Strangers in the Storm ✔

Chapter 28: Closest to Happiness

DAMIEN 

The entire world spun around as Damien tried not to miss the stairs underneath him. His brain was foggy, his vision blurred and his heart empty, but he followed it nonetheless.

The only thing he remembered was smashing the liquor cabinet and leaving his house. There were bright lights, too, and loud music. Then, empty streets, pain and whiskey.

At some point, he found himself in front of his father's house, but then remembered his father was in Shanghai. Somehow, he stumbled all the way to the other part of town until he ended up on Roxanne's steps.

"Be careful, will you?" Roxanne hissed as she pushed him up the stairs, but Damien couldn't see straight.

A gurgling sound left his lips, "Tryin'."

"Try harder." Roxanne pushed him.

A shrill female voice joined in, "Roxanne?"

Her hands left his back and he almost fell down.

"Mother." Roxanne's voice changed.

Bad. Bad. Bad. Damien thought as he reached for the fence and almost missed it. He would have turned around and introduced himself, but he knew he would fall down and break his neck.

"Who is this?" The female voice, which belonged to Roxanne's mother, asked.

Oh, fucking hell. Her mother was here. Damien tried to turn around and forced his eyes to stay open.

Roxanne took in a sharp breath, "Damien Douglas."

"Hello." Damien tried to wave, but he could barely see the woman and he was probably waving in the wrong direction.

"You." Roxanne grabbed his shoulders and shoved him away. "Upstairs. Now."

Damien nodded, "Yes, ma'-" He missed the step.

"Goddammit, Damien!" Roxanne shouted and held him up.

"What is going on?" Roxanne's mother asked in disbelief while Damien tried to climb up again.

Roxanne sighed, "His mother died yesterday and he's not handling it well. He needs to sober up before the funeral."

"Oh." Silence. "I'm going to work. I made pancakes."

Damien sniffed the air. Ah, that was the terrible, overly sweet smell that assaulted his nostrils.

"Thanks." Roxanne's hands ended up Damien's back again and she pushed him up until he was standing on regular floor, not stupid stairs.

He stumbled into her room, a very pink place, and fell on the bed, his world spinning to hell when his head hit the pillows. Damien swallowed the bile rising in his throat and sat upright.

"It's almost 6AM." Roxanne said. "I told Mona you're with me."

Damien nodded and grunted when the movement caused him pain, "So sorry."

Silence.

"You should take a shower." Roxanne mumbled. "It will sober you up. I'll get something for your hand. Do you need stitches?"

Damien shook his head from side to side.

Once again, he found himself staring into nothingness, a storm of emotions rumbling inside him. He failed. He failed everyone.

"I fucked up."

Roxanne stopped in front of the door and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Yes. Yes, you did. You fucked up. But that doesn't matter right now. We need to sober you up and get you ready. When do you need to be a functional person again?"