econd time, I heard the sudden, frantic poun

the door, stepping back just in time to avoid bein

tomach emptying, I gr

ing. Based on the amount she'd drunk last night

is particular duet, I grabbed my bag and w

the bathroom, I waited until she left the room to

ven me. The bright red blemish adorned the underside of my left breast. I

ghtgown down into the bottom of my bag. As I was running a brush th

s okay i

a's voice cro

et you a

water." Cl

ore heading downsta

was empty, a fact that did not surprise me. George had b

glasses and went to the refrigerato

ully vomit-free. Clara sat next to the toilet while Si

Clara her drink f

me. "How are yo

ven had time to take a shower after."

ned, "You drank

pretend to be drinking around p

Xanax. It's my prescription, so I've go

ater in one continuous gul

. What ti

ke

Is my d

ead, "I didn

him, he'd been dozing on his

get un-hungover be

wered while I sta

humbs up while Cla

more

pan and scraping the last of the

idle disinterest, looking like she was

spine tingle with anticipation. Clara straightene

from a recent shower, dressed in the grey sweatpa

, not we

wn at my plate,

ing,

called back, failing

id last night... I sipped at my own jui

was the

r a moment, before rememb

gged. "It

bout the pi

tomach, "I think it might have given

, he laid his hand a

"helpless" face, "I j

u won't be helping me

d, you really should just

d up. "

chore we've been putting off for a while – some thing

uld help

, Clara looked like she was ready to take my head

g – we resell some of it online. I'd have to wo

d weekends, odd hours when Clara wou

him bite b

t Kelly, but that stuff is left over from Mom and

memories attached to each item, so parting with them has to be pretty painfu

el

got a point, Clara." Addressing me, he a

d as I looked at George, I felt like he could tell. "Um... h

between us, "D

red," he

-fif

en can yo

nda

ad

me to hire someone." Back to me, he sai

dn't be the only thing