Past wont go away: Story of my life – Day 9
What do you do, when you know something's bad for you,
But you still cant let go
Amber watched out the window as Lexie and Archie walked together along the loch. It was still morning but Amber held a wineglass in her hand and downed the last of it before pouring herself another as she continued to watch.
Owen and Sapphire played together on the floor with Owen's toys as the hours went past. Now late afternoon, Amber had worked her way through nearly three bottles of wine and was now asleep on the sofa.
"Mummy sleep" Sapphire pointed out to her brother. The two small children wondered out of the room and Owen undone the back door as they explored outside.
As they got down by the loch, Owen spotted a boat floating at the side. "Pirates!" Owen shouted excited as he ran over to the boat and climbed up on to a nearby rock and fell into the boat. He held his hand out to try and pull his sister up but she fell and went smack down on the pebbles.
The impact sent the boat out onto the water as it started to float away. Sapphire cried as she held her cut hands up and sat on the shore, the tide came in and got her socking wet, which only increased her cry.
Too many, too many problems
Meanwhile, Archie walked inside the house coming back from the village and was surprised to hear no sound. He walked into the library and spotted Amber asleep on the chair. Then he picked up the bottles and his attention turned to his absent children.
"Owen? Sapphire?" Archie called out into the hallway.
Paul and Lexie holding Ami appeared at the top of the stairs. "Whats the matter Arch?" Lexie asked
"Owen and Sapphire have gone missing" Archie replied panicked.
"Well there not up here, we'll help you look" Paul answered as they came down the stairs.
Who knows what could happen
Lexie spotted the open back door. "Have you checked outside?"
"The loch!" Archie and Paul said together as the three raced outside.
"Over there Arch, the boat!" Lexie shouted out as they began to run.
"DADDY!" Owen screamed standing up in the floating boat.
"Owen sit down, We're coming!" Archie shouted back, as Lexie picked up Sapphire and Archie and Paul raced into the water.
"My son is not gonna die like my brother did!" Archie shouted out as himself and Paul started swimming out. They caught up with the boat and pulled it back to the shore.
Archie grabbed his children and hugged them tight, as tears formed in his eyes. "It's ok, daddy's got you" Archie whispered to them.
Paul took Ami from Lexie as she went over to Archie. "They're safe now Arch" Lexie whispered comforting him.
"I know but it's her fault! They could have died" Archie replied.
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I might need you to hold me tonight, I might need you to say its alright
Lexie knocked on the door of Archies bedroom. She assumed Archie and Amber wouldn't be sleeping together after today's events.
Archie turned to look at Lexie as she opened the door. "Thought you could do with a cuddle" Lexie said as Archie nodded in reply and pulled the covers back for her to get in.
Lexie joined Archie in the bed and they cuddled together. "Now are you gonna tell me whats going on?" Lexie asked
Archie sighed. "Things have never been that smooth for Amber and I" he began as Lexie listened carefully.
If you need to fall apart, I can mend a broken heart, if you need to crash and burn your not alone
"After we married, Amber fell ill with a eating disorder, I took two months off work and stayed home to look after Owen and Amber. Then she went to hospital for a bit, and that's when we found out she was going to have Sapphire, it seemed to go away while she was pregnant though" Archie explained.
"Is that what happened the other day? Has it come back?" Lexie asked
"Yeah it has, but I don't know what to do, she won't let any one help" Archie replied upset
"What about today then? What happened?" Lexie questioned
"She drank, and drank. I first noticed it after she had Sapphire. Post natal depression the doctor said, but this was more than that, this was a drinking problem""
Lexie didn't know what to say she knew things were bad but she didn't know they were this bad.
"It's not the first time shes put the kids in danger" Archie stated
Lexie decided the best thing to do was to offer her comfort. She wrapped her arms around Archie, and for the first time she saw him break down.
"Arch cry if you want, its better to let it all out then keep it bottled up" Lexie whispered softly to him.
"I loved her once Lex, but I can't deal with it anymore, she's got out of control, I'd leave her but I don't want to lose my kids" Archie spoke, his voice weary. "I just look at you and Max with Ami, and I'm jealous of how you have such a happy family life"
What would you do if you knew
"Things aren't always as they seem Arch" Lexie whispered
"What?" Archie replied, but Lexie appeared to be asleep, so he quietly settled down next to her.
