Thank you for reading. : ) Here is chapter 8.

Part (8/10)

It was a liquor store.

Abby was struggling. She felt bad and on the one hand she thought that a little drink would make her feel better soon. Nobody would know, she only needed enough to fall asleep, it wouldn't count. On the other hand she knew that she couldn't do that. She was sober for 22 days now. She couldn't risk that. And she knew John would be home soon. And to talk to him and to lie in his arms was better than any drink in the world.

While she was fighting with herself whether to go in and buy a bottle to ease her pain or not, someone was coming up from behind and touched her shoulder. Abby startled, her heart almost stopped beating.

"Hey, Abby." a familiar voice said calmly. "What are you doing here?"

Abby was relieved, she knew that voice, and it was not Brian's. She knew it couldn't be him, he was arrested. But she was scared at first anyway. She wiped away her tears as good as she could and turned around.

"Oh my god Abby, you look like hell!" Susan said in shock when she saw her face. Her eyes where red from crying and she looked extremely down. "Sorry, you know what I mean. Is something wrong? What happened?"

She wanted to pretend that she was okay, but she was not strong enough, she could already feel the tears behind her eyes.

"Joyce ... Brian killed her." was all Susan could understand before Abby began to cry.

"What? I thought she left him? How could that happen?" Susan wanted to know, but Abby couldn't answer.

First she only took Abby's hand to comfort her, but then she hugged her and let her cry in her arms.

1 hour later, Carter's apartment

Susan was sitting on the couch, drinking some tea, when she heard someone open the door.

"Abby?", John called when he saw that the light was switched on.

Susan got up from the couch when he entered the living room.

"She's asleep." Susan said.

"Susan? What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way home when I saw Abby standing in front of a liquor store. She was crying. She told me that Brian killed Joyce! I brought her here. She fell asleep soon."

John was shocked. 'Liquor store?!' he thought. 'What was she doing there?' But he knew Susan didn't know that Abby was a recovering alcoholic so he didn't say anything.

"Yes, it's true. It's terrible, they arrested him. Thank you Susan for taking care of Abby."

"No problem John. But I have to go now, I have to work tomorrow." Susan said, walking towards the door. She thought it was better to let them alone now.

"Sure, see you tomorrow. And thank you again!" he said, leading her to the door.

"Yes, bye!"

"Bye!" he said and closed the door. He went back into the living room and sat down on the couch. He wanted to let her sleep, but he was too afraid that she started drinking again. So he decided to peek into the bedroom to see if he could talk to her.

He was just about to stand up when the bedroom door opened and Abby came out. She was still not looking better. She went over to him and sat down next to him. From the look on his face she knew that he knew where Susan found her.

"I did not drink, John. But I wanted to. I was lucky that Susan found me. It was tempting, but I think I wouldn't have done it, even without Susan."

"Abby, why didn't you tell me how you really felt? I could have gone home earlier to be with you!"

"I thought I could handle it. I didn't know that her death affected me so much. I didn't want to bother you." she said, looking down ashamed.

"You know you could never bother me!"

"I do. But I have always been alone with my problems. I have to get used to the new situation, that you are there for me."

"I know! And you can always rely on me!" he said, hugging her.

"Thank you!" she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

Several weeks later

Time passed quickly. All their problems were solved for the moment and they were happy. The trial was far away and Abby had her drinking under control, she could even handle Joyce's funeral quite well. They got along very well during the last weeks and so John decided, that it was time for a change.