Chapter seven: The curse of Alkohol
Rita puts on a uniform. Lynn's old army uniform. Rita has trouble putting on her uniform. She looks at herself in the mirror.
"Oh. Wonderful. Just about right." Rita said to herself.
She notices something hard metallic in one of the uniform's pockets. She takes it out. It's Lynn's nameplate. It also says something other than his name on it. Coffee pot. His nickname in the army. Rita noticed that because of the uniform her butt looks a bit bigger.
"My goodness. I hope nobody sees me like that." said Rita.
Rita opened the window, climbed out, and disappeared into the darkness.
Alison is sitting on her bed. Her mother disciplines her. She's still drunk.
"I don't know what I did wrong with you. I told you not to meet him. And now you're pregnant."
"You said that before." said Alison.
"And I'll say it again. I'm disappointed in you."
"Yeah mom."
Constance sat down next to Alison.
"Do you know why I'm like this? You know? Because you shouldn't even exist." said Constance.
"What do you mean that mom?" Alison asked uncertainly.
"Your father and I have certain medical complications. Your existence is a miracle. That's why I'm like this. I never expected to have a child. And then you came. You. You are the only valuable thing I have."
Constance got up and went to the door.
"Sleep better. I'll go to the garden and drink Swish." said Constance, and closed the door.
Alison let out a scream that sounded like the scream of an angel of death. She started crying.
"You god damn Bastard destroyed my family. How could I be so blind." The hate she felt was directed at her mother and her unborn child.
"I don't want you anymore! Get out of my body!" screamed Alison.
Alison banged her hand on the mirror hanging on the wall. He broke. Alison cut herself on the shards. She screamed again. She sat on the floor and leaned against the wall.
"I hate you. Both of you."
Alison saw one of the shards, which looked like a giant scalpel. Alison took the shard and placed it on her forearm.
"A cut. Ten centimeters lengthwise. And it would all be better."
Alison took the shard from her arm and laid it on her stomach.
"Or I'll stick this shard in my stomach and be rid of you." said Alison.
Now she noticed that her hand was bleeding profusely.
"Everything would have been fine without you. I wouldn't have had that argument with my mother. And she's drinking again. You're the worst thing that's ever happened to me."
Rita sneaks up to the house. She takes out a black hairpin and picks the lock. "Done! I can still do it." said Rita.
Rita sees Constance sitting in the living room from the corridor. She wrote in a book, and spoke what she wrote.
"I think I've hurt Alison's feelings. I love my daughter. But I feel and I'm sure I'm not a good mother. I've started drinking again. I've been sober for five years. This is a major setback. I can't undo what I said. But I have to support my daughter. I hope you don't make the same mistake."
"Alison isn't the only one who needs help." said Rita to herself.
She sneaked Up the stairs to Alison's room.
Rita slipped through the door, and towards Alison. She was sleeping. Rita noticed the piece of cloth with the bloodstains on it. She tried to look at Alison's right hand. When Rita touched the hand, Alison made a pained expression in her sleep. Rita shook Alison awake. Alison opened her eyes and was very startled.
"Don't scare Alison." said Rita.
"What are you doing here? My mother let you in?" Alison said.
"I snuck in."
"With all due respect to your efforts. But I just want to be alone." said Alison.
"Alison, your hand. Was that you?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I can't do it anymore. I can't do it anymore." said Alison and started to cry.
"What are you trying to tell me?" asked Rita.
"I don't know if I still want the child."
"Are you sure? I think you'll love it very much."
"My family is falling apart because of me and the child. My mother is drinking again. And when my father finds out, it's over between the two of them."
"Alison, it's not your child's fault. And you'll find that it's wonderful."
"Well, I have to accept that I'm pregnant. I hope this child doesn't make the same mistake I did."
"Would you like to come and rest at my house for a while?"
"I don't know."
"It's entirely your choice." said Rita.
"Okay. But we have to sneak out." said Alison.
Rita and Alison hear footsteps on the stairs.
"What have I done. To treat my own daughter like that. I belong in the closed institution." said Constance to herself.
"Let's get out of here quickly."
Alison looked around. She saw a round window.
"Rita, through the window." said Alison.
Rita opened the window and tried to jump through. She got stuck. Rita pressed her arms against the facade. Then she gave up.
"Jumping through that window was a horrible, horrible idea." said Rita.
"This is the most inopportune time." said Alison.
Alison pressed her back against Rita.
"That feels familiar." Thought Alison.
"Alison? Are you still awake?" the two heard Constance ask in the corridor.
She kept trying her shoulder and her left arm. Rita got free and fell about four meters. Alison jumped trough the window. Her glasses fell on the floor.
"Rita. I lost my glasses. Can you find them?" Alison asked.
"Yes. Here, I found her." said Rita, picking up the glasses. It was broken.
"Alison, its broken." said Rita.
"Oh shit. My spare glasses are up. You have to take my arm and guide me." said Alison.
"What? How nearsighted are you?"
"Very. I only see light sources now. And a few outlines." said Alison.
"Okay. Then, I'll lead you by the arm."
Rita hooked her left arm over Alison's right arm. The two ran off. Slow.
"Rita, only people I trust very well are allowed to do that." said Alison.
Rita and Alison arrived at the Louds' house. Rita led Alison onto the sofa and went upstairs to get the bandages. Rita followed and sat down next to Alison. She undid the rag that was wrapped around Alison's hand. The cut on her right hand was two inches long.
"Oh man. That doesn't look good." said Rita, and began to wrap the bandage.
"I'm angry about the whole situation. And I don't know how my mother will react when she finds out that I'm not home anymore." said Alison.
Alison yawned.
"Better sleep. You're pretty tired." said Rita.
"It's better. Rita, when I get up tomorrow you have to guide me. I only see light sources." said Alison.
"I will do that." said Rita.
Alison went to sleep. She slept relatively calmly. She dreamed everything from the day before. When she woke up in the morning, she felt her right hand. It wasn't a dream. She saw nothing. Alison only knew from the smell that she wasn't at home. She remembered. She was with the Louds. It was quiet. Alison clicked her tongue. She listened to the sound. The room was big.
"Rita? Are you there?" Called Alison.
Alison heard a door open.
"Yes I am here." said Rita, and ran towards Alison.
"Could you please take me to the bathroom?"
"Yes. Get up."
Alison stood up and Rita hooked her arm around Alison's arm. Rita led her up the stairs and into the bathroom.
"Here on the right is the toilet. You can do that yourself." said Rita.
"Yes, I think so." said Alison.
Rita left the bathroom. Alison finished. Rita heard Alison hit the wall a couple of times.
"Everything Okay?" asked Rita.
"Yes. Except I don't see anything." said Alison.
After a few minutes she heard the faucet and a thump on the door.
"My nose." said Alison.
The door opened. Rita hooked her arm back into Alison's arm.
"Do you want breakfast?" asked Rita.
"Hell yeah." said Alison.
Rita and Alison went down the stairs and Rita started making chocolate waffles in the kitchen. Then she handed the waffles to Alison. Alison started looking for the waffle on the plate and finally ate it.
"How do you think my mother will react when she finds out I'm not home anymore?" Alison asked.
"I don't know. But I expect bad things." said Rita.
Rita pointed to Alison's right hand. Then she remembered that Alison couldn't see that.
"How long would it take for your injuries to heal?"
"One month for sure. It's quite a cut."
"Is there a way to make it heal faster?"
"One month is optimistic. It will probably take longer."
Lori, Lucy and Lincoln come into the kitchen. On Lori's arm is Lily.
"Alison." said Lily happily.
"Hi Lily. Nice to hear you." said Alison.
Lily pointed in Alison's direction. Lori went to Alison and gave her Lily.
Lily kisses Alison on the cheek.
"Thanks Lily." said Alison.
"What's the matter with you Alison?" asked Lincoln.
"To explain that, I would have to tell a longer story than Lord of the Rings." said Alison.
Lucy looked at Alison. Lucy noticed that Alison really need glasses.
"Maybe Lisa still has a spare pair of glasses." said Lucy.
"Good idea. Let's ask." said Alison.
Rita hooked her arm back into Alison's arm and they ran up the stairs with Lucy. Lisa was in her room, standing in front of an ancient Macintosh.
"Lisa, do you still have spare glasses?" asked Rita.
"Should be in my drawer. Not sure if it's the same prescription Alison needs though." said Lisa.
Rita ran to a chest of drawers and took her glasses out of the drawer. She went back to Alison and put her glasses on.
"The goggles are tight. And undercorrected. But it's enough to be able to walk on my own again." said Alison.
"What about your mother now, what will she think?" asked Lucy.
"She will immediately assume that I am here. And she will come." said Alison.
Alison and Rita went into the dining room. Then the doorbell rang. Rita went and looked through the spy hole. It was Constance.
"Alison, in the dining room. Your mother." said Rita.
Alison nodded and ran into the dining room. Then he opened the door for Rita. Constance was holding two suitcases.
"Hi Constance. What are you doing here?" asked Rita.
"Don't play dumb." said Constance, showing Rita Alison's broken glasses.
"I know she's here."
Rita said nothing. Then Constance pulled out a glasses case and gave it to Rita.
"Here. She needs these badly. But you already know that. And these are clothes for Alison." said Constance, and handed Rita a suitcase.
"What about the other one?" asked Rita. "It's for me."
"Where are you going?"
"Regional Psychiatry."
"Why?"
"Rita, I was addicted to alcohol when I was in the police force. And now I've relapsed. Also, lately I've had less and less control over myself and because of the drinking, my husband is divorcing me."
"This is bad. Can I help you?"
"No. Yes, yes. I don't know if Alison wants to talk to me. Can you explain to her what I told you?" asked Constance.
"Yes I will do that."
"Thank you. Bye Rita. Please tell Alison I love her."
"I will." Rita said.
Constance walked down the street to a cab and got in. The taxi drove off.
Rita goes into the dining room. Alison sat on the floor and leaned against the wall. Lily was in her arms and hugging her.
"Alison? Are you okay?" asked Rita.
"Yes. Yes. I'm fine. Do you have my glasses?" Alison asked.
Her voice was calm. But Rita heard the shock. She took the spare glasses and put them on Alison. Alison looked at Rita.
"Is that a dream?"
"No."
Alison looked down. Then she looked at Lily. She kept silent. Lily hugged Alison a little tighter.
"It will take a very long time." said Rita to herself. End of Chapter seven