The Lurking Man by Keith Rommel Page B

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    Cailean pushed the heavy blanket aside and placed her hand on the floor. She used this tactic often after a night of binge drinking to help keep the room from spinning and reduce the nausea.
    â€œIt’s after two o’clock,” he said. She felt too lousy to care that Wilson had come to lecture her again and didn’t think she could lift her head to give him a dirty look even if she tried.
    â€œCailean, did you hear what I said?”
    He sat at the bottom of the couch by her feet and he tapped his foot aggressively. He always did that when he was upset.
    â€œPlease stop shaking the couch,” she said.
    â€œThen answer me when I ask you something.”
    â€œJust keep your voice down and stop shaking the couch, OK?”
    â€œI don’t like it when you don’t answer me,” he said.
    â€œI know, Wilson. I’m exhausted and you just woke me up, what do you expect?”
    â€œIt’s two pm.”
    The windows were covered with heavy curtains and she had hung clothing off the curtain rod to block out any daylight that might enter the room through the slightest crack.
    â€œI don’t care what time it is,” she said. “Leave me alone and let me get back to sleep. I’m tired.”
    â€œYou’re not tired, you’re hung over again. There’s a big difference.”
    â€œWhat’s it to you anyway?”
    â€œIt is everything to me, Cailean.”
    A persistent ache in the back of her head was accompanied by a full body tremble that begged for more alcohol.
    â€œYou’re totally creeping me out,” she said. “How long have you been sitting there watching me?”
    â€œLong enough to know that as bad as I’m going to feel about it, I know this is the right thing for me to do.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about? You’re not even making any sense.” Her face was pressed into the cushion and her hand remained firmly on the floor. “Why don’t you just go away and leave me alone?”
    He pulled the blanket off of her completely and she looked at him with intense irritation.
    He lifted a bottle of Jack Daniels out of his lap and waited until she looked at it. He turned it upside down and not a single drop came out.
    â€œYou are a drunk,” he said, and dropped the empty bottle on the floor. The loud clunk made her sit up.
    â€œWhat is wrong with you?” she said.
    â€œLook at what you’ve done to Beau’s playroom,” he said. His eyes were locked somewhere in the distance, focused on his agenda. “You’ve turned it into this dark chamber of self-pity. I feel depressed just coming in here.”
    â€œWhy don’t you lower your voice, Wilson? You know damn well that I’m not feeling well.”
    â€œI am done giving you free passes. You continue to do this to yourself day after day and there is nothing I can do to help you anymore.”
    â€œHow did I ever guess?” she said. “As soon as I woke up and realized it was you sitting there, I knew that this would turn into a lecture session. Spare me, would you?” She settled on her side, muscled the blanket away from Wilson, and pulled it over her head.
    â€œI didn’t come here to lecture you. That hasn’t changed a thing, and if I’m going to be honest with myself, I don’t think anything I say or do ever will. I’ve come here to tell you that your behavior is unacceptable and it will not be tolerated anymore. Beau is at my mom’s house and he will remain there until tomorrow. I’m giving you until then to be out of the house.”
    She pulled the blanket down, stared at him for a second, and then laughed.
    â€œYou can’t kick me out of the house. It’s as much mine as it yours.”
    â€œNo, not anymore. You will go because I’m not going to give you any other choice.”
    She sat up again and the nausea followed her. She realized that her wild hair,