Careful What You Wish For

Chapter 23- Page

I took a swig of the whiskey bottle and sighed as Grace began tossing and turning again.

I had been sober for probably a year or two now, but I needed something to help me cope with Grace being in a coma.

At least I hadn't resorted to heroin. Again.

I'd thought about it.

But then when Grace did wake up, I'd be hooked on heroin again, and her getting me sober last time was not easy.

I cursed as I saw the bottle was empty.

I didn't have any others.

As much as I didn't want to, I had to leave to get more.

I got up from my chair and walked out of the room, staggering drunkenly.

When I arrived home, I grabbed another bottle out of the liquor cabinet.

"What happened to being sober?" My dad asked.

I turned around.

"Dad-"

"So now just because Grace is in a coma you're gonna start being self destructive again?"

I didn't say anything.

"What's next, heroin again?"

I sighed.

"What if she doesn't wake up?" I said quietly.

"She wouldn't want this." He responded, approaching me slowly.

"Doesn't matter what she wants if she never wakes up." I responded quickly, opening the bottle of whiskey.

He sighed.

"Page, I know how hard it is. When I lost your mother-"

"Don't bring her into this!'

"When I lost her, I thought of commiting suicide. But I had you. Sure I had just lost my wife, but you lost your mom. You couldn't lose your dad too. You needed me more than ever. I couldn't abandon you then.

"Page, as silly as it sounds, I need you. You kept me alive. You're all I have left. If you lose Grace, you still have me. And I know it's not much, not what you want, but it's something."

"Dad, I can't live without her. I love her. She helped me when mom died. She got me sober. She made me stop cutting. She showed me I could love after what mom did. I need her. She's my life." I said in almost a whisper.

"I know." He looked on the verge of tears.

"I know exactly how you feel. But you need to keep going. If she doesn't make it, you need to keep going and make her proud."

"But-"

"No buts. Now if you want to be okay when Grace wakes up, I suggest you put that bottle down before you get in any deeper."

I sighed and looked at the bottle before putting it down.

My dad hugged me and then left to go to bed.

I looked at the bottle again, before picking it up and taking a huge drink.