Biff couldn’t get
out of bed
the next day.
His head
felt like a rock.
Or like a rock
pounding his head.
His stomach
was rolling around
like a rubber ball.
He stayed in bed
half the day.
Once again,
he missed work.
Abby didn’t feel great,
but she went
to work.
When she got home,
had another fight.
Once again,
Biff said
he was sorry.
Once again,
Abby drank
with him.
Biff passed out
in his chair.
Abby sat alone
for a few minutes.
Her head
was a mess.
She thought about
how much she hated this.
The alcohol.
Biff getting mean.
Fighting.
That is when she knew
Abby found
the number
for Alcoholics Anonymous.
She called.
“My friend is sick,”
she began.
“Where and when is
your next meeting?”
The person
on the other end
told Abby
where and when
the next meeting
would be.
“They meet
every day
at the same place,”
he said.
“But you can’t
make him go,
He will have to go
on his own.
It has to be
when he is ready.”
Then he told Abby
about Al-Anon.
“Their meetings
are for you,”
he said.
“You can learn ways
to help
your loved one.
And yourself too.”