The Ways in Which I Die (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER 13: "I MESSED UP"

CAROL

“Mommy,” Harley pulls on the corner of Carol’s shirt tugging her attention away from the book she’s reading.

“What do you want sweetie?” She asks setting the book down on her knee.

“Uncle Anthony is at the door.”

“He’s what now?” she chokes, rising out of the chair. The last time they’d seen him was when he’d testified against Stane in the sexual harassment case.

James had given her all the details of their falling out, and she really hadn’t expected to see Anthony again, and definitely not this soon. “Wait in here buddy, I’m gonna go see what he wants.”

“But I haven’t seen him in forever! ” Harley whines and tries to follow her.

“Well, I need to talk to him first,” Carol says sternly, she knows there’s a good chance Anthony’s drunk.

Harley rolls his eyes and throws himself down in the closest chair with an angry huff. Carol stows down the hallway to the door, mentally preparing herself for whatever conversation she’s about to have with her husband’s best friend.

“What are you doing here Anthony?” Carol says opening the door. She can’t help the small pang that twists in her stomach as she takes in Anthony’s sad disheveled state. He has dark bruises around his neck and on his face and cut that’s been neatly stitched on his forehead.

“Is James here?” he asks hopefully.

“No, he’s still at work. Why didn’t you check there first?”

“Because I didn’t want to show at his office…”

“Drunk?” Carol finishes for him. It’s obvious he’s drunk, she can tell easily by the way he’s extra fidgety and his telltale “I’m Drunk” squint.

“Yeah…”

“And you thought coming here was a better idea?” Carol says skeptically. “Around Harley?”

“I’m sorry,” Anthony chokes, and his shoulders slump even further which Carol didn’t even know was possible. “I just messed up and I… I shouldn’t have come. I’m sorry.”

Carol sighs. “Anthony, wait.”

“No, it’s fine,” he mumbles as he stumbles down the steps that lead to the doorstep. She can see the swaying of his body, looks like he is a bit dizzy.

“Anthony!” Carol calls after him. “Wait.”

He stops and turns around to face her again. The lack of hope in his eyes physically pains her.

“James should be home soon. I’m sure he’ll want to see you,” she says as gently as she can. “You can take a nap in the guest bedroom if you’d like. Sleep off some of you drunkness? Or that paleness of yours?”

“No, I should go. Harley doesn’t need me around.”

“Harley will be fine,” Carol says stubbornly. “Quit trying to escape just. I’m not going to bite your head off or anything. You’re still my friend, I’m just a little mad at you for disappearing and not talking to us for ages.”

“I don’t want to impose-”

“Anthony, you literally slept on our couch for months before you moved in with Sunset. You’re fine to come in and take a nap until James gets home,” Carol states. She wishes he’d continued sleeping on their couch and that he’d never moved in with Sunset. She has no doubt in her mind that the woman is the reason behind how beat up he is.