heart strings

chapter 22

   Just in case any of you might be confused, Trina is roughly 6 years old.
Mark's POV
I was driving home from the airport. It was roughly 9:00 at night. My heart was thumping and I was jumpy. I excited and nervous to see Jack. I wasn't sure what would go down after that phone call. I turned down our street and pulled into the driveway. I figured Trina would be asleep. All of the lights were off except the bathroom light. I didn't think much of it at first.
"Jackaboy!" I whisper-yelled, trying not to wake Trina up.
There was nothing but silence.
Ok, maybe he's asleep?
No, he doesn't usually sleep.
I felt my heart slamming in my chest.
I was freaking out. I dropped all of my bags and sprinted upstairs to the bathroom. That's where he had to be. I had this never ending fear that one day I would come home to Jack dead. And I felt that this might be the time my fear came true.  I reached the bathroom door, shaking.
"Sean?" I asked timidly. I didn't get a response.
Shit, shit shit.
I slammed my whole body against the door and it crashed open. Everything happened in a blur. I looked down and saw Jack who was laying on the ground, sit up quickly and look at me dazed and confused.
Was he asleep on the bathroom floor?
I leaned against the door frame. I was so confused but mostly relived. I felt breathless and I laughed shakily. I glanced back down at Jack, overwhelmingly happy that he was alive. Except something was still off. I looked closer at him. He looked tired and dazed. His eyes were red and sunken in and he had tear stains all over his cheeks. Jack looked small, pale and fragile. Smaller than I've ever seen him before.
I felt the crazy relief drain away.
"Sean?" I asked again.
"Mhmmh?" he grunted.
I felt the sick feeling in my stomach come back. I heard footsteps pattering quickly down the hall.
Trina!
"Daddy, daddy, daddy!" she exclaimed as she jumped on me
I laughed, oh god how I missed her.
"Hey T! You miss me?"
She nodded, "I missed you thiiiiis much!" Trina stretched out her arms as far as they would go.
I grinned as I held her in my arms.
"You missed me a ton huh?"
Trina nodded and smiled.
I looked back over a Jack. He was slowly getting up. Trina noticed him and light up.
"Hi daidi!" She exclaimed.
Jack cracked a tired smile. In a hoarse voice he said, "Hey T."
Trina looked at him closer and got confused. I jumped in.
"Daidi is a little sick but I'm here now and I'm going to make him all better ok? now you need to get back to bed small one."
"I'm not that small!" She exclaimed. I smiled tiredly. Trina waved bye to Jack and I walked with her back to her bedroom. After I tucked her in, I walked back to the bathroom and leaned against the door. Jack was splashing his face with cold water.
"Sean, what the fuck happened?" I asked, slightly angry.
"Mm nothign." He slurred.
Great, he was fucking hammered. I sighed in irritation. I bent down and grabbed the bottle of Vodka that was sitting by the door.
At least he didn't relapse and at least he isn't dead.
"Let's get you to bed."
"Nno."
"YES."
I walked him to our bedroom and laid him in the bed.
"Maaarck? Whend you get heere?" Jack asked. I guess he was coming around.
"Shut your face." I said as I pulled the covers up. "And get to sleep properly."
And Jack was out like a light.
I slowly closed the door and rubbed my eyes. I figured I'd sleep in my office tonight. I walked down the hall and opened the door to what I thought was my office, but it was Jack's. My eyes widened. The placed looked like a huge tornado went through it. Stuff was broken and thrown all over the place. A couple bottles of liquor were smashed on the walls. I slowly stepped in. There was a picture of the two of us on the ground.
I remember that day. It was our first date together in person. And it's broken.
I felt a crippling sadness as I picked up the photo, but to my surprise, it wasn't broken. It seemed that it was the only object that wasn't broken. I smiled tiredly at the photo.
Maybe we'll be alright. We can withstand just about anything.
Nothing can break our heart strings.