Page 14 of Life Blood
“You don’t mean that,” he blew me off, “Go call the hospital, check on your mom.”
I held my tongue and went to check on mom. Hopefully, by the time I was done with her, David would be steady enough to drive himself home.
I pulled my cell out of my backpack, and it rang before I could dial the hospital. “Brown’s Bar?” I seethed. “Damn it, mom!”
“This is Elle,” I answered dryly. “Is she there, Max?”
“She’s here. She’s in the same clothes she was wearing last night, but she has a hospital bracelet on. I can only assume that’s not a good thing. Want me to cut her off?” he asked.
“You assume correctly. When does your shift end?” I was gripping my phone so tightly I could have crushed it.
“In about ten minutes,” the daytime bartender replied.
“You cutting her off isn’t going to do any good if you’re almost off. Who’s the bartender tonight? Please don’t say—”
“Billy.”
“Shit! Thanks anyway. Now that she’s there, I won’t be able to get her out.”
“Sorry, Elle.”
“Not your fault, Max. Thanks for calling.”
I looked at David, fully prepared to take my frustration out on him.
“My mom just checked herself out of the hospital after almost killing herself last night, and she went right back to your dad’s goddamn bar!” I planted both hands on my hips, “Get out. Just get out of my house, my life, everything. Get out!” I shouted.
“Whoa! Your mom’s problems aren’t my fault,” he said, holding his hands up.
“No, they’re not. They never have been and never will be. And you know what, I’msick and tiredof being the only person who’s held accountable for shit around here. You come and go as you please, being thesecondmost unreliable person in my life next to the alcoholic waste-of-space I get to call my mother. If she wants to drink herself to death, fine! I’m done trying to save her.
“And as for you, I can do bad all by myself. I don’t need you around to screw things up more than they already are. I don’t need any more chains around my neck. I’m done with her, and I’m done with you.” I pointed at the door, “For the last time, getout!”
“You’re having a moment, I’ll leave so you can just chill.”
“Tell me tochillagain, and I’ll punch you in your other eye!”
“Good Lord, Ellie,” David stomped past me and out the door, “Call me when you clear your head.”
“Don’t hold your breath for that call, and don’t call meEllieever again. That name is reserved for the people I love. Guess how many of those people there are, by the way?” I snapped my fingers above my head and smiled, “Ah-ha, you guessed it, none. No one. Now, get out!”
“You’ve lost it.”
“Yep!” I said, choking back tears.
David eyed me one more time before he got the hint and slammed out of the house.
I locked the door behind David just as I heard my cell phone began to ring again.
What now!
When I saw the caller ID, I was relieved.
“Jen, thank God!”
“Elle, you’re not gonna believe this. I…I—” Jen rambled almost incoherently. She sounded like she’d been crying.
“What’s going on? Is everyone okay?” I could hear her voice trembling on the other line. “Jen!”
