Her Mother's Daughter

"Wakey, wakey," Eirian said, standing over her, rocking her with her foot.

Juliet moaned, her head hurting. She found herself to be not in bed but on the bathroom floor. This was a good thing as she had to puke and felt too shaky to walk. Crawling was a much better option. With painful heaving, she emptied her stomach in the toilet and groaned. The world was not feeling very good today. She tried to think but couldn't.

Unfortunately Eirian didn't seem to be at all sympathetic. In fact, she seemed quite cross. "What all did you have last night?"

"Just some left over gunner's breakfast." After the party, Juliet remembered pouring the undrunk portions into one of the cups and drinking. It had smelled so good. Just a drink or two couldn't hurt, she thought. She hoped that was all. She was so tired she just collapsed back on the floor.

Eirian pulled a strip of Allerid C tablets out of her pocket. "What about these?"

Oh no, Juliet realized. She found that. What else did she know? "You threw them out. I saw them in the trash."

"That doesn't mean I want you taking them. So how many did you take last night?"

She stared blankly at Eirian. "I ... don't ... "

"It was a pack of 30. I used two tablets and that was it. I remember the day. I almost never get allergies. They expired last year so I threw them out. There are seven tablets missing."

Juliet didn't know what to say. The whole world seemed to be closing in on her. She just wanted to curl up and cry. She didn't remember taking any pills, but then she didn't remember falling asleep on the bathroom floor. She just shook her head.

"Are you denying that you took them?"

"I ... can't remember."

"Are you denying throwing the plate at me?"

"What!"

"Are you denying saying you were going to kill me?"

"I would never ..."

Eirian pulled her phone out of her pocket and played a blurry video recording. "You had better not go to sleep. I will cut you to pieces if you do."

Juliet began to cry. "Oh my god, please help me." She ran in her room and slammed the door. It was her voice and her face saying it on the recording, but she had no memory of it.

Eirian followed her in. "I can't help you, Juliet. I'm sorry. This is way beyond me. I've got a foundation to run. I'm already behind on my research. We desperately need the money Andrew is sending to keep you here but he should have known I am not a rehab clinic and won't put up with crap like that."

Juliet turned. "Daddy didn't know I am using again. Honest."

"I can't believe you. I'm going to have to send you back."

"You can't do that."

"Oh yes I can and I will. I won't deal with a derro boonerette here on drunkabout. I had rumpig boyfriends before and that was quite enough."

Juliet looked Eirian straight in the eye. "Dad's second wife is threatening to kill him. He sent me here to keep me safe."

Eirian shook her head. "That's a lame one."

Juliet saw her phone. She pulled up the text from three days ago and handed it to Eirian. "Read it. He sent this when she shot her lover."

Eirian read it. "Henry butler murdered. Stay put. Stay hidden." It was somewhat surprising. Still, she shook her head. "This could be anyone and mean anything."

"Call him," Juliet shouted. "Use my phone!" Then she paused, realizing how she must look and sound. As angry and as irritable as she felt she knew she had to control it. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for shouting at you. I'm sorry about what I did last night. I don't remember doing it. If he doesn't tell you he sent me here because Siobhan is a murderer then I promise I'll start packing."

Eirian took the phone and walked out.

Juliet looked up at the ceiling. She could feel herself shaking. "God, if you're there, if you're even real, please help me. I made another mess. I can't stop making messes. Just please help me. I can't do more to Daddy than I already have."

Juliet felt so jealous about how people like Eirian and Andrew could just have one or two and then just stop and have a good time. Why did she always keep getting stoned or drunk off her ass and waking up in strange places when she didn't want to?

As she looked up at the ceiling and asked why, she knew the answer. It was a reason she had been afraid to even whisper to herself. She was her mother's daughter and she had a real problem.