Dabbling in Danger

Visitation

Malina

I can't believe I'm doing this shit. I can't believe-

"Adeen Hutchinson," calls the receptionist.

Both Adeen and I's heads snap to the left to look at the woman. Adeen rises from his plastic chair slowly, then walks over to the desk.

"You're going to walk all the way down this hall, go through the double doors that I'll buzz open once you get down there." The woman sneezes then continues on, "Take that first left then a right and you'll come to a door with a sign over it that says, rec room, that's where she'll be."

Adeen nods, "thank you."

He starts to walk down the hall, but comes to a stop and looks back at me, still sitting. He nods at me and I begrudgingly jump to my feet and stomp over to him. He tries to say something, but I ignore him and wait at the doors.

We get through the doors after a solid five seconds of listening to the door's lock system screech because it gets stuck.

Then going into the rec room, I felt like I was in the movie, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Every one is dressed in these light powderpuff yellow sweatsuits and meandering around the room. There's a sprinkle of normal dressed people, but I think those people are visitors like us.

I feel like I'm going to vomit, I'm beyond uncomfortable.

Glued to Adeen's hip as he looks around for Tiana, she approaches from behind with a humongous smile.

"Hi!" Squeals Tiana.

Adeen turns in a flash and embraces his wife.

He pulls back to see her and a hand goes to his head.

"Tiana!" Adeen says, baffled. "You look so good, this is what a month of sobriety looks like?"

She just giggles abashedly and Adeen pulls her into another embrace.

I wish I could melt to the floor and disappear through the cracks. When Tiana finally looks at me she has tears in her eyes.

"Malina," she croons.

Unsure of what to say I give her the best smile I can muster.

"Oh sweetie I am so sorry," she's pulled me into a hug and now weeps on my shoulder. "All those years I was so neglectful and uncaring toward you and I'm so sorry."

I link an arm around her and pat her on the back.

She's gained weight, probably eating real food again instead of feeding on liquor. Her face is super oily too, she looks weird, like dazed. I wonder if they've got her on some sort of drug. Oh joy, will this form into another addiction?

A few minutes of standing around in here and I'm starting to get creeped out by the zombie like people aimlessly walking about.

"Ooh! Let's go to the little library, it's a lot quieter," Tiana says.

We follow her lead down more hallways and through more doors to a quaint room full of shelves stacked with books.

"If any of us look off to you,"Tiana announces. "It's the medication we've been put on, helps with the detoxing process I guess. It just makes me feel sluggish and fiending for sweets," she laughs a little.

Tiana and Adeen sit together on a love seat, I'm pissed so I duck off behind a shelf trying my best to keep it together.

She thinks she's so fucking slick! She's doing what she always does, screws up majorly then butters you up with apologies and a new found persona. And Adeen's no better! Entertaining this shit, for what!? So her feelings aren't hurt, because she got "better?" I bet as soon as she gets home she'll be drunk off her ass in no time!