Chapter 8: Rock Bottom

First update in awhile. Been busy. I'm buying a macbook pro soon so grammer/spelling should improve.

Bombay bolted out of the hockey arena like it was on fire. There was something about those kids that made him feel very uncomfortable. Especially Charlie. He couldn't explain it.

Bombay scanned the parking lot for a large limo. Sure enough, Luis was there waiting for him. Bombay ran to the limo as fast as he could and climbed in the back seat.

Luis, who was reading a magazine, nearly jumped at the abruptness that Bombay entered the limo. Bombay learned forward as he tried to catch his breath.

Luis turned around in his seat. "Everything okay Sir?"

Bombay took a deep breath. Trying to relax. Nothing he did seem to work.

"Sir?"

Bombay nodded and Luis sunk back into his seat. "Where to now?" Luis asked. "I believe you have an AA meeting tonight at 7."

Bombay knew he had a meeting tonight. He just couldn't bring himself to go.

"Just back to my apartment," Bombay said finally after regaining his composure.

"But Mr. Ducksworth ..."

"Not tonight Luis. I'm not feeling very well tonight," Bombay lied.

Luis shrugged. "Whatever you say Boss."

Luis drove Bombay back to his apartment. Before leaving to go back to his own place, Luis asked, "When do you want me to pick up next?"

Bombay blinked. He wasn't thinking about tomorrow. After a moment, he replied, "Tomorrow. 8 am."

"I'll be there," Luis promised before he drove away.

Bombay rushed up to his apartment. He opened the door, tossed his keys on the counter and made a bee-line for the fridge. Normally Bombay liked to have a relaxing beer after work but this time he went straight for the vodka. He took a shot glass and poured himself a shot. And another. And another after that. After the 3rd shot, Bombay stared at the bottle, shrugged and down the remaining of the bottle.

Bombay lowered himself onto his couch when he noticed his answering machine was blinking. Two new messages.

"Hello Gordon. This is Jade Hall calling. Just letting your know that the meeting tonight has been moved to Thursday night at 7 pm. See you there."

Gordon sighed in relief. Going to an AA meeting was the last thing on his mind. He just wanted to forget.

"Mr. Bombay. This is Terrence Clark of Minnesota Pee-wee hockey league. We've had a complaint from multiple parents on your team..."

Bombay didn't want to hear it. He skipped the message. He would deal with that later. His skills as a lawyer would get him out of this mess. He was certain of that.

Bombay sunk back into his couch and stared at the wall filled with his diplomas from Eden Hall Academy, University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Bar Association.

Other then all of his achievements, the walls were bare. No pictures. No artwork. Nothing. Aside from the dishwasher full of dirty dishes, the condo looked like it was not even lived in. To tell the truth, it wasn't.

Absentmindedly, Bombay rapped his fingers against the coffee table. He looked at his watch. 6 pm. Bombay sighed. He knew he couldn't go to the bars like he normally would. Someone might see him. Bombay lied down on the coach and shut his eyes. Praying for sleep. He couldn't. He just started at the ceiling. Gordon looked at his watch again. 6:05.

"Five minutes?" Bombay muttered.

He got up and went into his liquor cabinet. This time he reached for a bottle of Jack Daniels. He poured himself a drink. He traced the glass with his fingers. The noise echoed though out the room. Bombay emptied the remaining bottle of whiskey. He stood in the middle of the living room. Waiting to feel something. Anything.

Bombay picked up a pillow and chucked it across the room in frustration. The alcohol would normally have kicked in by now so he wouldn't have to feel this way. Gordon felt empty inside. He had no real friends. His father was long dead. His mother was in a nursing home and didn't even know who he was. He had no one.

Bombay thought back to kids. They had friends. Family. They loved and were loved. Bombay grabbed a photograph of him and his dad and smashed it on the floor.

"Why?!" Gordon yelled at the now shatter photo frame. "WHY! Why did you have to go?"

Gordon was furious. He proceeded to drink the rest of the alcohol in the apartment. Nothing seemed to take the pain away. Bombay tore the apartment apart. It looked like a tornado went though it. Broken glass everywhere. The whole place reeked of booze.

Bombay dropped to the floor and started crying. He had not felt like this since his father had died. He felt truly alone. No one cared about him. Sometimes, he didn't even care about himself. Bombay had forgotten how to feel. Forgotten how to love.

The thought of suicide had crossed Bombay's mind. The pieces of broken glass tempted him from across the room. Before Bombay had a chance to attempt it, all the alcohol he had drank hit him at once. Instant drunk. Bombay tried to stand to make his way to the bathroom so he would puke. He only made it a few steps.

Bombay knew something was wrong. He was drunk before but never like this. He wanted to puke but couldn't. He reached for his phone and dialed Luis's number. He was amazed that he remembered it. Went to voice mail.

"Hello Luis. Gordon Bombay. I'm...not..not feeling well. I need you to come by and pick me..."

Bombay passed out. He didn't even hear the beep.

Casey Conway eyed her date from the across the table. Carter had been very quiet all night. The previous two dates he was lively and talkative. Tonight, he barely said a word. The waitress had approached them three times asking if they were ready to order. Each time Carter shook his head saying he needed more time. Casey, frustrated as ever, put her menu down on the table.

"Carter," she started. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He hesitated. "I'm just not hungry."

"Do you want to go somewhere else? Maybe a walk?" Casey suggested.

Carter smiled for the first time that night. "A walk sounds good."

Carter opened his wallet and took out two five dollar bills and handed them to the waitress. "We're done for tonight. This is for the drinks."

The waitress looked at the two of them suspiciously as she took the money. Casey got up and Carter helped her into her coat. "Let's go."

The two of them left the restaurant. Casey was furious. The sat there for almost 45 minutes without ordering a bite to eat. As soon as the two of them were alone, Casey started to lambast Carter. "What were you thinking? We sat there for what seemed like an eternity and ordered nothing. That was embarrassing."

Carter just stood there taking it. Casey starred at him and huffed. "Do you have anything to say?"

"Casey...I don't think this is going to work out." Carter looked at her. There was no nice way to say it but it was over. "Its just...I'm just starting out. I'm sure Charlie is a nice kid but I'm not ready to be a father. "

Casey felt her shoulders sink. Carter was a nice young man. Had a good job. Attractive. But no one wants a women with a kid. No one.

"I'm sorry." Carter offered. "I'll walk you home."

Casey snapped. "I'll walk myself home, thank you very much."

Carter sighed. He wasn't in the mood to fight someone he had just dumped. "Suit yourself." Carter got into his car and drove off.

Casey leaned against the cold pavement and watched another man walk out of her life. She made sure he was out of sighed before she started crying. It was only the third date and she was just getting to know him but it hurt so much that no one was willing to give her a chance because she had a kid.

After having a good cry for about 10 minutes, she straightened herself out and marched home. She considered calling a friend and going for coffee but decided against it. She didn't really feel like talking tonight.

When Casey got home, she found Charlie in the living room watching a North Star game on the television.

"Charlie," Casey called out. "Have you done your home work?"

"Yes Mom." Charlie called out.

"All of it?"

Silence.

Charlie turned off the television and walked into the kitchen. He could tell that his mother had been crying. Her mascara was not running but he could tell. He had seen that look on her face too many times.

"I guess we won't be seeing him around anymore."

Casey shook her head. She didn't want to talk to Charlie about it. Even though she never disclosed the reasons why she never had any long term relationships, deep down she knew that Charlie knew.

"Finish you homework Charlie. I want to see it completed before you go back to watching the game."

Casey gave him a look which meant no negotiations. "Alright Mom."

"That's my boy," Casey smiled though her tears as she watched her son do her homework. Charlie was a good kid. She didn't really mind raising him by herself. But Charlie deserved a father and she deserved a husband. She just didn't know where to look for him.