Say Something by Salice Rodgers Page A
Authors: Salice Rodgers
crazy bitch .
During my quick drive home, I recall what I heard Marshall say on the phone. I wonder what he does for a living. Is he a cop? I am sure with all those tattoos they would make him cover them up. From the conversation I overheard, he must be the boss of something.
When I pull in the driveway, I see Taylor still hasn't left. She came yesterday and asked if she could stay with me to sober up. I love her and we have been best friends since grade school, but she chose the wrong path in life.
Walking through the front door, I drop my keys on the table beside the door.
“Taylor!”
“In here!” She yells from the living room.
“Are you hungry?”
“No.”
I walk to the kitchen and grab a TV dinner out of the freezer. Another down side from working late. I eat more frozen food or food at Frank's than I do a home cooked meal. When I walk in the living room Taylor is laid across the floor on her stomach with tears running down her face. I lay my food on the table and immediately run to her side.
“Oh my goodness, Taylor, what is going on?”
“You don't have any liquor!” She sobs into the floor.
“Uh, well that would be because I don't drink, Taylor.”
“Joslynn, I need a drink!”
“Clearly you don't. I thought the whole reason of you coming here was to sober up?”
“I feel sick, Jos, like my insides are just turning all around.”
I sigh and walk back to the kitchen. I don't want to deal with this. I just want to fall across my bed and go to sleep. It has been a long day. I get her a glass of water and grab a blanket from the closet on my way back to the living room. When I walk back in she is still in the floor.
“Here, Taylor, drink some of this.”
Once she is sitting up, I help her shaky hands hold the cup to her lips as she takes a drink. When she is finished, I wrap her in the blanket and pull her to my chest.
“Remember when we were kids and my brother would steal our Barbie’s? Funny how then we thought it was the end of the world and it was the worst thing that could possibly happen to us. Now look at our lives.”
“You need to go to the hospital, Tay. I love you, but I can't be here 24/7 to take care of you.”
She shakes her head and moans. “I don't want to be in a hospital.”
“I will come see you and stay with you as much as I can. I promise, but I am scared to leave you here alone.”
“You promise you won't leave me?” She asks.
“You are my best friend, Taylor. I will love you until the end of time, but I would never be able to live with myself if I came home from work and you were hurt or worse because I don't know how to take care of you.”
“I don't want to go... but it hurts all over, Jos, and all I want to do is cry and give up and just go have that drink. But I feel like I am missing so much of life.”
“You are, sweetheart, you are. C'mon let's get you showered and I'll take you to the hospital.”
“O...kay.”
I help her stand and take her to my bathroom. We have been friends for so long that helping her shower is just like two friends in the bathroom getting ready for a night on the town. I hate that I can't take care of her, and I don't know how. However, there is no way I would be okay with myself if I let her stay here and something worse happened.
When she is showered and ready, I drive her to the local hospital. They check her in and tell me that I can come back tomorrow during visiting hours to see her. It's going to be a long and tough road, but I know they will be able to help her become the little girl who promised to keep me safe when my father wanted to hurt me. She would always say that no matter how many times he came to her house looking for me, I would never have to leave with him if I didn't want to. She would hide me until he gave up and passed out somewhere.
Chapter Three
Waking up the next day I
During my quick drive home, I recall what I heard Marshall say on the phone. I wonder what he does for a living. Is he a cop? I am sure with all those tattoos they would make him cover them up. From the conversation I overheard, he must be the boss of something.
When I pull in the driveway, I see Taylor still hasn't left. She came yesterday and asked if she could stay with me to sober up. I love her and we have been best friends since grade school, but she chose the wrong path in life.
Walking through the front door, I drop my keys on the table beside the door.
“Taylor!”
“In here!” She yells from the living room.
“Are you hungry?”
“No.”
I walk to the kitchen and grab a TV dinner out of the freezer. Another down side from working late. I eat more frozen food or food at Frank's than I do a home cooked meal. When I walk in the living room Taylor is laid across the floor on her stomach with tears running down her face. I lay my food on the table and immediately run to her side.
“Oh my goodness, Taylor, what is going on?”
“You don't have any liquor!” She sobs into the floor.
“Uh, well that would be because I don't drink, Taylor.”
“Joslynn, I need a drink!”
“Clearly you don't. I thought the whole reason of you coming here was to sober up?”
“I feel sick, Jos, like my insides are just turning all around.”
I sigh and walk back to the kitchen. I don't want to deal with this. I just want to fall across my bed and go to sleep. It has been a long day. I get her a glass of water and grab a blanket from the closet on my way back to the living room. When I walk back in she is still in the floor.
“Here, Taylor, drink some of this.”
Once she is sitting up, I help her shaky hands hold the cup to her lips as she takes a drink. When she is finished, I wrap her in the blanket and pull her to my chest.
“Remember when we were kids and my brother would steal our Barbie’s? Funny how then we thought it was the end of the world and it was the worst thing that could possibly happen to us. Now look at our lives.”
“You need to go to the hospital, Tay. I love you, but I can't be here 24/7 to take care of you.”
She shakes her head and moans. “I don't want to be in a hospital.”
“I will come see you and stay with you as much as I can. I promise, but I am scared to leave you here alone.”
“You promise you won't leave me?” She asks.
“You are my best friend, Taylor. I will love you until the end of time, but I would never be able to live with myself if I came home from work and you were hurt or worse because I don't know how to take care of you.”
“I don't want to go... but it hurts all over, Jos, and all I want to do is cry and give up and just go have that drink. But I feel like I am missing so much of life.”
“You are, sweetheart, you are. C'mon let's get you showered and I'll take you to the hospital.”
“O...kay.”
I help her stand and take her to my bathroom. We have been friends for so long that helping her shower is just like two friends in the bathroom getting ready for a night on the town. I hate that I can't take care of her, and I don't know how. However, there is no way I would be okay with myself if I let her stay here and something worse happened.
When she is showered and ready, I drive her to the local hospital. They check her in and tell me that I can come back tomorrow during visiting hours to see her. It's going to be a long and tough road, but I know they will be able to help her become the little girl who promised to keep me safe when my father wanted to hurt me. She would always say that no matter how many times he came to her house looking for me, I would never have to leave with him if I didn't want to. She would hide me until he gave up and passed out somewhere.
Chapter Three
Waking up the next day I
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