Chapter 4

“A girl’s gotta offer to help,” she boomed and winked. “Hey, you don’t look so good. Sit down a minute while I put the knives on the right side of the plates.”

I sat. The room was circling the drain, and I giggled, then burped, then realized I was going to be sick.

“Rum,” I burbled and groped my way back to the kitchen. Behind me, Eve shut the door, muting the conversation from the living room, which was probably just as well. Eve held my arm and guided me to the sink.

“Well, fuck,” she said as I puked all over, missing the sink entirely.

“Iss just rum,” I said.

“No, honey, you’re vomiting blood.” She handed me a dish towel and quickly turned off the burner under the beans. “You’re going to the ER, sweetie. Do you have an ulcer or cancer or anything?”

“Do I what?” Then I looked at the towel. “Fuck,” I repeated and realized that whatever it was, I was about to deal with it on the floor.