Charlotte's P.O.V
The withdrawal symptoms start before he even gets here. Every time the door swings open I look up in anticipation, I used to be like that when Tom's dad was around but it was different, I was scared,now I'm excited, relieved the door does swing open I know it's my son, he's the spitting image of his father, I wonder if my daughter looks like me. I look around to see if Tom has brought his sister but no female follows behind,momentarily I feel disappointed but it passes as it becomes very apparent I'm meeting my son. I push back my chair eagerly as I wave him over.
It's not what I thought it would be I thought it would be all hugs and rose tinted smiling,but it's not. Tom is icily cold shaking my hand as he sits across the table . It's not what I imagined it would be at all, it doesn't feel right. "Where do I start?" Tom stammers, his palm was clammy when I shook it, I feel just as sweaty I don't know if its because I'm nervous or because of withdrawal ,probably the latter option. "I don't want to know why you gave us up,or anything about you" he states his glare fiery "then why did you come?" I ask,I'm so confused it wasn't supposed to go like this "I almost didn't, I came here to tell you about Grace, my sister" my heart lights up, I love both my children equally maybe Grace will be more forgiving,Grace is such a pretty name,I'm so pleased they called her that. "How is she? How are you? Please Tom let me make up to you" I gabble, desperate to gain back his trust "there's nothing to make up, I just thought you should know that Grace died two days ago. It was very sudden" he says his voice monotonous,empty from emotion. Tears well in my eyes "what? How? " is all I can stammer out "she had a very serious head injury, I thought although you didn't get to meet her you might want to go to the funeral." My son states. It wasn't supposed to be like this,why is this going all wrong, why did I come here, it was such a mistake. I rise from the table and begin my exit,Tom watches me as I leave, "leaving again are we?" he calls. The walls are spinning,I'm burning up and shaking, I need a fix before I get any worse. Some how I tumbling,grasping onto the counter I'm falling to the ground,I can't struggle to keep myself up I'm just falling and I can't stop it.
Tom's P.O.V
Her twig like figure scrambles at the counter,customers look horrified as my mother collapses against the counter,sliding,dribbling like the coffee they serve here to the floor. I stare numbed, this could be anyone and to be frank I don't really care,I may just be very bitter about my sister and my parents misgivings and my mothers state. I sit while people fret around Charlotte, it doesn't seem right to call her my mother,it's something earned and she has not. It takes every ounce of me to pull myself from my chair to go and assist with the revival "someone call 999" a customer howls as I approach the group of worried coffee shop patrons "it's ok I'm a doctor" I announce "give her a bit of room" I command as I lift her long neck,so that's where Grace got it from I think as I put her into the recovery position,she hasn't regained consciousness which worried me,it's just as well one of the over pre-cautious customers rang for a ambulance. She's incredibly skinny, underweight even just like Grace but Grace was athletic,her figure was achieved by sport not drug use. I feel complete relief when I hear the screech of sirens as the paramedics roll up to take over her care, I don't want to be in this position, if I'm honest I'm worried ,I'm terrified of the responsibility and my actions I may take.