Chapter 1

'What do you think you are doing? Lorraine asked her 15 year old daughter.

'Ah mum, you're back early, ' Lucy answered, a bottle of gin in one hand & a glass in the other

'You're drinking?' Lorraine asked.

'Yeah.' Lucy whispered.

'But you are only 15, tell me this is a one off and you are just seeing what it's like.'

'Not exactly, ' Lucy whispered.

'Gimme that, shit I need a drink, ' Lorraine grabbed the bottle from Lucy and poured some gin into a glass.

'How long?' she asked.

'About six months, Lucy shrugged, drinking from her glass.

'What?' shouted Lorraine.

'Look mum it's no big deal, I wanted to see what it was like and I found out that I love it.'

'But you're only 15, ' Lorraine sighed.

'You drink before you get up, I've seen the bottle under your bed, ' Lucy retorted.

Lorraine sighed, 'Look I know I drink too much & I need a drink to clear my head in the morning.'

'Yeah, ' agreed Lucy.

'You mean you have a drink in the morning, ' Lorraine's tone was shocked.

'Yup, you are still in bed so i have a lil drink to get me going, ' Lucy giggled.

'Shit I had no idea.' Lorraine drained her glass before refilling it and leaning forwards to refill Lucy's.

Lucy swallowed some gin and said, 'Thanks mum, so you're OK about me drinking?'

'Yeah, ' shrugged Lorriane, 'I've hardly set a good example.'

'So I can have a drink anytime?'

'Like I said I can't stop you the amount I drink.' Lorraine reached in her bag for her cigarettes and took out two, passing one to Lucy she said: 'You started smoking yet?'

'No, ' giggled Lucy reaching for the cigarette.

'Don't try to inhale too much at first, you'll soon get used to it, ' lorraine said.

'Cool, ' giggled Lucy.

'so how did you manage at weekends?' asked Lorriane.

'Well I had a couple before you woke up then i had one every time you went to the bathroom.'

'That is priceless, I go in the bathroom for a drink, I keep a bottle behind the bath panel. I didn't want you to know how much I was drinking.'

'Don't matter now, you can be open about it, ' Lucy sighed.

'Yeah, thank fuck for that, ' agreed Lorraine.

The following morning Lorriane had a drink in bed before going in to the living room.

'Hi darling, ' she said. Lucy was pouring herself a drink, a freshly lit cigarette dangling from her lips.

'Hi mum, ' she poured another glass, 'here mum this'll make you feel better.'

'Thanks, shit I need a drink, ' Lorraine gulped some gin down & lit a cigarette.

'Look mum, it's the last day of term today and i can't be arsed going. is that O.K?'

'Yeah, ' Lorraine shrugged, 'whatever.'

'I can't concentrate when I'm there anyway, ' lucy said.

'Why?' asked Lorraine.

'Can't you guess, ' Lucy drained her glass. 'I can't think straight without a drink.'

'Go out to the car and fetch the gin and cigarettes in, ' Lorraine said.

Lucy went out and came back with two bags the bottles clinked together, 'Music to my ears, ' Lorriane snorted before refilling her glass.

'C'mon mum, ' said Lucy, holding out her glass. 'Just need a lil drink & I'll be fine.'

'Sure hon, ' Lorraine topped up Lucy's glass, noticing her eyes shining greedily.

A week later, Lorraine said: 'your gran is visiting, her 'plane gets in today. I'll be at work when she gets here so don't go out.'

'I'm going nowhere without my best friend, ' said Lucy, kissing the bottle of gin.

'Gran drinks so offer her one when she gets here, O.K?'

' Yeah whatever, ' Lucy sighed.

At nine o'clock the doorbell rang and Lucy wobbled through to answer it. She needed two hands to open the door. 'Hi gran, ' she giggled, a freshly lit cigarette in her mouth.

'Smoking?' asked Sue.

'Yeah, why not, ' Lucy answered, 'come through.' She led the way into the living room, her hip brushing against the door as she went.

'Drink, or is it too early?' Lucy asked.

'Stupid question, it is never too early for me, ' Sue answered.

Lucy poured Sue a drink before refilling her own glass.

'Drinking as well as smoking, ' Sue asked.

'Yeah, I love it, it's my whole life now, ' Lucy sighed.

'So you are 15 & your life revolves around alcohol and cigarettes?' Sue asked. 'Does your mother know?'

'Yup, she came home early last week and caught me. I've been drinking for about 6 months now but now mum knows my consumption has really increased.'

'It must run in the family, ' snorted Sue, reaching to refill their glasses.

'Yeah, mum used to keep a bottle in the bathroom and go for a drink, I used to have a quick one every time she went for one.'

'Fuckin cool, ' laughed Sue, draining her glass before holding out for Lucy to refill, ' hurry up I just need a drink.'

'Yeah me too, ' sighed Lucy, ' Hey, you've really lost weight gran.'

'Yup, the doctor says my liver is shot due to my drinking.' Sue sighed.

'Fuck really?' asked Lucy, swallowing some gin.

'Yeah, ' smiled Sue.

'How much do you drink?' asked Lucy.

' Fucking loads, I can't think straight unless I'm pissed, ' Sue laughed.

'I'm like that now, ' Lucy sighed luxuriously, 'gotta have a drink first thing in the morning, just to clear my head.'

Sue topped up their glasses, 'You realize it's damaging your health?' she asked idly.

'So fucking what, I need to drink, ' laughed Lucy.

'Yeah, I know the feeling, your mum drink much?' Sue asked.

'Loads, she encourages me, not that I need much encouragement.'

Lorraine came back, 'Hi Lucy, hi mum, what do you think about your alcoholic granddaughter?'

'I'm not an alcoholic, ' Lucy said.

The two women looked at each other Loraine said, 'Read this leaflet, it's from Alcpos.'

Lucy read the leaflet.

'Do you crave alcohol? Do you need a drink before you get up? Do you pass out from drinking? Do you hide your drinking from people? If you have answered yes to any of the above questions you are an alcoholic. Alcoholism is something to be proud of.

Come to one of our regular meetings and join other alcoholics in a wonderful drink-fueled atmosphere. We will encourage you to drink and increase your alcoholism.'

'This is terrible, ' gasped Lucy.

'Relax hon, ' laughed Lorraine, 'I go to all the meetings, there's one tonight, why don't we all go?'

'I don't know, 'said Lucy.

'C'mon, it'll be fun, ' Sue laughed.

Lucy was shocked when they got to the meeting, the room was full of women, all of them were smoking and drinking. A woman staggered on to the stage, her eyes were glazed, 'Hi everyone, glad you could make it, ' she slurred, 'I see Sue is paying us a visit, how ya doin?'

Sue stood up, 'My liver is fucked now from drinking, '

Aloud cheer went up and Sue sat back down.

'Anyone else got anything to say?' the woman asked.

A 20 year old girl stood up, 'I'm drinking for two now, ' she snorted.

'Good girl, what's the most important thing in your life, your baby or your alcoholism?'

'My alcoholism, shit I've started trembling now until I get my first drink in the morning.' she laughed.

'I trust your intake has increased?' asked the woman.

'Naturally, ' said the girl smugly, 'The doctor told me to stop drinking.'

'The dumb fucker, ' rasped an older woman, 'doesn't he know we can't stop.'

'Relax Marsha, ' said the girl, 'I found another doctor who asked if I could maybe cut down. I told him no and he was fine about it.'

'Any other news?' the woman asked.

A woman stood up'My husband found out about my alcoholism, the stupid sod is divorcing me, I'm so glad we had that pre-nup agreement, he's out of my house and I'm drinking from the moment I wake up until I pass out.'

Another loud cheer went up.

'Great news, now I see Lorraine has fetched somebody new would you like to say a few words?'

Lucy stood up and said, 'My name is Lucy, I'm Lorraine's daughter, I'm 15 and I'm an alcoholic and I fucking love it.'