Blessings ; George Weasley

Forty

You know what the worst part about seeing my mother was?

That it actually felt nice to feel like I had a mum again. Now I need to recover after that,

-

"I need you to behave today." I told Malcolm as I helped him clean up his living room.

He had called me early in the morning, drunk. He told me he had thrashed the entire living room and hallway but that he couldn't remember doing so.

I didn't believe him.

Of course he remembered.

When Malcolm didn't answer, I looked at him. He couldn't even stand straight. He was obviously still drunk.

"This isn't a good idea." I sighed. "You're gonna disappoint her."

"What?" He frowned. "I'm going! I'll be there—"

"No." I cut him off. "You're not showing up to support our daughter while drunk. Who do you think you are?"

Malcolm laughed.

"If I'm not showing up, then neither is he!" He argued. "He's not gonna be playing dad with my girls. I won't have it."

Malcolm reached for the bottle of whiskey on the side table in the living room that I hadn't noticed before because of the wrecked living room.

I marched over and grabbed it from his hand, causing him to sigh as he threw his head back against the wall.

"At least George's not drinking like this." I said. "He always shows up and he's not even their dad..."

"I always show up."

I laughed.

"You also show up drunk. Elsie is embarrassed of being with you in public when you're like this!"

"Don't say that..."

"You know, sometimes I wish you weren't their father. I wish—"

"Don't you dare!" His voice boomed through the room, making me jump. "Do not say you'd rather he was their dad! Say it and I will..."

He gritted his teeth and I raised my eyebrows.

"You will what? Hit me?"

"...no." He breathed. "Dahlia I wasn't going to say that. I don't hit you."

"No... not anymore." I shrugged, walking towards the kitchen with the whiskey and Malcolm followed me.

"I visited Jeremy in Azkaban yesterday." He said, causing me to pause for a moment before I started pouring the whiskey into the sink. "Oh c'mon... don't do that. I promise I won't drink it."

"Why'd you visit him?"

"He's my brother."

"He molested our daughter."

"He's sick. He needs help."

I laughed.

"You sure as hell know everything about being sick." I said. "Don't fucking defend him."

"I'm not."

I took a deep breath.

"So you started drinking yesterday because of Jeremy? Or what..."

"He told me exactly what he did to Leah." He said and I paused again. "I can't get his words out of my head. Leah must've been so confused. Her own uncle... he—"

"Don't! I don't want to hear it."

Malcolm leaned against the kitchen island, his eyes digging into my back.