Chapter Twenty-Six

"Mum, leave Luc alone," Eddi says as she walks back into the room, Liam hot on her heels.

"I don't kn-know what you see i-in him, he's no fun…"

"Just because he doesn't drink doesn't mean he's no fun."

"…and didn't your d-ad hic tell you nev-never to trust a-a-a tee-tee-totaller!"

"What is it with you and your family and alcohol?" Luc says to no one in particular. Eddi gives him a dirty glare.

"J-just 'cos we kn-know how to have f-fun…"

"I have fun; I just go about it without looking like an extra from a horror movie."

"Luc," Eddi looks at him sternly.

"What?"

"You're not helping matters."

"When did he ever help," mumbles Liam, however Eddi catches it and turns on him.

"Liam!"

"What's with the hostility all of a sudden?" Luc asks him.

"…in-instead o-o-o-of walk-walk-hic-ing," their mother carries on regardless, unaware of what's brewing, "a-around with a stick up hic my arse!"

"Liam was right; you really do sound like your mother Eddi!"

"Shut up Luc!" the siblings retaliate simultaneously.

"N-now, wh-where hic can I f-find more hic whiskey," and she stumbles about, just managing to miss knocking into Luc as she passes him on her way to the cupboards.

"Come on mum," Liam steps in trying to steer her away from the cupboard but she shrugs him off.

"Get off me L-liam. Now wh-where…ah hah!" she screeches in achievement and pulls out a full bottle of whiskey.

"Mum, stop it," Eddi goes to make a grab for the bottle wherein a tug of war ensues. "Mum! Just give me the bottle."

"No! Stop being a hic a party po-pooper!"

"This is ridiculous," Luc says taking a step forward. "Eddi, just let go."

"No, she needs to stop. I had to, now she does!"

"You're right, but this isn't the way to go about it."

"Then do something about Luc instead of just standing the-argh!" she screams as her mother loses grip on the bottle and stumbles backwards, while Eddi goes crashing into Luc bringing them both tumbling to the floor landing at an awkward angle.

The bottle however, is remarkably unscratched and remains in Eddi's hands.

Slowly she places it to one side and gets to her feet, mindful of not stepping on Luc in the process.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

"Eddi!" gasps Liam. "You're bleeding!" and following the direction of his finger she looks down to see small dots of blood on her top.

Frowning, she lifts it up to find her skin still intact.

"It's not me," but when she gazes down at Luc she sees him clutching his abdomen. "Luc, move your hand."

"I'm perfectly fine Ed…"

"I said move your hand Luc!" and she yanks it away, her eyes widening at the sight.

Crimson blood has soaked through his shirt and caused red splotches to appear. Tenderly lifting up his top she sees a couple of stitches have been torn and his wound marginally re-opened.

"Come on, we need to get you to the hospital."

"I'm fine Eddi…"

"For once in your life just listen to me. We need to get you re-stitched before it becomes infected."

"Okay, okay," and placing an arm around her shoulder and hers around his waist, together they manage to right themselves.

"Eddi, you can't leave me here with mum!" Liam whines as he looks over to see his mother contentedly downing the fresh bottle of whiskey as she sits on the floor slumped back against the cupboard.

"Don't worry, she'll pass out soon. And anyway, you brought her here, you can sort her out." With those final words she helps Luc make his way out of the door and over to Holby.

"Do y-you want some?" a drunken slur comes from behind.

Turning around from the closed door, Liam looks down at his pathetic excuse for a mother.

"No mum, I don't want any." Walking over to her side he gradually accomplishes to make her stand, albeit unsteadily, and she finally lets go of the bottle she latched on to. "Let's get you to bed."