Marissa had only been in the hospital for four days; a good improvement of what the doctors originally thought.
Kirsten made Sandy bring in an extra bed from the house into the pool house where Marissa would stay. Ryan was going to sleep in his normal bed.
"There you go. All perfect and comfy." Kirsten announced to Marissa, putting on Marissa's giant comforter.
"Thanks." She walked to the bed and laid down.
"Now if you need anything, just holler, but I'm guessing Ryan will be here watching you like a hawk."
"Yah."
"Okay, now get some good sleep."
"I'll try."
Kirsten walked out of the room and shut the door.
Within a minute, it opened again and Ryan entered.
"Hey." Marissa's voice was so silent, he almost didn't hear it.
"Hey, How're you feeling?"
"Awful."
"Why?" He scooted Marissa's feet over so he could sit down on the bed.
"My whole body aches."
"You should have known that when you were drinking."
"I guess. But it feels so good while I'm doing it."
"Hmm. Well, I know I told you I was going to watch you this week without ceasing, but I have to go to Chino to get my stuff. Is that okay with you?"
"Go already. I'm not a baby. I'll be fine."
"Promise me you'll not go anywhere."
"Yup."
"Say promise."
"I promise."
"Okay. I be gone for a couple hours."
"Bye."
Marissa's head was ticking, thumping. It was terrible, awful even.
She got up and went into the Cohen's house.
Since Sandy and Kirsten was at work and Seth was still on the boat, no one was home.
But she still tip-toed into the house and made it into the master bathroom.
Marissa opened the medicine cabinet and looked at all the bottles in it.
Tylenol, Advil, beauty products, shaving cream, hair removal, pain killers.
Pain Killers. Exactly what she wanted.
Marissa took the bottle out and read it. For Cohen, Kirsten.
"Why would Kirsten have these?" She really didn't care.
'maximum two pills a day.'
Marissa unscrewed the bottle and piled 6 of the medium sized drugs onto her hand and swallowed them without water.
Two more went into her mouth.
No one would know that she took them. She would be back in her bed before Ryan was home.
She walked into the kitchen and looked into the refrigerator. Nothing interesting.
She opened up the cabinets. Perfect. Liquor.
Marissa took four big gulps each of the two bottles before putting them back and walking back to bed.
Ryan came back to the pool house after visiting Theresa and bringing back the extra clothes he needed.
He opened the door and found Marissa sleeping on the bed with her feet at the head board.
'boy, were you sleepy.'
He placed the comforter over her and went to put back his clothes.
Seth arrived at the harbor at around 4 o'clock that night. He had a great time but it wasn't the same without the girls and Ryan.
He grabbed his bag and headed to his house.
Ryan heard the door to the Cohen's house being opened. Sandy and Kirsten said they weren't coming home until eight. It was only 4.
He grabbed a bat and walked over to the house.
"whose there? Get out of this house now or I'll call the police."
"Ryan?" Seth said.
"Seth?"
"What are you doing here?" Ryan asked, hugging him.
"I live here."
"I thought you were on the boat."
"I got tried, man. What about you?"
"I'm staying here with Marissa for a week until her dad comes home."
"Why can't she stay home alone?"
"She's been having some problems, dude."
"What kind?"
"She almost died a week ago when she drug overdosed and was really drunk. She also lost a lot of blood because she was cutting herself."
"Is she okay?" He felt bad. The last thing he'd said to her before Ryan left was that it was all her fault for him leaving.
"Yah. She's better. She's been drug and drink free for over a week."
"good man. Can I say hi?"
"Sure. But I think she might be still sleeping."
They both walked into the pool house where Marissa was sleeping under the comforter.
"Do you smell alcohol?" Seth asked, sniffing.
Ryan smelled the air and nodded his head.
"She promised me she wouldn't do anything." Ryan said walking over to Marissa.
He sat on the side of the bed and smelled her breath.
"Damn."
"What.?" Seth asked.
"She's drunk." He shook her awake.
"Whatttt?" She pouted, being awoken by the bed rocking.
"You promised me." Ryan shouted.
"What?"
"You're drunk."
"How do you know?"
"You're breath."
"My head was hurting. It would make it feel better."
"The alcohol?"
"The pain-killers."
"What pain-killers?"
"Kirsten's."
"What?" Seth asked surprised.
"I found them in her bathroom."
"Marissa. Stop. You promised me." He was looking really angry.
To be continued.