wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “You’ll get through this, and you will get him through this. I know it.”
“I hope so. I can’t take much more of this insanity.” We made it to the door of the cafeteria, only to have my anger hit the boiling point in a snap. My fists clenched at my sides, and I’m quite sure that I had steam coming out of my ears.
Henry and Nick were drunk as hell. It looked like Thomas was, as well. They were laughing and carrying on like they were at a local hang out. Nick was trying to teach Henry how to play the guitar. Thomas was just sitting there, laughing so hard that he was in tears.
“Oh, dear Lord,” whispered Claire. She was far too motherfucking polite. I was going to put all the bullshit to rest once and for all.
“Henry!” I yelled. They all whipped around, nearly falling out of their chairs. I was going to eat him alive. I stormed in, and he stood up…barely. All three of them chuckled as he stumbled over the chair. I didn’t find him funny in the least.
“Hey, love…,” he slurred, then grinned at me like a drunken fool. I hauled off and slapped him across the face. He stumbled back, tripping over that same chair, and then his eyes went dark and hollow as he stood up. His fists and jaw were clenched.
“What the fuck was that for?!” he barked out.
“You are drunk! And so are they! What are we going to do if we get invaded in the middle of the night?! I expected it from you, Henry! But you,” I pointed at Nick, “and you?!” I pointed at Thomas. I couldn’t believe they allowed him to drink. He was far too young to indulge.
“I jus’ had a few sips,” Thomas said as he pushed the bottle toward the middle of the table. A few sips, my ass. His eyelids were drooping.
“Do not touch another bottle, Thomas! You are too young!” Then I refocused my fury on Henry. “Are you shitting me right now?! Are you fucking for real?!”
“We were just loosening up some. We’ve been stressed, and it’s safe here, love.” He needed to just agree and move on. His examples of why they were drinking surely weren’t good enough reasons to jeopardize our safety.
“Loosening up?! Safe here?! You are fucking joking, right?!” I was furious. I was seeing red…blinded with rage. If I hadn’t already slapped him across the face, I would have decked him. Then I saw his face shift into a blank look.
“Elaina, can we do this in private?” he asked in a low voice.
“No!” I yelled in his face. “They know all about your issues so maybe they should hear this, as well!” He turned away and hung his head. He was humiliated.