Sandy waited anxiously at the table, unsure whether he should have gone after her. She left rather abruptly, and he was worried that he may have upset her. Just as he was about to get up, he saw her emerge from the bathroom.

Even though she had just drunk an entire flask of vodka in a matter of minutes, Kirsten was oddly surprised at the fact it had done absolutely nothing. Aside from the burning in her throat, she still felt fine.

"Everything ok?" Sandy asked as she sat down again.

"Yep" she answered, smiling at him.

Sandy smiled back, noticing his wife's eyes as he did so. They were glassy and tired looking. Sandy couldn't get over the fact that it looked as though she was someplace else.

"I'm sorry for asking so many questions before. I didn't mean to upset you, or make you uncomfortable."

"Oh no Sandy. It's fine, honestly"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure. I overreacted. It was just my drama queen side coming out" she said, giggling slightly. Sandy noticed this slight giggle, as it seemed quite out of character. Kirsten wasn't really the giggling type.

Kirsten bit her lower lip, mainly at the fact she had just giggled like she was a teenager. Suddenly, the vodka seemed to hit her like a tonne of bricks. Her legs were tingly, her head was fuzzy, and she felt hot all over. She began to panic when she saw Sandy looking at her strangely. She shouldn't have drunk it so fast. He was surely going to notice…

Sandy watched his wife, realizations beginning to set in. Her actions were pointing to it. He prayed to God that he was way off, but in the back of his mind, he knew that he was probably right.

"I can't believe you" he said, shaking his head.

"Sorry?" she asked, fumbling for her glass of water.

"You've been drinking again"

"I have not!" she retorted.

"I'm not an idiot Kirsten. You might think you can fool me…"

"I'm not trying to fool you!"

"How much did you drink when you left just then?" he asked quietly, disappointment in his voice.

"I didn't drink anything Sandy, Jesus…how many times to I have to say it?" She put her glass of water back on the table angrily, smashing the glass. People began to turn, staring at the Cohen's after hearing the commotion.

"Come on Kirsten, we're going home" Sandy said, sensing people eyes on him. He knew Kirsten would hate it if the Newpsies started spreading gossip about her. He stood up quickly, trying to act normal.

"What? Why?"

"You're drunk. I don't want you to cause a scene here" he said, lowering his tone completely.

"I am not drunk Sandy!" she continued to shout, her words beginning to slur.

"Get up Kirsten" he said, a little more sternly.

She scoffed, pushing back her chair and stumbling to her feet. Sandy took her hand, steadying her. He placed a hand on her lower back, guiding her out of the restaurant.

---

Sandy opened the front door, still holding onto Kirsten as she walked.

"You guys are home early" Seth said, entering the hall.

"Seth…" Sandy said, trying to warn his son.

Seth looked at his mother, and he could see instantly that she was drunk. She shrugged Sandy's hands off her, heading for the stairs.

"What happened?" Seth asked, worriedly watching his mother.

"I'm going to go make sure she's ok…then we all need to have a talk. Ryan as well."

Seth nodded at his father, watching as he too walked up the stairs.

---

"Is she ok?"

"She's fine" Sandy said, getting the boys to sit at the kitchen bench.

They watched him curiously, unsure what he wanted to talk to them about.

Sandy didn't want to beat around the bush. He just wanted to say what he had been planning in his head.

"Kirsten is an alcoholic. Your mother needs help, and I can't help her anymore. I've tried…I've tried so hard…but I can't change her."

Ryan gulped back the lump in his throat. He knew this was coming. As soon as Seth had told him his mother was drunk again, and Sandy wanted to talk to them…he knew.

"She promised…she promised me she'd stop…" Seth said disheartened.

"I know Seth. She promised me too. She promised all of us."

"She can promise all she likes. If she really is an alcoholic, she's going to be making empty promises for a long time" Ryan added, putting his hand on Seth's back.

"Exactly; this is why we need to get her real help."

"What do you mean?" Seth asked anxiously.

"I want to send her to rehab"

"Rehab?" Seth shot back shocked. "You want to send her away?"

"She needs help Seth. Nothing you or me or Ryan can do is going to help her. She's too far gone." Sandy explained. He wished he didn't have to do it like this. He wished he could find some other way…but he was tired. He couldn't keep doing this anymore. It was hurting him too much to see her like this.

"Your Dad's right Seth. She needs help. And it won't be forever…"

"A few months at the most"

Sandy looked at Seth, who wasn't looking at anyone. He looked at Ryan, who nodded. Ryan knew that she had to do this. He had been though all this before.

"Seth, please. I don't want her to leave either, but we have to put our feeling aside for a minute. This is what's best for her. We have to put her first…"

Sandy was pleading with him now. He wanted them all to be agreed, so they could present a united front.

Seth looked up, seeing both his father and Ryan's eyes trying to persuade him.

"Ok. She needs to go to rehab"