Chapter 37 – Wrestling with Madness

"Hi, I erm… didn't expect you to arrive till tomorrow?" Abby asked, rubbing her forehead.

"Bill and decided to fly in today" Maggie replied with a wide grin.

"Bill? Who's Bill?" Abby shook her head.

"Look at you, you're still pretty but you've put some weight on" Maggie commented, leaning over inspecting her daughter's figure. "You've put weight on sweetie!"

She is unaware that her daughter is carrying her grandchild. Abby quickly placed her hands to cover her pregnancy bump.

"You doctors eat at irregular hours, you should know better, I have a better figure than you!"

Abby rolled her eyes in disbelief upon hearing this. She shook her head at Howie and when Maggie wasn't looking she mouthed, "She doesn't know"

Howie's mouth formed into a silent "Aah"

"Oh hello Howard, I didn't see you there you certainly grown up! You should have stuck with my daughter all these years, she shouldn't have married that loser Richard, he has ruined my daughters life" Maggie said and asked "where is Richard these days? If I see him again I will kick the stupid fuck's sorry ass!"

"Hey watch your language!" Abby shouted

"Don't you tell me to watch my fucking language young lady" Maggie snapped.

Abby flinched at her mother's reaction.

"Aren't you going to say hello to me Howard?"

"Erm hello Mrs Wyczenski good to see you again, sorry I couldn't get a word in!" Howie chuckled nervously; his eyes are moving round fast, starting to feel uncomfortable.

"I won't be Mrs Wyczenski for long now" Maggie sighed gleefully looking at her ring on her finger.

"What do you mean?" Abby frowned with her eyes fixated on her mother's diamond cut.

"Bill and I are getting married"

"For the second time… who the hell is Bill?"

"My fiancé" She answered, "Oh sweetie, didn't I tell you? No, no, no, no" Maggie shook her head and paused for a second "No I didn't because you're not interested in my sorry life, you're just selfish carrying on with your own life like jumping into bed with different guys"

Abby scoffed in disbelief "I can't believe I'm hearing this!"

"Like that Euro doc and that lovely rich boy, what's his name?" Maggie put her hand on her temple and closes her eyes tight trying to think "John, John, John… JOHN!"

"Look Abby I've got to go now, I'll catch you at the wedding" Howie awkwardly interrupted their conversation.

Abby sighed, feeling embarrassed and she thought to herself 'Gee thanks, leave me with my mad mother'

"Aren't you going to introduce me to Bill?" Abby asked, she is intrigued.

"Of course!"

Maggie got hold of Abby's hand and leads the way to her table. Sat there was a distinguished looking gentleman who is busily scanning through the menu.

"Bill…"

He looked up and quickly gets up from his seat.

"This is my daughter Abigail"

"Oh hello, Maggie told me all about you, you're her favourite daughter!" He leaned to shake Abby's hand.

She frowned with confusion I'm the only daughter?

"My-my what a fine looking daughter you have Maggie" He commented with a grin "I can see where she gets her good looks from… you!"

"Oh Bill!" Maggie giggled and fluttered her eyes. She leaned over to give him a wet sloppy kiss.

Abby shuddered watching them two, getting all lovely dovely. She wanted to throw up. Maggie and Bill both sat down. Abby noticed her mother starting to look very shocked. Horror is written all over her face.

"This fork is dirty, it's dirty, it's dirty" Maggie rose up and waved the object at the waiter "Excuse me this fork is dirty, I must have a clean one"

"Ok ma'am" The waiter nodded and tried to take the fork out from her hand. She firmly gripped it as he struggled to take it off her. Maggie lets go causing him to go to lose his balance. She tapped on his shoulder as he turns away.

"A clean one, clean one" She pointed her finger up. Maggie seated herself again and looked up at her daughter. "Why don't you join us dear?"

"Erm no, I've already eaten thanks" Abby hesitated "I've got a friend waiting, I have to go…"

"Oh you brought John?"

"No, my friend Susan"

"Susan? Let me think" Maggie goes into deep thought trying to remember who her friend was "Oh the sweet blonde one"

"Yes"

The waiter comes back with another fork and placed it on the table. Maggie snatches it and studies the silverware.

"No I can't have this, cant have this, it's dirty, it's dirty, and it's fucking dirty!" She protested and got up to threaten the waiter with the fork. Thrusting the object at him, the young man is starting to freak out at her behaviour.

"Nooooo" Abby groaned, burying her head into her hands. She tried to restrain her mother and wrestled with her to get the 'weapon' out of her hand. "Just give him the damn fork!"

Maggie threw herself onto the floor and tried to pull Abby down too.

"No no don't…" Abby begged, she feared that she would put the baby at risk if she were knocked to the floor. Unfortunately it was too late. Abby is on the floor. She lifted herself to kneel over her mother trying to get the fork off her with one hand and the other, protecting her stomach by blocking her kicking tantrums. With her luck Abby grabbed the fork off her mother and raised her arm up to give it to the waiter. He quickly takes it from her and ran off. Abby got back on her feet again when Maggie surrendered. She gave Bill a disapproving look wondering why he hasn't helped.

"It's dirty Bill!" Maggie shouted, feeling alarmed.

"Yes Maggie it's dirty, " He agreed.

"Bye" Abby tried to walk away but Maggie held her back by pulling her by the arm.

"Hey sweetie, I'm better, better these days, Bill keeps me better"

Abby raised her brows at looks at Bill to see if she telling the truth, He shrugged and smiled.

"You will never get better…" Abby said honestly in a calm matter. "But you can have it under control if you keep take the meds"

"I do!" Bill jumped up like a kid, nodding frantically "I do, I-I-I keep taking mine"

Abby blinked hard and her mouth is slightly open, she couldn't believe what she is hearing, is her mother's partner bipolar too?

"Hey Maggie"

"Yes dear"

"You think everyone got it in for us? They've made the forks dirty?" Bill asked, worriedly.

Abby gasped and puts her hand in front of her mouth and slowly stepped away from their table.

"Catch you both tomorrow" She said and quickly dashed out of the restaurant before Maggie has the chance to catch up and get the last word in.

Abby walked in the room and quickly closed the door behind and locks it. She bends over trying to catch her breath. She realised she just did a silly thing by rushing up the stairs like mad especially after doing a wrestling match with her mother. She felt the strain on her stomach. Her head was throbbing with tension. She noticed the light from the half opened bathroom door is penetrating through the darkness of the room. She walked towards to the bathroom and pushes the door ajar. The bathroom was very steamy and mirror was thickly covered in condensation.

"Susan?" Abby called out, in a soft tone, popping her head round the door to see if her friend is present "Susan?"

Susan sat in the giant bathtub with foam up to her neck. She is resting her head against a waterproof pillow with her eyes closed. She opened one eye and quickly looked at Abby. Susan ducked her head underwater and stays below for a few seconds. Abby looked on by and starting to get worried about the length of time she is staying under. She stepped closer and startled herself when Susan shot out from under the water. Her hair and face is caked with foam. She tried to rub away the soapy froth away from her eyes, as they are stinging. Susan tried to reach over for the towel and struggled to find one at arms reach with her vision blurred. Abby quickly stepped in to grab the towel and gave it to her.

"Thanks" Susan asked rubbing her eyes "Did I scare you?"

"Hmmm" Abby nodded, "Look I'm really sorry, I'm sorry that I overreacted"

"Apology accepted" Susan said, not looking at her friend and dipped lower where the foam is at her neck level again.

Abby looked on at Susan waiting for her to apologize but she doesn't do it. The brunette narrowed her eyes and starting to feel really annoyed so she stormed out of the bathroom. Susan amused herself when she opened her eye to see Abby go off in a huff.

Abby walked to her luggage and unzipped the side to pull out a bottle of Tylenol and takes a couple. Abby walked to the bedside to switch on the bedside lamp and picked up the telephone. She looked at the hotel number list and punched the number 9.

"Hello room service"

"Hello this is room 45, I would like to order two hot chocolates and a large bottle of water please, ASAP"

"Would you like Marshmallows, chocolate flakes and whipped cream on them?"

"Ooh yes please" Abby moaned with excitement, hearing what she ordered has sounded heavenly.

Susan walked out of the bathroom wearing the hotel's complimentary bathrobe with a towel wrapped round her head. She saw Abby replacing the telephone on to the receiver.

"Abby I'm sorry" She apologized, sitting herself next to Abby. "You didn't give me chance to say it when you left the bathroom earlier."

"No worries" Abby smiled "Are we still friends?"

"Friends? Always" Susan answered who is still slightly drunk.

"Good because I've ordered hot chocolate with all the works"

"Friends forever!" She laughed.

"I'm going to bed soon, I'm whacked" Abby yawned.

"Yes it's been a very long day," Susan said walking over to her luggage to get her pyjamas out. "So did you talk to your mother?"

Abby nodded "God I dread tomorrow"

"Ignore her"

"I can't. Everyone expects me to clear the mess up and sort her out"

Abby lips are quivering and she started to cry. Susan sat back down next her, she pulled Abby in to a hug to comfort her. Abby tells Susan the full story about happened in the restaurant earlier.