Her addiction II

Sarah looked at the time. Surely it couldn't already be 2.34 a.m. Like every club on an end month weekend, it was packed and sweaty. The heat in the room was making her more drunk than she already was. At least she thought it was. She knew if she got any more intoxicated, she would start driving towards her heart's direction and she knew that was a bad idea. A terrible idea in fact.

She needed a breath of fresh air. She needed to sober up. She reached into her purse. Grabbed a cigarette and her phone and stumbled through the crowd towards the parking. She took a deep breath. You could always find fellow smokers in the parking. It's where they hang out to clear their minds with nicotine. She smiled at a fellow smoker, he leaned in, helped her light her cigarette and then went back to his own thoughts. No need for verbal conversation. No one wanted it anyway.

She looked around. There was a couple, directly in front of her, trying to hide their mistakes behind some car. Or maybe the needed the support of the adjacent wall. The girl clung on clumsily to her 'man'. Her legs trying to wrap around him unsuccessfully. Her moans sounding more like a tortured farm animal than a sexy goddess. The guy groped drunkenly about her. Like he needed to find treasure quickly in the dark. And maybe he did. Who knew what he had to get back to or what he was running away from. She watched them eat at each other for a while then leaned back on the car behind her and took another drag of her guff.

Another couple stumbled past her. The girl could barely stand. She could barely hold her limbs to her body. She stopped a few steps away and threw up her whole life on the streets. There was no shame in hospitals...or in bars. The drugs always take you over. Always. She winced. Not out of disgust. But out of pity. They headed towards a taxi. You didn't need to be a genius to know the girl's night may have just ended. But the guy's....his was just about to take a turn for the better...hopefully. He bundled her into the back seat and jumped in after her. That taxi man was going to have an interesting night. She mused to herself. The phone beeped its last dying breath. Thank God. She couldn't make any regretful phone call today. 2.46 a.m. It was time to go home.

Her best friend came stumbling out of the crowd. Her clothes clung to her like they'd been painted there. No one had Mindy's style. No one even got what Mindy's style was. "My ride's here" She always referred to her husband as her ride. He was from another company shin dig that Mindy had long since refused to attend. She never quite told him that she stopped attending because his boss had hit on her. Mindy really wanted her husband to keep his job. He was great at it. And if it meant him getting a little pissed because she did not attend some event or other, then so be it. Mindy grabbed the cigarette from her mouth and took a drag "Your purse is safe. Call when you get to safety" She smiled and staggered towards her husband.

She looked back into the club. She missed him terribly. Much more than she was willing to admit. They hadn't spoken since they "took time off". That man would be the death of her. One last drag and it was time to crush this night. She grabbed her purse, said the expected final goodbyes to an assorted group of acquaintances and strangers and squeezed her way back to clarity.

3.58 a.m. A text came in. "Can I come in for coffee?"
She rolled her eyes. Her whole body, her mind, the pit of her very soul, said Hell, no. However her fingers; "How far away are you?" She cursed loudly at her phone. How did her phone get charged? Where was her mind when she was switching on her phone? She rolled out of bed into the bathroom. Her head had developed a audible buzz in her sleep. She was sure he would hear it when he came in. Damn his hold on her to hell. She widened her eyes in the mirror. They had the clarity of way too much gin. Maybe a shot of tequila. She brushed her teeth and tried to look decent. She couldn't imagine why she tried. At this hour, he was not even going to notice.

She sensed him long before he got to the door.

"Hey beautiful?" There was that impossible smile.
She smiled back. Yes, this man would be the death of her. Then she let him in.