Eva Pt. 08

The effect of dad's drinking on Cammy was devastating. She was terrified to see him get stupid drunk every night. I got a call from her school one day to come and get her (I was now the emergency contact); she broke down in a terrible crying fit in one of her classes and the nurse couldn't get her to stop. Eva and I picked her up and I called her pediatrician for an emergency appointment.

After examining her, Dr. Krause, who had been my pediatrician when I was a child as well, took Eva and me into her office while her nurse stayed with Cammy. She didn't mince words. "Jon, Mrs. Grossman" she addressed Eva, "first of all, congratulations on your wedding. I hope you have a lifetime of happiness together." We automatically reached for each other's hands and held on while she talked. "Now as to your sister. She says things are very bad at home, that your father is drinking a lot, every day, since your mother died."

"She's right, doctor. Since the end of my moms Shiva, he's been drinking more and more. It's been six weeks now and he's already up to a half a bottle of whiskey a day. He looks like hell, I don't know what's going on with him at work, but I'd be willing to bet he's messing up things. And if he is, their tolerance for it has to be limited, despite his years at his firm and the fact he just lost his wife. Worst of all is how it's hurting Camilla. Eva and I are so scared for her."

Dr. Krause leaned back and looked at us both for a moment or two. "And how about how it's affecting the two of you? You shouldn't have to be dealing with this after just getting married. Or at all, really. I'm not your doctor anymore, but I know you since you were an infant. I don't stop caring about people just because they age out of my practice. So I'm worried about you and Camilla. And Eva, you as well. You seem like a lovely young woman and your dedication to Jon and Camilla is very impressive."

"Thank you, doctor. I knew what I wanted when Jon and I got married. For better or worse, though I wish some things were better. I love Jon, I love his family and I adore Camilla."

Doctor Krause smiled warmly. She was over 60, she practiced medicine at a time when there were few female doctors, and she had a great bedside manner. You have to to treat children, or at least you should. I always trusted her, my parents trusted her and Camilla felt comfortable with her. "Well, I'm happy to hear that. I've known Mr. and Mrs. Grossman for almost 20 years, may she rest in peace. Your family has been through something terrible and I'm sorry your father is in such torment. Do you mind if I stop by tonight to talk to him, Jon? About 7? Maybe I can get him to see beyond whatever is torturing him inside. But if I can't, Camilla can't stay in that environment. You shouldn't either, but you're both over eighteen, free to make your choices. You might have to consider going to family court to remove Camilla and take legal guardianship of her. Is that something you would be prepared to do if necessary? You shouldn't answer now; you should talk about it and think it over."

I looked at Eva and what we were thinking passed between us in a second. She nodded slightly and the decision was made. "Doctor Krause, we already know. We'll do whatever we have to for Camilla. She's my sister and I adore her, and she and Eva think of each other as sisters as well. We'll take care of her if it comes to that. We're sure as hell not letting her end up in foster care."

Doctor Krause kept smiling at us. "You were a good child, and I knew you'd grow into a good man. And you found the right partner, someone as special as you are. All right, I prescribed a very mild sedative for Camilla; get it filled and keep it handy if she needs it. Don't give it to her unless she needs it. And tell your father I'll be stopping by tonight; we don't want to blindside him."

We thanked her and we picked up Cammy from the nurse. She was doing better; the nurse let her 'help' with some of the smaller children while she waited for us. It was a good distraction for my sister.

While Eva ran into the drug store to fill the prescription, I talked to Cammy. "So, how do you feel now, sis?"

"Silly. I'm going to be embarrassed at school tomorrow."

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Your friends will understand, most of the other kids will as well. And anyone who doesn't and gives you a hard time isn't worth even thinking about."

She was quiet. "Jon. I'm so sorry."

I turned around from my drivers seat and looked at my hurting sister. "What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything wrong."

"I worried you and I'm making things difficult for you and Eva." Tears were forming in her eyes and dripping down her cheeks, already red with her previous sobbing.

"Let me tell you something, Cammy. You're my sister and you're my friend. You'll always be both. And Eva feels the same way about you and she always will. She loves you just like a sister. And we both would do anything for you, just like we would for Will and Walt. You are not difficult. We're going through a bad time, all of us. Dad...dad is sick, different from mom, but he's still sick. We're going to try to get him healthy again. Doctor Krause is coming over later to talk to him about getting help. But one thing you have to remember is you'll never be alone, not in this family. There are a lot of people who love you, family and your friends. And it starts with me and Eva."

She was still crying, but it was a healthy cry, not hysterics. Eva got back in the car, saw Cammy crying, and gave me a worried look. My own look back reassured her, as did my hand on hers. We went home, Cammy got cleaned up, and we ordered in a pizza while we waited for dad to get home.

He got home a little after six, as usual, said his perfunctory hello without asking what was going on with us, and went straight for the liquor cabinet. I said "Dad, before you start drinking, do you mind talking to us first? We have to tell you something."

"OK, but I can have a drink while you tell me your news." His dismissive attitude to everything but his drinking pissed me off big time. I was even angrier at him than I was when I caught him cheating on mom. Fuck it, he was going to listen to me. As he sat down on the couch, I took his glass away and calmly poured it down the kitchen sink. He looked at me with a stunned look. And before he could pour a new drink. I hurried to the cabinet and grabbed the two bottles of Jack and took them into the kitchen. "Hey, what the hell do you think you're doing? Give me my whiskey!"

"After you listen to me" I said with a very angry edge. "Camilla, go upstairs, please" I said.

"No. This is my concern too. I'm staying" she said defiantly, though her anger wasn't directed at me, but to our father.

"OK, Cammy, you're right. Dad, Camilla's school called here today. Evidently, you couldn't be found at work so they called here. Camilla was hysterical and it was because you've been a really shitty parent since mom died. You're turning into a drunk and even worse, you're indifferent to your family. Eva and I took her to doctor Krause, and she got things calmed down. But she's coming here in about an hour to talk to you." Then I took the edge off my voice. "Dad, please listen to her. We love you, all three of us. I know you're in pain, we all are. We have to get through it together. And you have to stop drinking. We need a sober parent."

All three of us looked at him pleadingly. He looked back defiantly. "Now can I have my drink?" I'd gotten nowhere with him. He was a stranger again, like those body snatcher movies. Whoever my father had been, what he had been, was gone.

"Fine, if that's all you care about. Drink it all." I slammed the bottles on the countertop and stormed out to the living room.

Cammy looked at him with hot anger. "I hate you!" she yelled. "Why don't you just go away!" She ran upstairs to her room, crying again. Dad sat down to drink, and Eva and I felt despair. She didn't deserve this at all. Despite what she said about better and worse, she couldn't have conceived this to be the beginning of our life together. It was so unfair to her.

"I'll go talk to Cammy" Eva said, kissing me briefly. "You stay here; the doctor should be here soon." She went up and knocked on Cammy's door before entering, leaving me alone with my father. I couldn't even look at him.

By the time Dr. Krause got to our house, dad was already well on his way to being drunk. I gave her a look of resignation and despair. I shrugged my shoulders and showed her in.

"Hey Doctor" dad said with a pronounced slur. "How have you been?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Grossman. The question is how are you?" She sat down a few feet from dad and looked at him. Bloodshot eyes, slurred speech. The basic signs of drunkenness. None of the long term signs, like burst blood vessels in the nose or deep mental confusion. But he was far from well. "Mr. Grossman, are you drinking during your work day? Missing time at work because of drinking?" Non-judgmental, asking as a doctor assessing someone's health.

"I don't see how that's your business" he answered with a gruff tone. "You're not my doctor anyway."

"No but I am Camilla's doctor and I have a legal obligation to make sure she is in a safe, secure environment and from what I see, this is not a safe place for her to live and it's causing her damage. She just lost her mother and she's terrified of losing her father. So my question to you, Mr. Grossman, is do you care about your children enough to stop drinking? To check yourself into a program, get off the booze and start going to 12 step meetings, Alcoholics Anonymous? Because if you don't, I can file a civil complaint in Family Court and have your parental rights removed. You want your daughter in Foster Care, in the system?" She looked at me, at the fear on my face, and shook her head slightly; she knew Eva and I would step up and apply for guardianship. But dad might not realize that in his current state. "I took an oath, Mr. Grossman. I will file for an Order of Removal of a Minor."

Dad looked miserable, which was an improvement from his previous don't give a shit attitude. "I don't know if I can. I don't know if I want to. Jon, I miss your mother so much and I dishonored her last summer." He was crying drunk now, feeling guilty, feeling something.

Dr. Krause looked at me to see if I knew what he was talking about and I briefly nodded my head. Being a very smart person herself, she figured out what dad was referring to (I'm sure as a pediatrician, she heard a lot about family problems due to infidelity). "Dad, I'm going to tell you something mom didn't want you to know. I'm breaking my promise to her because you need to know this. Mom knew. She didn't tell me how she knew, but she did, and she forgave you. She didn't want me to tell you this, that she knew, but you need to know that she forgave you in her heart. She refused to die angry at you. So dad, maybe you can start forgiving yourself?" I discreetly took his drink away and moved it out of his reach.

He was crying his hurt out. One more small push. "Mr. Grossman," Dr. Krause said, gently, "let me call your doctor and see about getting you into a rehabilitation program for twenty eight days. It will help you dry out safely, and you can start going to AA meetings. We'll talk to your employer in a discreet manner. You need to do this for your kids, for Carol, god rest her soul, and you need to do this for yourself."

Dad nodded his head in agreement and I hugged him hard, crying myself. I was doing a lot of that lately. Then I called up to Eva and Cammy and they came downstairs. "Jon," my father whispered, "don't tell your sister what I did to your mother. I'll do it in time, but not tonight." He looked at me, pleading and I squeezed his hand in agreement.

Cammy and Eva sat with us and dad said "Eva, first of all, I want to apologize for putting you in such a hard position as soon as you joined our family. It wasn't fair to you or to Jon. And I'm going to have to ask you for a huge favor." He turned to face Cammy and added "Sweetheart, I am so sorry for hurting you so badly, and for scaring you like this. And like I said to Eva, I'm going to have to ask for some more patience from you all. I have to go get some help and it's going to take a while, about a month away from home. So I have to ask you, Jon and Eva, to look after things here and to take care of Camilla for a while. None of you deserves this, but I have to get help, and I need all your help to be a better father to you all." Cammy hugged him even tighter than I did a few minutes before, holding him like she would never let go, but of course she did after a few minutes.

Eva took his hand and said "Abe, your apology is accepted. You do what you have to to get better; Jon and I will gladly look after Camilla. She's like my sister anyway, and I'd do anything for her. And for Jon of course" she said with a kiss for me.

Dr. Krause said "Abe, I think we should check you into the hospital tonight because you don't want to go through alcohol withdrawal without medical supervision. It's much more dangerous than narcotics. You're not a long time alcoholic but still, there are serious risks to going Cold Turkey. So I'll take you to Bayside hospital if you'll agree and get you checked in there until we find a place for you." She looked dead serious and my dad, now fully coming to terms with his situation, agreed. "Jon, you, Eva and Camilla should stay home and get some rest. I'll stay with Abe until he's checked in."

So it was decided. Dad packed a small bag and after tearful hugs and kisses, Dr. Krause took him to the hospital. We promised to come see him the next day and, after he left, the three of us kind of collapsed on the couch, exhausted from the long, stressful day. Cammy cuddled up to me on one side and Eva on the other. We were kind of numb, to tell the truth.

The next day was Friday, so I called dad's job to call him out sick and I made an appointment to see his boss at 2PM. I had to tell him what my father was going through. Then I called Cammy's school and called her out sick, assuring them she'd be back Monday. The three of us had breakfast and did cleaning, Eva the laundry and the kitchen and Cammy and I did the bathrooms and the living room and dining room. Then I poured every drop of alcohol in the house down the kitchen sink. God knew what the garbage men would think about all the empty liquor bottles and I sure didn't care.

We all went to see dad in the hospital in the early afternoon, but we needn't have. He was under sedation and was barely able to talk to us. Later that day we found out he was being admitted to a program in Astoria, about fifteen minutes away from home by car. We wouldn't be allowed to see him once he was there for over a week, and wouldn't be able to talk to him for the fist five days. They were moving him Saturday, the next day.

I met with Rich Gelman, dad's boss on time at 2 and I explained what was going on and how he would need some time off to get help.

"Frankly, Jon (we knew each other since I was a young boy), if Abe hadn't been with us for so long and you hadn't just lost your mother, I would have fired him weeks ago. He's been drinking during the day and messing up accounts. I'm glad you let me know he's getting help. We don't want to lose him."

"Mr. Gelman, thanks for giving him the chance to straighten himself out. Things have been very hard at home. But he's getting help and he'll be back to himself. At least that's what we all hope for. My wife and I are going to stay here for school instead of going back to Binghamton but we intend to find our own apartment once dad is better."

"All right, Jon. Thanks for coming to talk to me. Tell your dad to just get better and not worry about his job. It will be here when he's ready." We shook hands and I left, feeling like a limp rag.

Eva and Cammy did food shopping while I was in that meeting and that night they made a nice pot roast dinner, the two of them working together. It was a feeling of normalcy that we hadn't felt in a long time. It was actually easier without dad there, at least that night, in light of how he had been behaving recently. At 7 the phone rang for Cammy, a friend of hers. I heard her say she had to ask me, then she said "Jon, do you mind if I sleep over and Wendy's house tonight? I feel like I need to be with a friend."

"Sure sweetie. Go pack a bag and I'll drive you over. When should I pick you up tomorrow?"

"Wendy's mom will bring me home by dinnertime. She's going to take us to the movies tomorrow."

"OK, go get your stuff and I'll drive you." She excitedly told Wendy she'd be there in 20 minutes, then ran upstairs to pack.

Eva smiled and put her arms around my neck. "You know what this means, don't you?"

"No, why don't you tell me." I teased. I knew damn well.

"Has it been that long? We're going to be alone all night long. We can actually let loose for a change." Then she dropped her voice. "We can get nice and dirty tonight. It HAS been a long time."

"Hmmmmm sounds like a plan. It won't take me long to drive her over. I'll be back in fifteen minutes, tops."

"I'll be ready when you get home." A big, long kiss that Cammy saw when she came downstairs. She smiled and blushed a little.

"Wait until I'm gone, please! I'm still a kid, you know!" She said it with her good old ball busting manner. It had been a long time since that happened as well.

On the ride to Wendy's, Cammy and I were quiet. It took less than 10 minutes to get there, and when we got close I told her "Hey, if you change your mind, if you want to come home, just call me and I'll come get you. I love you."

"I love you too, Jon, but why would I want to come home when I tried so hard to get out of your way for the night?" She had a mischievous smile.

"Wait, what??"

"Jon, you and Eva have been so good, holding things together. I don't know everything, but I know a couple needs time to themselves, especially newlyweds. So I tried to call Wendy this afternoon to see if I could sleep over and she called me back before." A big smirk. "Have a good night. I'll see you for dinner tomorrow." I had pulled up at Wendy's and my smart, sweet, precocious sister hopped out before I could react to what she told me.

I drove home still in a little shock. When I got in the door, Eva called up to me from the bathroom. "Come here, Jon, and help me with something?"

I walked upstairs and I found Eva there in the bathroom in her robe. "What do you need help with, Angel?

"This" she answered, staring me in the face while she untied her robe and let it fall to the floor. Underneath was my beautiful wife in just a white satin teddy that fit her like a second skin. She stepped closer to me since I couldn't move, my body was frozen with sudden lust. I mean, I knew I wanted her before that moment, from the second Cammy asked to spend the night at her friends house. But Eva was making things even more lusty.

"Angel, you look delicious! I can't wait to consume you!"

She smiled and kissed me, then she pushed me back a foot or so. "You will, Bear, you will. But first I'm going to pamper you for a while. You go into our room and get comfortable. Don't even put on a robe or shorts or anything; just come back here naked. Go, scoot!" She gave me a playful slap on my ass as headed out the bathroom door.

I stripped down quickly; I didn't even think about how much I missed this side of our relationship over the last month or so. We had been so preoccupied with the problems at home. But tonight...

I went back to the bathroom, my cock semi-hard, on the way to fully hard, swinging down the hall. I knew it was just the two of us in the house, but still, this was the house I lived in most of my life and I never walked naked through the halls before. I felt a little odd until I got back in the bathroom. Eva had drawn a bath while I was gone, steaming hot and with the scent of lavender oils.