{{Peace}} (a Sequel) [an Eddie Munson story]

24: If I'm a Liar, Then You're a Thief

The first thing Nina did that morning when she woke up was call her boss and let him know that there had been a death in the family and she'd be out for the rest of the week. Zoey did the same thing. Neil had already heard from Collin was expecting their call. That was around 7:00 AM so Nina decided to go back to sleep.

The second thing Nina did was go check on Eddie. When Nina woke up the second time around 10:30 AM she did her usual morning routine of washing her face and brushing her teeth and then walked down the hall to Eddie's room. She knocked on his door and heard a muffled groan and then a loud thud. Worried, Nina opened the door and found Eddie slumped over on the ground barely conscious. Her eyes widened and she ran over to him in panic.

"Eddie?!" She shouted as she shook him. He opened his eyes and looked up at her slowly, trying to get her face into focus. Her face looked fuzzy and it sounded like he was under water. Nina looked around the room and saw a tiny clear plastic bag with a white powder residue laying on his bed by his pillow. God damnit.

"Eddie can you hear me?!" Nina shouted back. Eddie took a deep breath and coughed and then looked right back up at her. He could see her clearly now.

"Yeah, I can hear you loud and clear." Eddie complained as the sound of her panic stricken voice pierced his ears.

"I'm taking you to the hospital, get up." Nina demanded. She was scared he was going to overdose.

"I'm fine. Just a weird trip. It's all good." Eddie said running his forehead before getting back up on to his bed. He felt his eyes focus on every tiny detail of Nina's face. His leg start to bounce as he got increasingly restless.

"Where'd you get this?" Nina asked grabbing the empty bag from his bed that he was now sitting next to.

"God your voice is annoying." Eddie groaned. He was hungover and his high had Nina's voice amplified by a thousand decibels. Nina noticed Eddie was sweaty and knew he was still high.

"Where'd you get it Eddie?" Nina asked again with her hand on her hip. She was getting impatient.

"I don't have to tell you shit. Go away." Eddie said back before getting up and walking over to his dresser to organize the various items on top of it. He didn't really have any plan about what he was doing, he just had the uncontrollable urge to keep his body moving. He didn't miss this part of the cocaine high. He'd done too much and gone past the point of a pleasant of high, but that's what happens when you start using again after a while. His tolerance had almost completely reset.

"Did you get it from her?" Nina asked accusingly. She knew the answer already. She'd always known. She just wanted to hear him say it.

"No." Eddie said without turning around. Nina just laughed.

"You're such a liar." Nina shook her head. "Do you have any more of it?"

Eddie answered her without turning around. "Nope."

Nina threw her head back and laughed. "You think I don't know when you're full of shit? After almost two decades?" Eddie finally turned around and back at her.