Inebriated
Cut
I think I’m just destined to be an old cat lady for the rest of my life.
I finally find a guy I can stand, and he turns out to be an alcoholic that doesn’t even want to stop. When did things turn so ugly? I thought we’d done well together… This is what I get for being reckless.
A week, and I’m still torn up over this whole mess. Rolling over in my bed, I laid my hands on the small swell of my tummy and let out a sigh. This little demon was the cause of all my problems. As I glared down at the growing parasite in my stomach, I couldn’t bring myself to be angry at it. Damn thing.
I turned my angry eyes on the window, where I could see small objects being thrown at it. I knew it was Gerard. Storming over to the window, I tore it open and looked down on him. His red hair seemed to glow under the moon, contrasting sharply with his black and white casual suit. I jammed an angry finger out at him and hissed, “Get the hell out of here, Gerard. The kid and I obviously are worth less than your vodka, so go marry that instead!”
He tried to start a sentence, but I slammed the window shut and yanked the blinds down. He started throwing shit at my window again, but I yanked my pillow over my head and resolved to go to sleep. Hopefully he’d be gone come morning.
“I take you out drinking one time, and your life turns into a fucking SOAP OPERA.”
“Oh, like it’s my fault, you fuckass!” I slammed the freezer shut and turned around to glare at Juno. She was standing by the window overlooking my front yard, arms crossed and looking disappointed. Who was she disappointed at? I like how everything is blowing up in my damn face.
“If you’re going to stand there and berate me for something that isn’t in my control, you can march your ass right out of this house, Juno. I’m pregnant and angry, I will cut your nose right off your face.”
Juno’s angry façade melted into a sympathetic smile, “I couldn’t leave you here, Olivia. You can cut my nose off if it would make you feel better.”
“Can I cut Gerard’s off, instead?”
“I’ll hold him down,” Juno finally sat at the table, and watched as I clambered to sit on the countertop with some difficulty, “Frank’s been telling me how Gerard’s being a pain in the butt.”
“How so?” I tried not to seem interested, but Juno caught on before I had even said anything. I hate that she can read me so well. I wish I was more aloof. I should start practicing my James Dean.
“He’s drunk and sad, none of the guys want to go around his house anymore because it’s like a tomb.”
“I can’t help but feel like you’re trying to convince me of something, Juno,” I crossed my arms over my chest and she shrugged, putting on her best face of innocence. Bullshit. Rolling my eyes, I slid off the counter and ambled into the living room to find the Notebook and let my hormones take the reigns. With a whoop, Juno followed me and called out that she would make sure I wouldn’t get too emotional and do something I’d regret.
Worse than Gerard, was Mikey. His Brother.
Two days later, a man a little older than me stood in my front doorway, his eyes pleading for me to give him permission to come in. With grumbles and floor-glares, I let him in and we stood awkwardly in the entryway of my home.
“Olivia, right? I’m Mikey.”
“I know,” I said bitterly, jamming my hands in my hoodie’s front pocket and holding hands with myself. It had only been two days since I had sent Gerard away in the middle of the night, I wasn’t expecting him to send in the big guns.
“Look, I’m not here on Gerard’s suggestion. I just want to talk,” he shifted his weight between feet, obviously as uncomfortable with the situation as me. I wasn’t sure if he was lying about Gerard having no part in this visit, but I didn’t want to risk it either way.
“If you’re here to try and get me to take him back, you can shove it up your ass,” I cut in, breaking my hand-chain and waving one at the door to gesture for him to leave. Mikey stood his ground though, and I figured the damn guy wouldn’t leave until he got his say in the whole matter. How was all of this his business, anyway?
“Just hear me out. Gerard’s my older brother, and I know him better than anyone. He’s always had trouble with drinking and depression. He’s a wreck right now, Olivia. He’s never been torn up about a girl, and they all leave like this when they see that he’s got issues,” Pow, right in the chest. How did I know he’d try to guilt trip me? It worked, I realized as I imagined Gerard sobbing over a bottle of vodka, drowning his sorrows of my departure.
“He made it pretty clear he didn’t want me around, Mikey-”
“You know Gerard. He’s stubborn as a damn mule, and he won’t admit his problems. But he really likes you, Olivia. He’ll get over this if you’re there to help him. You’re all he’s been talking about all these months, it’s driving me fucking nuts,” I let out a small laugh, and looked down at the battered wooden floor beneath us.
“I guess. I’m not promising anything. He made it obvious last time that he didn’t want help. I don’t know why this time would be different.”
“Believe it or not, he’s head over heels for you, Olivia.”
I finally find a guy I can stand, and he turns out to be an alcoholic that doesn’t even want to stop. When did things turn so ugly? I thought we’d done well together… This is what I get for being reckless.
A week, and I’m still torn up over this whole mess. Rolling over in my bed, I laid my hands on the small swell of my tummy and let out a sigh. This little demon was the cause of all my problems. As I glared down at the growing parasite in my stomach, I couldn’t bring myself to be angry at it. Damn thing.
I turned my angry eyes on the window, where I could see small objects being thrown at it. I knew it was Gerard. Storming over to the window, I tore it open and looked down on him. His red hair seemed to glow under the moon, contrasting sharply with his black and white casual suit. I jammed an angry finger out at him and hissed, “Get the hell out of here, Gerard. The kid and I obviously are worth less than your vodka, so go marry that instead!”
He tried to start a sentence, but I slammed the window shut and yanked the blinds down. He started throwing shit at my window again, but I yanked my pillow over my head and resolved to go to sleep. Hopefully he’d be gone come morning.
“I take you out drinking one time, and your life turns into a fucking SOAP OPERA.”
“Oh, like it’s my fault, you fuckass!” I slammed the freezer shut and turned around to glare at Juno. She was standing by the window overlooking my front yard, arms crossed and looking disappointed. Who was she disappointed at? I like how everything is blowing up in my damn face.
“If you’re going to stand there and berate me for something that isn’t in my control, you can march your ass right out of this house, Juno. I’m pregnant and angry, I will cut your nose right off your face.”
Juno’s angry façade melted into a sympathetic smile, “I couldn’t leave you here, Olivia. You can cut my nose off if it would make you feel better.”
“Can I cut Gerard’s off, instead?”
“I’ll hold him down,” Juno finally sat at the table, and watched as I clambered to sit on the countertop with some difficulty, “Frank’s been telling me how Gerard’s being a pain in the butt.”
“How so?” I tried not to seem interested, but Juno caught on before I had even said anything. I hate that she can read me so well. I wish I was more aloof. I should start practicing my James Dean.
“He’s drunk and sad, none of the guys want to go around his house anymore because it’s like a tomb.”
“I can’t help but feel like you’re trying to convince me of something, Juno,” I crossed my arms over my chest and she shrugged, putting on her best face of innocence. Bullshit. Rolling my eyes, I slid off the counter and ambled into the living room to find the Notebook and let my hormones take the reigns. With a whoop, Juno followed me and called out that she would make sure I wouldn’t get too emotional and do something I’d regret.
Worse than Gerard, was Mikey. His Brother.
Two days later, a man a little older than me stood in my front doorway, his eyes pleading for me to give him permission to come in. With grumbles and floor-glares, I let him in and we stood awkwardly in the entryway of my home.
“Olivia, right? I’m Mikey.”
“I know,” I said bitterly, jamming my hands in my hoodie’s front pocket and holding hands with myself. It had only been two days since I had sent Gerard away in the middle of the night, I wasn’t expecting him to send in the big guns.
“Look, I’m not here on Gerard’s suggestion. I just want to talk,” he shifted his weight between feet, obviously as uncomfortable with the situation as me. I wasn’t sure if he was lying about Gerard having no part in this visit, but I didn’t want to risk it either way.
“If you’re here to try and get me to take him back, you can shove it up your ass,” I cut in, breaking my hand-chain and waving one at the door to gesture for him to leave. Mikey stood his ground though, and I figured the damn guy wouldn’t leave until he got his say in the whole matter. How was all of this his business, anyway?
“Just hear me out. Gerard’s my older brother, and I know him better than anyone. He’s always had trouble with drinking and depression. He’s a wreck right now, Olivia. He’s never been torn up about a girl, and they all leave like this when they see that he’s got issues,” Pow, right in the chest. How did I know he’d try to guilt trip me? It worked, I realized as I imagined Gerard sobbing over a bottle of vodka, drowning his sorrows of my departure.
“He made it pretty clear he didn’t want me around, Mikey-”
“You know Gerard. He’s stubborn as a damn mule, and he won’t admit his problems. But he really likes you, Olivia. He’ll get over this if you’re there to help him. You’re all he’s been talking about all these months, it’s driving me fucking nuts,” I let out a small laugh, and looked down at the battered wooden floor beneath us.
“I guess. I’m not promising anything. He made it obvious last time that he didn’t want help. I don’t know why this time would be different.”
“Believe it or not, he’s head over heels for you, Olivia.”
I enjoyed reading your story. Thank you for writing it.
12/8/17