Fire and Fury - Book 2 COMPLETE.

Chapter 17 - Rollercoaster

It’s 3:14am according to my alarm clock and I’m just getting warm in my cold bed.  I can hear something down stairs, it’s a kind of rattling and slamming.  I must have left the window with the wind-chimes open for god sake. I sigh and untangle myself from the duvet, the cold of my room bites at my legs. I wrap my dressing gown around my body and plod tiredly down the stairs, I peer round the banister and see Glen raiding the cupboards muttering something under his breath.

I rub my eyes tiredly, hoping this is some kind of sleep riddled hallucination;  

“Glen, what the hell are you doing up?” I snap tiredly. I watch him as he stops for a second before turning back to what he was doing.

“I’m hungry. I need something to substitute...”  he grumbles over some food in his mouth, waving his hand dismissively at me.  

“For crying out loud. You woke me up, now you’re raiding my cupboards! Go to bed!”

“I’m starving.”

“You know what, I don’t care. Clear up and pay me back for whatever you eat.” I hiss, walking off upstairs in total disbelief at what I just witnessed. 

It’s still freezing as I get in bed and snuggle down into the covers, I can still hear the clattering of things down stairs.  I huff to myself and absentmindedly flick through my phone I find myself on Google looking up all the symptoms of detox. I've got so much to look forward to, anger, restlessness, mood swings. I’d rather hand him back to rehab, they’re more equipped to deal with this stuff. 

I can’t sleep.

Defeated and overtired I get out of my warm sanctuary and shuffle off downstairs, I see Glen sitting in the middle of the sofa shoveling spoonfuls of my favorite ice cream in his mouth.  He looks up at me and back to the TV as I sit on the single recliner across from him. 

“Are you just here to lecture me, it’s 4am.”

His eyes are narrow and jaw set as he looks at me from behind is glasses.

“For once, no. I can’t sleep.” I sigh, pondering the complications of speaking to him about the date situation, I don’t want to start an argument.

“Spit it out Evie. I know you, if there’s something you want to talk to me about just say it.” 

I hesitate but go on anyway; 

“We've got a past. We both know that. But that’s not going to get in the way of me helping you. It’s over.  I’m going to get tough, you've got to commit to this I’m not having you treating my house like a hotel. Do you rehab stuff, don’t raid my cupboards when you feel down in the dumps.  Don’t take your anger out on me just because I go out on dates.  We live separate lives now. Understand.” I snap, taking a deep breath. Studying his reaction; there isn't any, it’s just blank and emotionless.

“I know. It’s fine.” Then he looks away, back at the TV. I know him too, he's sliding his thumb and forefinger together. Anxiety control. 

** 

I’m awoken by the usual blaring of my alarm clock I hit it confusedly, stopping the irritating sound.  The last thing I remember was speaking to Glen downstairs, eating ice cream with him then not a lot more. I must have fallen asleep. Then why am I in my bed?   Thinking the worst I panic snapping my body almost in half, sitting bolt upright to assess the situation.   Thank god.  My chest deflates and I flop back, nothing happened he must have carried me up here.  

I wander downstairs, to be greeted by the same sight from the night before but he’s asleep this time, a blanket placed carelessly over him. Annoyingly the corner hangs off his shoulders, begging me to put it straight; ghastly OCD type nagging plagues my brain. I give into it, but as soon as my hand touches his shoulder he wakes up with a start his large hand grabbing my wrist in alarm.