Tess sat between Andrew and Monica and asked "Have you noticed anything wrong with James?" Andrew and Monica looked at each other puzzled "er...no" replied Andrew "Is there something we should know?" Tess sighed, "you'll find out soon enough, Angelboy".
Tess got up and went to bed, leaving the other two angels puzzling over what she had just said. "Maybe we should visit them again tomorrow," Monica suggested. Andrew nodded "OK, but I'm going to bed now, you coming?" Monica smiled as Andrew pulled her up from the sofa.
The following day Andrew and Monica went to visit Claire and James. As they walked into the house, Monica whispered "I don't like it here", Andrew had also noticed something was wrong. As they walked into the living room, they found out what it was.
James was sat in the armchair with a bottle of vodka in his hand "Oh, Hi...er...um..." he said. Monica looked at Andrew with a worried look on her face "he's drunk and he only came home from hospital 2 days ago" she sighed. They looked around the house for Claire and Cherilyn but couldn't find them.
"C'mon, Monica lets go" Andrew said. "No, Andrew we can't leave James like this" Monica replied. Then the door opened, it was Cherilyn and Claire. Monica and Andrew smiled at them. "Do you know that James is drunk?" Andrew asked. Claire nodded casually.
"Could you do me a favour?" asked Claire "Um...yeah, sure" Andrew replied, "Ok could you do some shopping for me?"
Monica and Andrew found a supermarket and started to do the shopping. "Do you think James has a drinking problem?" asked Monica. Andrew stared at her. "I'm sure we'll find out".
Once they had finished they returned to Claire and James house to find James with a bottle of larger, and loads of empty bottles by the side of the chair. "Can we talk a minuet?" asked Andrew. Claire and Cherilyn went out the kitchen with Andrew and Monica. "He has got a massive drinking problem hasn't he?" Asked Monica. Claire nodded "He has been like that for months, but since Scott died he is even worse".
James had overheard all of this. "Anyway have you considered him getting help?" Monica asked. Claire shook her head "He won't have any help, he wont let anyone help him".
By now James was furious and stumbled out the kitchen with a glass bottle in his hand. They hadn't noticed he was there and carried on talking about his drinking problem, until James coughed. They all turned around and Monica held on to Andrews jacket. James took the bottle and threw it against the wall. Andrew grabbed Monica and pulled her out of the house.
They got in the car and drove home to see Tess. "I'm scared Andrew, I cant go back there" Monica sobbed. Andrew stopped the car and leaned over and hugged her. "I know," he whispered softly.
When they got home they told Tess about what had happened "you have to go back, he needs help, he's an alcoholic". Andrew and Monica looked at each other and them at Tess "I'm sorry Tess, but I can't go back there". Tess sighed, "Monica, you'll have to." Monica nodded "But not yet, please" she asked "No, baby, not yet" Tess replied.
