𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘿𝙪𝙤 ; 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙗𝙮 [ BOOK 2 ]

TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE; DANCE MONEY

The consequences of drug abuse overwhelmed Caroline like a tonne of gravel, pinning her to the dirt like yesterdays news. The drugs took over her mind, drove her body to unconscionable acts of depravity, doing anything to attain her next hit. The drugs decomposed her like a walking corpse, meat on bones, ready to be nailed into a coffin and swallowed by darkness.

She moved for more despite her brain protesting, as if her actions had became severed from her thoughts. Her hands moved to prepare the dose while, with the battle lost, she began to create reasons for the behaviour being alright.

"I deserve." Caroline cut herself off with a sob. "I deserve to feel one more hit before I go home."

With one large snort came one large blow. Almost suddenly, Caroline flew back and landed on the carpet with a thud that surely alerted the hotel staff, but she didn't care. Her dreary eyes flickered back and forth, and in her state of mind, she called out for Thomas to help her up, only to realise that he was long gone and she was even further from her children.

Red hot tears ran down her face, each one carving furrows on the tender flesh that still
stung from her mother's slaps, scars that marred her once beautiful face. Her breath hitched eventually, after she stopped yearning Tommy's name. Life had dealt her so many wrong cards. Why couldn't she just hit the ultimate package of loyalty and commitment?

When the door knocked, Caroline choked on her wails, gurgling in tears that had trickled down from her cheeks and into her mouth. With all her might, she desperately clasped the carpet as an attempt to pull herself up, and once she was barely on her feet, she staggered towards the door, still having the whit to keep her gun in her shaky hand whilst the other opened the door to reveal a face she thought she'd never see again."

"You're on a downward spiral, Caroline." Oscar briskly moved past her with a faint frown.

Caroline's whispered, wide eyed. "Because you left me."

Oscar eyed the room distastefully. "In your awful state, maybe it was for the better."

"I-"

"You're in your mid twenties  - a grown woman nonetheless, with children who heavily depend on you. Shouldn't they be enough to keep you going? Especially my orphaned daughter?"

Caroline swallowed and nodded, walking closer towards Oscar who stood tall. "I love them dearly, but I'm a mess, Oscar, drugs or not."

Oscar folded his arms. "And why have you fell so low, sister? All because of a man who doesn't deserve your love?"

"It seems that way." Caroline's lower lip jittered. "I adore him, but my already shattered heart was in his hands and he dropped it, several times."

"You're a disgrace."

Once Caroline had whipped around in surprise, he continued to speak arrogantly. "I didn't raise no daughter of mine to be so fucking weak. How dare you not only bring shame on this family, but yourself for relying on peaky scum."

Her face fell to see her father with a blanket in his arms, rocking the contents back and forth gently. "Father, is that my baby?"

"Stress induced by Thomas killed this baby." Billy scowled. "And still, you love him. How shallow could you be?"

Oscar stood by Caroline's side. "We didn't choose to fall in love with the wrong people. I'm sure mother regrets marrying you."

With a free hand, Billy pointed a large finger with a sneer. "I've had enough of your cheek, boy. My marriage didn't dwindle me into a pile of bloody cocaine!"