Manic Part Two.

Deborah stood on the balcony hugging her arms around herself. She just put Kate to bed and promised to stay the night and help her get packed up in the morning. It scared Deborah to see Kate so out of control that she seemed on the verge of insanity. It took Deborah two hours to finally calm Kate down. Once Kate was sedated, she told Deborah about Hank's gambling problem and how for almost two year, she tried to cover it up, but she couldn't do it anymore. When Kate tried to talk to Hank about it, he dismissed it and accused her of always finding fault with him when all he was trying to do was give her nice things. He even had the audacity to turned the tables on her and ask what she was doing all those nights when she had to 'work late'. Kate exploded at his accusation, everything she had done was to help him and he refused to see.

Thanks brianwestscott!

Kate was mentally and physically burnt out and two days ago, she finally told Hank she was leaving him. Hank got violent and screamed at Kate for not supporting him and his addiction, he tore up their apartment with his anger, and although he never laid a finger on her, his rage was enough confirmation for Kate that her decision to leave was right.

Deborah sat down and stretched her legs out resting them on the railing. She noticed Kate's pack of cigarettes sitting on the table and was tempted to smoke one. She opened the pack and put her nose to the cigarettes and took in a deep breath, the smell on tobacco was intoxicating. Deborah reached for the lighter, took out a cigarette, and put it to her lips. She hesitated just a second before lighting it, and in the moment, she decided against it and tossed the cigarette back on the table.

Thanks wakimita!

Deborah didn't know what she was doing. Kate's situation made her so upset. But in a way, she felt proud of her sister. She knew it wasn't easy to take such decisive action and leave, but it was the best thing for Kate. And so what if Kate was moving back in with their parents, it would only be temporary until she got back on her feet. Kate was right. It did look bad, but the way Deborah saw it, things could only get better from here.

* * * * * *

Little did Deborah know, Kate's situation didn't just look bad, it was bad. The first man in her life, her father, made sure that she knew she was worthless. It was no secret that Kate had complications when she was born and every year on her birthday her father would say that he wished they were celebrating her death instead of another year of an ungrateful mouth to feed.

Thanks aphrodite!

Then he would get drunk and beat her until she too wished she was dead. Kate never knew why her father took a particular interest in making her life miserable. Everyone got it, but she got it the worst. Getting married to Hank was her way out. But nine months into their marriage, Hank started drinking and gambling and using her to pay his debts. Hank thought that he rescued her and assumed she would take anything he dished out. Somewhere in the two years that Kate started working three jobs, she started relieving some of her pain and exhaustion with pills. It started innocently enough, her back was aching from being on her feet all night, so her doctor prescribed her with vicodin.

Thanks ashley rose!

When that prescription ran out she used the three extra refills and by the time that was gone, Kate needed it every day. She went back to her doctor two more times before he got suspicious. Now, she was like a junky and found different avenues to get her pills. Two with breakfast, two with lunch, and three with dinner because it was a very hard day.

Kate heard Deborah come in from the balcony. Kate sat in the dark on her bed and reached for her bottle of pills; one, two, three, four, and five because it was an extremely hard day.