Driven

Ch 19

Leslie's P.O.V.

"Leslie, next meeting in room 31" Theo says as I frown.

"Why did you take them to the other side?" I ask as I shift, stuffing everything I need in my bag.

"I don't know we were just talking as we walked and by the time I noticed we were already this far back." He responds as I just sigh in response.

"Ok, I'm on my way" I say before hanging up.

I sprint across the clean floors the scent of bleach and clean sheets hitting me as I rushed along. Why did I buy such a huge building, I'm going to need to get buggy to get from one meeting to another soon. I skid to a stop just around the corner from my conference room before taking a deep breath to calm down before walking down to the meeting room. When I walk in I'm surprised to see Theo sitting there smirking, "What? Wait where is everyone else?" as he snickers in response.

"It's a conference call Lez" He cackles as I roll my eyes annoyed.

"I was on the other side of the building!" I groan as I slide into one of the seats.

"I know, that's why I picked this room because it was the furthest from your last meeting."He laughs as I narrow my eyes at him. This little.....

"When is the conference call?"I ask sighing resignedly as he glanced at his watch before raising his fingers indicating a 3...2...1

"Now" he says, clicking down on the call system in the centre of the table. I shift closer pulling out my files as I flip him off and he chuckles happily.

*****

I sat back down at my desk working through the files that lay around my table, it was getting close to lunchtime and I was getting hungry already. I pick up my phone just as it starts ringing and I smile when I see Ethan's name flash on the screen.

I lift the phone to my ear as Ethan's voice floats through doused in an alcoholic drawl, "Heeeeeeeeeey Banaby, I mished yow."

"Ethan why are you drunk in the middle of the day?"

"Em not strunk?! Em jusht nothin-" His voice gets cut off as someone else takes the phone and I hear Mathew telling Ethan to put the bottle down.

"Hello?

"Hey Leslie!"

"What's going on? Why is he drunk, in the middle of the day nonetheless"

"He had a celebration with a client for a completed project and just as we were leaving, I stepped into the washroom telling Ethan to wait till I'm good to go but by the time I came out, he took the car and almost left driving off himself. We're home now, and I've taken the bottle from him." He explains as I rush packing my things up.

"Alright I was going for lunch anyway, so I'll stop by in 15 at most" By the time I hang up I'm already in the car and Theo just let's me rush off as I wave him out of my way.

As I drive down to his place my mind is racing, mostly worried but unsettled at his drinking habits and lack of control. As I step off the elevator at his floor I push his already unlocked door open, I look around and neither Mathew nor Ethan are anywhere in sight but I can hear voices from upstairs. I jog to the upper floor and head into the bedroom from where I can hear Mathew coaxing Ethan to bed.

As I step in my eyes immediately fall on a drunk Ethan clearly trying to convince Mathew he was fine. Mathew's eyes snap to mine as he gives me a quick nod as I move closer, taking the mumbling boy in my control as he leaves the room giving us our privacy. Ethan tugs on my shirt as I lay him down shushing him gently, his hooded eyes clouded with disorientation as his usually bright brown eyes are now struggling to stay open. I sit him up before grabbing a trash can and slowly pump his chest as he starts vomiting, throwing out all the alcohol in his system. I sit with him rubbing his back as I ask Mathew to get me some water, coffee and an ibuprofen. Ethan finally stops puking flopping back onto the bed as I immediately sit him up again, slowly talking to him asking him to keep his eyes open for me.