FicWad

BABETTE
Elodie and I had become closer then we ever were before. We were as thick as thieves were. Apparently she had heard me screaming and thought I had fallen or hit my head or something. Who knew that seeing your older sister having sex with her boyfriend in the shower could be such a bonding experience?

But a force darker than death and stronger than love was taking hold of Gerard more and more with every passing day. His drinking was getting worse and worse and I felt like there was nothing I could do to stop it. I tried my damnedest but nothing seemed to be working. He was becoming more reclusive, as if retreating back to his cave.

My phone started to ring and I picked it up to see it was Gerard.

“Babes, I have the best news ever.” He said excitedly. I hoped he had gotten a job. He had been searching for a while now, but the economy wasn’t in the best of shape and his “habit” was becoming expensive on his part.

“Lay it on me.” I said, a smile finding its way on my lips.

“I got hired by Cartoon Network.” He said eagerly. It took a moment for the words to sink it but when they did-

“Gerard that’s great! That’s fantastic!” I exploded. I would’ve been happier but he was slurring his words terribly and it was obvious that he’d already celebrated with the boys.

“I know! I’m coming over to celebrate. I’m in a cab right now.” He said, obviously happy with my reaction. I but my lip, but tried to keep my cool. Gerard drunk was not something I wanted to think about or deal with right now.

“Celebrate?” I asked slyly.

“Actually, I was hoping we could just hang out.” Gerard slurred earnestly.

“Oh, that’s great too.” I said, shocked.

“I’ll be over in a few minutes. I’ll see you then.” Gerard said before we hung up. I sat there, biting and chewing my lip compulsively as I worried away about Gerard.

But after a few minutes there was a knock at the door and my stress melted away. It was, of course, Gerard. But he looked sick. His skin was paler than usual and waxy looking. His eyes were blood shot and he was swaying. All I could think was that I was glad he had taken a taxi.

“Hey Babes.” Gerard said with a hiccup. There was a pause in which Gerard took the time to lean forward and throw up all over the floor. I jumped back in shock and disgust as Gerard stepped around it and collapsed into my arms.

“What’s with all the noise?” Elodie said, walking into the hallway in her pajamas. She looked us over and made a grossed-out face.

“Can you clean this up. Gerard’s really sick.” I asked pleadingly as I tried to shift under his weight. Elodie nodded and ran to get towels without uttering any snotty remarks or anything.

“C’mon Gerard.” I mumbled as I practically dragged him to the bedroom. I helped him into some pajamas and then into bed.

“Gerard…” I muttered sadly. I was so disappointed it hurt me. Gerard just closed his eyes and took deep, unsteady breaths.

“Is everything okay? Does he need anything?” Elodie asked, poking her head in door. I shook my head.

“No, I think he just needs to sleep it off.” I said as calmly as I could even though I was biting back tears. Elodie nodded and shut the door and Gerard and I were alone.

“I’m sorry…” Gerard muttered. I laid down next to him and buried my face in his chest.

“I just wish you would put a stop to this shit.” Was all I could manage to squeak out for fear that I might’ve burst into tears.

“I’m sorry but…” Gerard repeated, stroking my hair with weak fingers. I gripped his shirt with my fingers as a few tears slipped out.

“You scare me so much with this shit. I worry about you all the time.” I said, my voice cracking terribly.

“Don’t worry. Do you still love me?” Gerard asked impishly, sounding like a toddler fresh from time-out. I sighed heavily.

“I will always love you.” I admitted. As much as I wished I could use it against him, I simply couldn’t.

“I think I’m gonna be sick again.” Gerard said, leaning over to the wastebasket beside my bed. He heaved and gagged as I rubbed his shoulders comfortingly. He threw up twice and then rolled back over on the bed, wheezing.

“Gee, I think we need to go to the hospital. You look really sick.” I said, trying my best not to let my terror show through my voice.

“I think your right…” Was all he managed to struggle out.

I packed up duffel for the both of us and told Elodie what was going on. She wanted to come and be there for the both of us, but I refused. I didn’t know how long we’d be there or what would happen. As I drove frantically down the near empty nighttime streets, Gerard gagged, but nothing came up. Then he passed out and my heart began to run like a racehorse in my chest. I pulled up to the Emergency Room and sprinted up to one of the nurses in blue scrubs as quickly as I could.

“Help, it’s my boyfriend. He’s really sick.” I begged, leading her over to the car. She asked what happened and called for back up and I explained to her about his drinking.

“Do you know if he took anything else?” she asked as three more nurses came rushing out with a gurney.

“No…” my voice trailed off. It hadn’t even occurred to me that Gerard could’ve added something to this already deadly mixture. My dark thoughts descended into utter blackness.

“Come with us.” The nurse said as they wheeled Gerard passed a pair of double doors and into a small room filled with strange equipment.

“What are you gonna do to him?” I asked, my voice and body trembling with fear.

“We’re gonna pump his stomach. We think its alcohol poisoning.” Said the nurse. A shiver went through my entire being.

I took a seat over by the wall and watched in horror and fascination as they put a tube down Gerard’s throat and pumped liquid charcoal into his stomach through his mouth. Vomit came spewing out of his mouth, black and disgusting. They caught it in a bedpan. Soon they had to catch it in three, then six, and then I lost count.

After a long while he stopped heaving and they wheeled him into a room and put him in a bed. They hooked him up to an IV and a heart monitor and I was crying like a baby b that time. I knew he would’ve flipped a thousand shits if he was awake when the stuck him; he was afraid of needles. I feared he would flip when he woke up. Then they said he’d probably be sick later and to call if we needed anything.

I sat there, weeping into a soaked wad of tissues, feeling helpless. I called Elodie and told her what had happened and that we would be staying for a while. I also told her to come by tomorrow afternoon. Then I put some pajamas on from the duffel bag and crept into bed with Gerard very carefully, as to not disturb all the tubes sticking out of him.

And then I buried my face in his chest and cried.