Healing Cousin George
by Karin Roberts
With the weekend almost upon us I expected another bout of drinking from
George and I was not to be proved wrong. George left early that Friday
morning for work. I had a slightly longer lie in than normal and woke just
after nine when I heard Melissa cry, grabbing my dressing gown I padded next
door to her room and lifted her up to sooth her "There there little one "I
said as her sobbing subsided leaving the room I took her downstairs sat her
in her chair while I preceded to make her something to eat. Flicking on the
kettle for some hot water to make myself a coffee I finished off Melissa's
breakfast and began to feed her, she was a good kid as far as feeding was
required no dramatic stunts or refusals she just sat back and lapped up
anything you gave her. Breakfast over I took her back upstairs with me and
popped her on my unmade bed she crawled and giggled around as I pulled on a
pair of jeans and a tee-shirt, fastening the jeans I noticed that I was
loosing weight all this running around after Melissa and skipping meals to
look after her was having it's effect on me as well so grabbing a belt
slipped it through the belt loops and pulled it tighter I must have lost a
good inch of my waist I thought as I picked her up again and headed
downstairs with her once more.
In the living room we had our usual morning ritual of her crawling around
playing with her toys and me. This usually lasted for around an hour before
she tried her self out and had a nap till lunchtime, sure enough the usual
pattern evolved and by just after eleven she was sound asleep in her buggy
in the kitchen while I tidied up. After lunch and a walk in the buggy down
the farm tracks to watch the cows in the field we headed back to start
preparations for dinner.
I fixed us some food and kept back some for George hoping that he would
come home to eat but half expecting that his first port of call would be the
pub and not here. Me fears turned to truth as by mid evening he had not
returned as I put Melissa to sleep for the night there was still no sign of
him. I flicked through TV channels till I found something to watch and
settled back to watch the late evening movie. Shortly before eleven I could
here the sound of a vehicle approaching walking to the porch I could see two
people in the land rover as it approached the house and parked.
Pete stepped out of the driver's side and nodded to me "He's had a bit of
a skinful" he said moving round the car to open the passenger door. "I
thought I'd better drive him home, he was in no fit state to do it himself"
he continued "Thanks a lot" I said as I helped him get him out of the car
and towards the house, inside we dropped him on to the couch "Eh I better
get home" he said "Ok you live far away" I asked "Couple miles, just the
other side of the village" "Well look take the landrover and drive yourself
home, he's not going to need it tonight" I said nodding in George's
direction "You sure" he asked "Yeah it's ok" I said "Well I suppose because
were working in the morning again, I could bring it back then" he replied
"Well that's settled then, look thanks again for bringing him home" "No
problem just get him sober" he said picking up the keys and heading out the
door before I heard the landrover drive off into the night.
George grunted and I went over and put on the kettle boiling some hot
water, I made a strong mug of black coffee and brought it back to him,
shaking him I said "Here drink this" putting the mug to his lips and tipping
some inside a small trickle ran out the side of his mouth. "Why the hell are
you doing this George" I said in a stern voice "You're going to loose
everything if you don't stop, Melissa the farm, everything" I repeated,
making him drink some more. I could see the start of a tear form at his eyes
"Missss her soo mush, why she have to die" he said in sobs and drunken slur
as he finally held the mug himself and drank some more "I know it's hard" I
said "But you need to pull yourself together for Melissa" I said sternly
again "Missss her whant her bach so mush" as he continued to cry "Look lets
get you to bed" I said taking the coffee mug from him and putting it on the
table. I gripped his arm and helped him to his feet staggering slightly till
he got some sense of balance; we walked slowly up the stairs me gripping one
side of the banister rail while he gripped the other. We reached his room
and I edged open the door with my foot as I helped him inside. Easing him
down on the bed I took off his jacket and loosened the front of his shirt
while he struggled with his belt buckle, shirt off he leaned on my shoulders
while he kicked his trousers down his legs with his feet till he stepped out
of them. "Right sleep" I said as he slumped back in the bed and covering
himself with the duvet, I picked up his clothes dropped the trousers on the
chair and took the shirt with me putting the light out as I left. Downstairs
I dropped the shirt in the laundry basket and ensured that the outside
door's were locked before putting the kitchen light out and climbing back
upstairs to bed, deep in thought as I went.
George was up and gone by the time I rose the next morning tending to
Melissa I made breakfast and then took her a walk in her pushchair this time
I had packed a small lunch for both of us and headed over to a small lake
which had a picnic area attached where several fishermen were busy already
trying to catch trout. Taking a seat with the buggy I watched them fish from
the edge of the lake while another sat out in the middle of the calm water
in a small wooden boat. We spent about and hour sitting staring idly into
space me teasing Melissa from time to time with my fingers while I sat deep
in thought about George and his problems. He was still so cut up over
Grace's death but what was I to do, he had to pull himself together maybe
Amanda would do the trick but then Debby had been so sure that she was just
a gold digger and would probably pack Melissa off to some boarding school at
the first available opportunity. No there had to be another way but how, I
thought as I started the trek with Melissa in the buggy back to the
farmhouse.
Saturday night followed a similar pattern, I was learning now not to
prepare any dinner for George so after me and Melissa had a light dinner and
she was settled for the night in her cot downstairs I curled up on the sofa
in front of the roaring coal fire to watch some TV. By eleven o'clock I was
beginning to drop off as the fire died, so carefully picking up Melissa I
switched off the lights and carried her upstairs, depositing her in her own
room I moved along the hallway and walked into my room, undressing I slipped
under the covers and flipped on the reading light, I had only read about a
chapter when I dozed off. I'm not sure how long it was but I was awoken by
the noise of a car roaring up our driveway. My book still open at open at
the place where I had dropped of I lifted it closing it and placing it on
the bedside table I got up and crossed to the window pulling back the
curtain slightly I peered outside. A car was visible in the weak light from
the porch I could see George step out moving unsteadily round to the other
side he leaned towards the open window a woman's face appeared and there
lips met , lingering for a minute before he stood up and walked drunkenly to
the door. I let the curtain go and returned to bed, sounds of him banging
around downstairs as I settled down to go back to sleep.
The next morning George was ill, Pete appeared to collect him for work
and I apologised "Yeah he'd had a skinfull when I saw him last night" Pete
said, "I'm really sorry" I said "It's ok there's not much to do today I just
need to see to the cattle, can do that myself" he went on. "Ok and thanks
again" I repeated closing the door before returning to Melissa. Mum and Dad
were coming over later today for a visit so I tidied up and changed Melissa
into a new dress before changing myself and having a shave. Shortly before
midday I heard their car pull up, George had still not surfaced as I opened
the door to welcome them. "Hi Alex how's it going" Dad asked "Ok, eh George
is in bed ill" I lied as the stepped inside, a knowing look being drawn by
my mother as she sat down on the settee. We made small talk around Melissa
and how well she was looking, how was I coping with her etc. "How about we
all drive into Kilmarnock for lunch" Mum asked "Eh I suppose so, I'll just
see how George is" I said as I moved towards the stairs.
George was still flat out as I crossed the room picking up the discarded
shirt and trousers as I went towards the bed. Emptying the pockets I took
out his rather bulging wallet and some coins the other pocket had a comb and
a piece of glossy paper in it, looking down I saw the remains of a ripped
open condom packet, stopping, I dropped it, "Well it looks like Amanda got
lucky last night" I said to myself as I bent to retrieve it. Walking the
last few paces to the bed I shook George lightly "George were going out for
lunch" I said as he stirred "Ehh, eh what" he mumbled "I said were going out
for lunch, I'm taking Melissa with me, ok" "eh yeah" he said turning over
his face burying in the pillow "Ok see you later" I said walking to the door
and closing it. Back downstairs I deposited the clothing in the wash basket
and carefully disposed of the condom wrapper in the bin before my parents
could see it, "You ready" a call came from the lounge, "Yeah" I said
entering the room and reaching for Melissa I put lifted her and her
collapsed buggy "Let's go then" Dad said "George still not well" then Mum
asked with a touch or sarcasm "Eh , eh no still a bit under the weather" I
said as we stepped outside and into the cool afternoon sunshine.
Conversation was slow over lunch with updates on what was going on at
home how Ashley and Megan were getting on, how work was going for my
parents, and information on the usual local gossip. With our meals over dad
went to the toilet and to get another round of drinks, "It's not going well
Alex" mum said hitting me with a direct question as soon as he left his seat
and was out of earshot, I hesitated "Ups and downs" I said "Weekends are the
worst he's not too bad during the week now only a couple of drinks a night
but its binge drinking at it's worst at the weekends" I blurted out. "It
needs to stop Alex" "Yeah I know but I feel so sorry for him" I replied. I
continued "Melissa's great I'm so attached to her now" "But your not her
parent, Alex, George needs to be responsible for her" she said with an edge
"Yeah I know but I don't know what else I can do he misses Grace so much" I
stuttered "Well you need to think of some way of getting him to overcome his
problems" she said as Dad approached with our drinks "I'll try" I said "I
know you will dear" she said. For the rest of the lunch I was distracted
just how was I going to heal George.
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