Chapter seven

Michelle stared away from the man putting clothes in a suitcase. she was sitting on their bed in her bathrobe staring off into space, a pensive mood on her face as her thoughts were far away from the big bedroom she had shared with her husband for fifteen years. While others are preparing for the Christmas celebration, her husband was busy packing for a work trip. Work trip my foot, Michelle thought bitterly knowing fully well where her husband was heading to. she had tried to get him to stay home at least for the sake of their little daughter who had been missing her daddy lately because he was always out for one work trip or the other, but being with his mistress was far more important than his daughter.

Michelle turned to look at the man, she has been with for several years and it felt like she was staring at a stranger. Michelle tried recalling when her marriage had gone to shit, and it came to her, the thought bringing with her a strong wave of sadness that she was once again reduced to tears. Ever since they lost their seven-year-old son, Marcus, to a hit and run things have never been the same. With her marriage, with her life, even her relationship with her daughter has also gone to shit.

I need a drink, Michelle thought leaving her husband to his packing.

The man watched his wife leave with a look of regret in his eyes. When their child died, he not only lost his son that day but he also lost his wife. He had tried everything he could to pull her off from her grief but she hugs very close to her chest like a baby acting like she was the only one that lost a child. Him to also lost a son, the man thought frustrated, tired of watching his wife act as if they were dead also, he can't remember the last time he had touched his wife, she was always giving one excuse or the other, and to make matters worse she had taken to the bottles always drunk and he can't take it anymore and he will be dammed if he spends his holiday in this house, he thought angrily putting his clothes into the suitcase in a forceful hurried manner.

Michelle went downstairs to the living to find herself a drink, she went to their wine cellar and opened the glassy cupboard to see the place empty. Bastard must have hidden the drinks somewhere she thought unkindly of her husband who has been telling her that she is becoming an alcoholic, but that wasn't through Michelle argued in her mind, even though she drinks in the middle of the day, she still knows her limit and so doesn't believe she is an alcoholic.

Michelle hurried down to the kitchen for some of the beer she keeps for her friends when they come over. she wasn't a beer drinker but at this moment she really needed a drink badly that she is willing to stomach the beer.

She flung the fridge open to see it empty she growled in her chest and walked out to confront her husband only to see him making his way downstairs dragging a small suitcase behind him.

"looking for a drink," as usual, Tony snide at his wife, throwing a distasteful look at her.

"Well if I am going to be stuck in this marriage with you, I need a drink to keep my sanity," she snapped back, glaring at her husband.

The two glared at each other for a while, both having a look akin to hatred in their eyes before the man looked away.

"Good thing I am leaving then, "Tony replied heading for the door.

"Fuck !, "Michelle screamed in frustration waving her pale long fingers through her shoulder-length silky brown hair.

Hurrying upstairs Michelle made it into their room, throwing together a trouser with a flowering top, not caring if they matched or not she headed downstairs. On her way she encountered her twelve years old daughter who had come out of her room hearing her parents raised voices, without sparing her a glance Michelle continued her way. "She is old enough to take care of herself, "she reasoned making it out the door.

Michelle went around the mini-mart picking alcoholic wines she selected about ten of them which she intends to hide beyond reach of her husband if the bastard actually makes it home. She exited the crowded mall, filled with Christmas shoppers, and made her way to her ash-colored SUV parked where she can easily come out.

She opened the passenger side dropping the bags she made it around to the driver's side. When she made it into the seat she leaned her head back and allowed her tears to fall as her thoughts filled with the boyish grin of her son. She missed him badly she thought picking up one of the bottles uncorking it right there in the car she took a huge swallow, feeling better as the hotness of the drink wash through her system. She continued to drink till the bottle was almost half when she decided to stop and finish at home. She started the car and revised out of the parking lot making her way home.

One minute Michelle was making her way home smoothly along the bridge leading to her home, the next minute she is swerving to dodge a head-on collision with a truck coming in opposite direction. Being a little bit inebriated her reflexes were not as sharp and she found herself losing control of her vehicle as it moved towards the edge of the bridge smashing through the barriers almost falling off.

Michelle screamed in fear, watching as if in a movie as her car tilted towards the edge, but mysteriously, Michelle found herself away from the edge, and then as if pushed the car was back to the edge. "What the fuck is happening," she thought in fright her heart racing at 200km/hr, her body filled with adrenaline, pumping the heart faster. She watched open-eyed as she nearly went over the edge and then was mysteriously saved again. Overwhelmed with the shock of what was going on, she succumbed to darkness.

Michelle opened her eyes scared that she was dead as everywhere appeared white, but the beeping sound of a monitor in the room made her realized that she was in the hospital. She moves her limbs testing out if anything was broken, before she allowed the room to come fully into focus, and right beside her bed was one of her best friends sleeping in a chair with her daughter sleeping peacefully beside her, with tear tracks lining her cheeks.

The sight of her daughter brought tears to her eyes, what had she done, she moaned painfully, in regret for neglecting her child. She had lost one child, but the way she acted, she might as well have lost both of them.

Her sniffing woke the sleeping duo.

"Mum, her daughter croaked in a sleepy voice rubbing her eyes before realizing that her mum was really awake. "Mum !, "she yelled in a slightly raised happy voice running in her mother's direction, where she flung herself into her arms, weeping.

"I was so scared mum, "she cried her voice filled with worry and fear as she wept harder.

Michelle clutched her child tightly to her chest weeping alongside her as she murmured softly to her.

"I am so sorry baby, "Michelle whispered, stroking her hand through the child's chestnut hair. "I am so sorry for the way I have been since your brother's death, sorry for neglecting you and had never considered your pain." She continued to murmur to her daughter as both of them wept.

Michelle freed her child a little when she moved to raise herself of her body.

"I forgive you, mum, "she heard her daughter mutter to her, and the tender look of love in those hazel green eyes a gift from her dad made Michelle weep some more as her daughter helped her dry it.

The woman, who have been sitting silently allowing mother and daughter a chance to reconnect, decided is time to interrupt, because she needed to ask her friend what the hell she was thinking drinking and driving knowing exactly how her son had died.

When the police had called her earlier on this afternoon to tell her that her friend was involved in an accident, she had almost slumped from the fear that gripped her if not for the strong grip of her partner on the waist that held her up. She had immediately rushed out of the house letting her partner stay home with their two children.

When she got to the hospital and learned that her friend was in no immediate danger just a few bumps that she only fainted, she had been overwhelmed with relief which switched to anger when she learned that she was drinking. She had tried to get her friend into seeing a grief counselor for the death of her son, but Michelle who has always thought to do it all alone had turned to bottles for comfort, almost pushing her friends away in the process.

The woman coughed to get the attention of the woman in the bed.

Michelle removed her attention from her daughter to look towards the woman in the chair, she wasn't surprised to see a pissed off look mixed with fear in her eyes, before the woman could open her mouth to ram into her, she gave her a sign, not here, while giving her a contrite look. She felt sorry for having scared her daughter and her friend the way she did.

A nurse came in to check her when she was done, satisfied that everything was alright she looked in the direction of the two visitors telling them that visiting hours were over. When it was related to her daughter that she needed to leave for a while she started crying.

"I don't want to leave mum, "she cried clinging to her mother.

Michelle looked in the nurse's direction begging with her eyes if she could make some exceptions.

The nurse's gaze flicked to the weeping child as she contemplated what to do before nodding her head for the child to stay, and then she walked out.

"Come up here baby, "Michelle whispered to her child making room for her on the hospital bed.

"I will see you tomorrow, " Sharon whispered to her friend as she stood beside her bed before leaning to kiss her forehead, "don't ever scare me like that again, " she murmured before heading towards where her friend's gaze followed her till she disappeared out the door.

it is been twenty-four hours since Michelle got home from the hospital, and she has yet to hear from her husband. The bastard wasn't even reachable, she thought unhappily, releasing a sad sigh at what her marriage has become. She wondered if it was still salvageable as she was stood in front of her balcony in a black simple dress listening as her three friends chatted behind her. They had just finished having dinner and we're relaxing with a drink, or rather her friends were.

After coming home from the hospital, Michelle has not been able to taste any drink as she has promised herself to change while lying on the hospital bed with her child in her arms.

"Have you been able to get hold of Tony?" Annabelle a red hair, one of her friends asked pulling Michelle out of her musing.

"Not yet, "Michelle whispered flatly, not turning to face her friends because she knew what she will see in their eyes, and she didn't want their pitying looks.

All three of her friends are in a loving committed relationship, which was what she and Tony were before everything went to shit, and now seeing her friends being all happy and doppy with their significant other she couldn't help herself feeling envious of them.

"What are you going to do?" Sharon asked staring at her friends back, she didn't want her being all alone for the new year and had already offered for her and Alex, her daughter to come to spend it with her family, but her offer was turned down I wonder if she will consider it now, she thought.

Michelle considered her friend's question, not knowing the answer to it.

"Why don't you join us at Sharon's place?" Kristen her third friend suggested.

Michelle turned in Sharon's direction asking "if that is okay with her?"

Sharon nodded her head happy that her friend has accepted to come and she wasn't going to be alone with her daughter on new year's eve.

"Thanks, "Michelle whispered softly.

For the past one hour Michelle has been wandering around socializing with her friends and family, her daughter off somewhere enjoying herself with Sharon's children who are a few years older than her, she had just stepped outside to receive some fresh air when Sharon had approached her with a smile and two glasses of champagne in her hand, which she offered one with a smile in her direction.

"The countdown is about to begin why don't you come inside, "Sharon said to her friend handing her a glass.

"Thanks, "Michelle muttered taking the offered glass, then followed her friend inside.

The count down began as they made their entrance, with everyone joining in to yell the number and the number one was screamed when the clock struck twelve and loud shouts of HAPPY NEW YEAR was echoed around the room, as people started jamming their glasses together as a sign of good wish.

While others drank from their glass, Michelle walked outside with hers, looking up to the full moon marking the beginning of a new year, Michelle took a vow to stop drinking and then she emptied the wine to the floor.