A lazy, drunken, half smile formed on her mouth. “Hubby.” Her voice was raspy as she spoke.
I was taken back by her current state. Her eyes were red and swollen. Dried tears stained her cheeks. Her nose was red. Itreminded me of when I came home and saw her passed out on the couch in a similar state.
“You want to leave me too, huh?” She sniffled and closed her eyes. “Everyone leaves me.” Her words were slurred, but I couldn’t miss the hurt laced within.
I wasn’t used to seeing Xylina so dismantled. Defeat bled from her body. It caused a sharp pain to pass through my chest. No matter how bad her attitude might be, even she didn’t deserve whatever caused her to resort to this state.
Knowing I wouldn’t get any answers from her in this state, I reached around her into the car and pressed the button to turn it off. Next I worked on unbuckling her before grabbing her arm and pulling her toward me. Her body went limp and she didn’t resist as I lifted her from the seat and held her in my arms. It was like déjà vu from the night I had to pick her up from the restaurant. She laid her head on my chest and I could practically smell the liquor leaking from her pores. Making a note to grab her things later, I walked back inside the house. Mrs. Rose was still standing in the foyer, and when she noticed Xylina slumped in my arms, an alarmed look covered her face.
“She’s fine,” I assured her.
Princess barked a couple times, coming closer to wag her tail wildly. She swiped my pant leg with a whine. She must have felt something was going on with Xylina.
“I’ma take her upstairs and get her cleaned up. Can you make her something to eat to help sober her up?”
She nodded. “Oh yes, I know exactly what the misses needs. It’s an old family recipe for hangovers. Works like a charm.”
I gave her a half smile. “Thanks.”
Bypassing her to the steps, I headed up and straight to Xylina’s quarters. She mumbled a few things here and there, nothing I could make out directly. Her chin tilted upward and her eyes fluttered open. Her gaze was glossed over and heavy.
“You came for me?” she muttered.
I stared at her in confusion. “What are you talking about? Do you even know where you are?”
Out of nowhere, Xylina started to laugh. It was delirious then quickly shifted to her crying. She hiccupped and gripped my suit jacket.
“My life’s over.”
She was a blubbering mess, switching between laughing and crying. I wasn’t sure what she was talking about, but I wasn’t the tin man, I felt bad for her.
“You need to calm down before you make yourself sick.” I pushed her door open and stepped inside her room, heading straight for the bathroom.
“I’m broke! Can you believe it? Me broke?” Her outrageous giggle mixed with her hiccups and crying. She was slurring her words and mashing them together. I was lost but ignored the blubbering and reached inside her shower, turning it on and twisting the knob to cold.
“You’re about to be pissed, but you need to sober up.”
Stepping into the shower, I placed her under the water, causing her to yell out.
“Ahhhhh!” she screeched, squirming in my arms. I kept a tight hold on her as the cold water continued to penetrate her body.
After a couple more seconds, I turned the water off. Xylina was now shivering in my arms. Her teeth chattered as she tucked herself closer into me.
“Why-why-why would d-d-d-d-d-do that?” she whined with her teeth clanking together.
“You needed to sober up and calm down.”
Xylina blinked up at me with water dripping from her lashes. Pieces of her hair now stuck to her face.
Moving over to the shower seat she had installed, I sat her down and gazed at her.
“Are you able to clean yourself up?” I asked.
When I got no response, I sighed and shook my head.
Removing my now wet suit jacket, I turned to leave the shower. I was caught off guard when Xylina reached out and grabbed my pant leg.
“Chill. I’m just putting this up.” She stared up at me with a broken, somber expression.
