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Clayton
“Honey? I’m here. I hope you left some hot water for me!” I holler entering our suite. It’s quiet. No water is running. Something’s wrong. I couldn't have missed her, could I? I pull out my phone, sending a group text to her and Vic letting them know I’m in the room.
Then I hear it, Abigail’s phone chime. I walk through the room toward the bed, thinking maybe she’s trying to have a row with me. That’s when I see it. The foot at the end of the bed on the floor.
“Abigail? Abi?” I question, running around the bed. She’s on the floor, not moving. I pull her up to me, turning her back over, she’s not breathing. “Fuck! No, no, no. This can’t be happening, Abigail?” I smack her cheek lightly. “Honey, come on.” That's when I see the empty bottle under the bed, and the champagne spilled all over the rug. I reach for the bottle. It’s the Vicodin. Pulling out my phone, I’m screaming and swearing, Dialing 911. I report to them. Telling them where we are, she puts me on fucking hold! I go over my CPR class in my head. Fuck them I need to respond now!
Tossing the phone, I pull her to me and listen really hard. She’s got a pulse. It’s quiet, but it’s there, and her breath isn’t stopped, just barely there. I turn her to the side and shove my fingers in her mouth, pressing her tongue down. She doesn’t respond at first. Then I smack her back. Hard! She gags, starting to throw up, a foamy mess.
“That’s it, Honey. Come on, get it up.” I’m so wrapped up I don’t hear the door open, or Vic come in, I have no idea how long he’s been standing there when I feel him pulling me back.
“God damnit!” He pulls the cover off the bed and wraps it around her, to stop her shaking. “Fuck this!” He takes her from me, rushing her to the bathroom. I hear water running. I’m still sitting here looking at the pill bottle. “Call for fucking help!” Vic shouting brings me back to reality.
“I- I did- Th- They’re coming.” I holler back, the bottle slipping from my hands to the floor. I get up, heading into the bathroom. “I- I’m sorry. You wer- were right, about everything.”
He’s in the shower cradling her to his chest. “Just shut up, saying that isn’t going to help anything. What she needs now is to wake up!” Vic raises his hand, smacking Abigail across the face, then shakes her and keeps repeating. “FUCKING ABIGAIL! You promised. Swore. Do not do this to me.” Vic is starting to break down.
“What’s going on? I heard screaming from down the hall. Are they-” Wayde stops seeing the scene. “Jesus! I thought you said she was okay?” He shoves past me getting into the shower to help Vic. I don’t know what to do. I get out of the way.
Some Mister Perfect, some White Knight. My Princess is dying, and I’m standing here with my dick in my hand. The paramedics arrive, and I point them in the right direction. Oh, look something useful I could actually do right.
***
PACING. THERE’S SOMETHING else I’m getting good at. They took Abigail to St. Augustine’s emergency center, where they have admitted her in order to pump her stomach. Vic has been fighting to get us access to her, but since we’re not technically family, they are being fuckers about it. Wayde called his momma, and the family phone tree got started. All the parents are on their way, including Fred. I’ll be surprised if we are still all together after tonight.
“Sit down. Pacing isn’t helping anything. She’s going to be fine.” Vic speaks, but his heart isn’t in it.
“If I sit, I shake. I’d rather keep moving. They’ll be here soon. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. If I hadn't kept indulging her...”
“That wouldn’t have changed a thing. She learned from one of the best.” Vic says, jumping to his feet. “Did they tell you anything?”
“She’s going to be fine,” Fred says, and I turn to his voice. “Thankfully, I’ve been her emergency contact for years. I’m getting ready to go and see her now. Either of you wants to tell me what happened before I go in there?”
I shake my head. “I told you how I found her. That’s it. Can you get us in there? I mean she lives with us.”
“What lead up to it?” Fred growls. “Something had to have pushed her over the edge. What the fuck was it?”
I reach into my back pocket, handing him the notebook and the empty bottle. Ask her.” My anger and frustration are bubbling up. My guilt is too strong. “We should have known, should have seen it. Her lyrics, yesterday. This has been coming.”
“I’ll deal with it. I’ll let you know if she wants to see you...” Fred takes everything walking through the doors they took Abigail through, leaving Vic and me to deal with the parental onslaught.
