Page 75 of Mine For The Winter

“Yeah, she is. But if I want to talk to her during the day, I’m gonna need some help getting her away from the bar and to somewhere quiet.”

“Okay, tell me what you need and I’ll do it. Or we’ll all do it. Just say the word.”

And this was why he loved his brother. And his whole family. “Thank you,” Kris said, a smile finally pulling at his lips. “I appreciate it.”

19

Kelly, age 22

Lyle was drunk again. It was happening more often than it wasn’t. His way of coping since he lost his momma five months ago. They’d caught the cancer too late and Kelly and Lyle had been with her as she slowly slipped away. Lyle hadn’t been the same since.

And she felt for him, she did. If she lost her dad she didn’t know what she’d do. Maybe that’s why she was still here. Watching the door as he stumbled in and leaned against the jamb, his face red from the whiskey and whatever else he was on.

“Hey.” She looked up from her book. “I thought you’d be home earlier.”

“I lost track of time.” Okay, he wasn’t that drunk. At least he could talk this time.

“You want to head up to bed?” She slid a bookmark between the pages and put her book on the coffee table. “I’m beat.”

“Yeah.” His eyes weren’t focusing properly. “By the way, Kris is back.”

Her heart did a little clench. She’d barely heard from him all year. He’d come back for Lyle’s mom’s funeral but had left right after the service ended. It was like he was avoiding her and she hated it.

“He okay?”

“Why’d you want to know?” Lyle asked, tipping his head to the side.

“I was just wondering.” Lyle had started to get jealous when she’d mention another guy. Every time she talked about a guy at the bar he’d grill her until she felt like she was wrung out.

“He’s fine.”

“Good.” She nodded.

Lyle didn’t say another word. Just turned and headed down the hallway. A moment later she heard him stumble on the stairs and mutter an oath. With a sigh, she stood and walked to the tiny kitchen and filled up a glass with water, then grabbed the painkillers from the medicine cabinet.

She and Lyle had been living together for six months now, right after his mom got the diagnosis. He’d begged her to move in with him. He’d been so sad about his mom that she’d agreed.

The drinking had started in earnest after his mom had moved into the hospice center in Marshall’s Gap. But to be fair, he’d always drunk a little more than anybody else. It had increased slowly, getting worse each day. And by the time she realized he had a problem, she was in too deep.

She heard Lyle crash into something overhead. Their bed, probably. When she got up there she’d have to help him out of his clothes and under the covers. She was tired of it. She needed to stop him. But she was so afraid he’d do something stupid. Because when he wasn’t drunk he was sad.

All the time.

Something had to give, though. She pressed her lips together and pulled her phone out, running her finger along the screen until she found Kris’ number. The last time she’d sent him a message was after the funeral, just to check that he’d gotten home okay.

Yes, all good. Take care of him for me. – Kris.

She swallowed hard and pressed her finger on the screen to bring up the keyboard, typing quickly because she needed to get upstairs to help Lyle.

I heard you’re back in Winterville. Are you around this week to talk? I need some advice. – Kelly.

If anybody knew what to do about Lyle, Kris would.

It took a minute for his reply to flash up.

Sure, I’m free tomorrow if that works. Everything okay? – Kris.

No. It wasn’t. Everything was far from okay. But maybe, just maybe, with Kris’ help, they could turn this thing around.

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