" It's Labor Day, Abby. It's the only big party that my parents ever throw. The entire company will be there."
"So, no one will miss me."
"My mother will miss you," Richard said firmly. "My father will miss you." He adjusted the expensive sun glasses on his head and tucked the green and white striped polo shirt into his pressed jeans. New shoes. Perfectly dressed to play host next to his father and mother. She shook her head.
"I'll call them and explain," she said as she took a sip from the beer bottle in front of her. She lifted a section of the paper in front of her and studied...nothing.
"Oh, that's rich," he chuckled. "And what are you going to tell them? Sorry I can't be there because my nut case of a mother hasn't left her apartment that I am paying for in the last week?" Abby eyed him calmly and took another sip of her beer.
"Exactly..." she said. Inside she was seething. What an ass. Richard threw his hands up in frustration.
"Geez, Abby," he said. "She has been running us ragged all summer running here and there, starting and quitting job after job, yammering on a mile a minute and now she's quiet. Nothing is going to happen in the next few hours." She was silent as she folded the paper in front of her on the table and took another drink from her beer. Richard shook his head in disgust. It wasn't even 10 o'clock in the morning and she was on her second beer.
"Oh...what the hell," he sighed heavily. "I guess I will see you...whenever." He slammed the door behind him as he stalked out. She sighed heavily. She really didn't want to go. She'd worked a shift and dealt with a difficult labor and delivery last night. There were other things she needed to do. His parents would understand. Maybe.
It was a very short El ride to Maggie's building. They had selected it for that very reason. Abby used her own key and let herself into the apartment. She strained to see in the darkened living room and crossed to the windows to open the drapes. The room was flooded with sunshine and she sighed as she turned around. It was a mess. She gathered up the dirty dishes and carried them in to the kitchen sink. On a hunch she opened the refrigerator and stepped away from the stench of rotting food. Maggie had unplugged it again. Sometimes in her paranoia, she became convinced that someone - or something - was trying to poison her food through the electrical lines. Abby found a garbage bag and emptied the contents of the fridge into it. She set the bag by the door so she would remember to take it out with her.
She gathered up clothes for the hamper as she made her way to Maggie's bedroom. She rapped softly on the door. She opened it and wasn't surprised by what she saw. It was a sight she had seen too many times in her life anyway.
"Hi, Mom," Abby said quietly as she dropped the dirty clothes into basket Maggie used as a hamper. She rounded the bed and opened the curtains at the window before she sat next to her mother. Maggie was huddled in a fetal position on top of the quilted coverlet. Abby scooted next to her and carefully brushed a strand of dark hair away from her mother's face. Maggie's eyes squeezed shut tighter.
"Go away, Abby," she said. "I don't want you here."
"I know, Mom," she said. "Come on. We're going to get you in the shower."
"I don't want a shower, Abby..."
"I know, Mom. Come on now." Abby pulled her into a sitting position on the edge of the bed and Maggie protested weakly as Abby relentlessly hefted her to her shoulder and helped her move into the small bathroom. She sat her mother on the toilet and pulled back the shower curtain so she could get the water running. She eased the stinky nightgown from her mother's torso and tossed it back into the bedroom toward the basket. Maggie's head drooped almost to her waist. Abby gazed down at her for a second and then held her head gently against her chest. She smoothed Maggie's hair and kissed the top of her head. Maggie's arms moved slowly around Abby's waist in a hug.
"I don't deserve you, Abby," she began to cry. "You're my angel..."
"I know," Abby said flatly as they rocked together slowly. "I'm the best there is." She reached her hand into the shower stream and then helped Maggie into the tub.
When she was showered and dressed again, Abby drew a hair brush through Maggie's damp, dark hair and sighed.
"I need to go to the store for eggs, bread and ketchup," she said. "Why don't you take a nap right here on the couch while I'm gone and I'll make us something to eat when I get back. Scrambled eggs or something." Maggie didn't respond. Abby pressed a kiss to the top of her head again.
"I love you, Mom," she said with a heavy sigh. She picked up the trash bag by the door and left without a backward glance.
Abby took her time at the market. She bought eggs, bread, ketchup and a few canned goods. Things she knew her mother would like. She carried the bags back to Maggie's apartment and let herself in again.
The couch was empty. Just as she had expected. She set the bags down on the kitchen table and then made her way to the bedroom door. She didn't knock this time. She just opened it slowly.
Maggie was gone. Just as she had expected. The drawers of the dresser were open and empty. Abby leaned back against the door frame and sighed. She knocked the back of her head against the wood for a moment and then headed back into the kitchen. She crouched down and opened a cupboard door. She reached way back and brought out the bottle of Scotch that Maggie kept hidden there. She set the bottle in the middle of the table. Then she opened the pantry door and reached behind the boxes of sundries and her fingers found the neck of the whiskey bottle that was hidden there. She carried it to the table and set it next to the scotch. Mechanically she reached for a glass from the cupboard and wiped it clean on her shirt. She sat at the table and stared at the liquor bottles for a long moment. She set the glass in front of her and opened the whiskey. She poured the glass half full and carefully lined the whiskey bottle back next to the scotch. She lifted the glass and studied the liquid inside through the flowered pattern on the outside of the glass. She lifted it to her lips and began to drink.