Chapter 11

Back at Marsha's, Lucy was in the bathroom, she had just got out of bed and a feeling of nausea came over her.

This was the third morning this had happened. She looked in the mirror at her yellowish complexion and slowly said, 'Shit.'

Lucy staggered out of the bathroom and went into Marsha's bedroom.

'Marsha, ' she sobbed.

'I know, I know, ' Marsha smiled, 'Don't worry about it, you're pregnant, so what?'

'How did you know?' asked Lucy

'You forget that I've been pregnant, I know the signs, ' Marsha said.

'What am I going to do?' she sniffed.

'Well, have a drink and a cigarette, maybe a few pills. Things will seem different then, ' Marsha pulled back the bedclothes before saying, 'Hop in.'

Tearfully, Lucy got in bed as Marsha passed her two pills and an unopened bottle of gin, 'See how quickly you can drink this down, ' Marsha smiled, 'Make you feel good.'

Lucy spun the cap off the bottle with a practiced hand and drank deeply. She swallowed the pills with her next swallow.

'Ahh, ' she sighed, 'That feels better.'

Marsha lit two cigarettes and passed one to Lucy, 'Does Brad know?'

'Not yet, I don't know what he'll say, ' said Lucy bleakly.

'Drink up and you can have another bottle, you're drinking and smoking for two now remember, 'Marsha laughed.

Lucy guzzled the rest of the bottle down and let it slip from her fingers to the floor.

Greedily she snatched another bottle from Marsha and drank deeply.

Brad walked in and said ' Hi babe, I wondered where you were.'

'We're celebrating Brad, ' Marsha smiled, 'Lucy is pregnant.'

'Fuck wow, ' was all Brad could say.

'Isn't it wonderful, ' gushed Marsha.

'Err, yeah but I can't support Lucy without your help. There's no way I could support a child, ' he whispered.

'Shit relax, I can afford it, ' Marsha laughed, 'Now, another member of Alcpos is pregnant and I'll 'phone her and we'll go and see her later. Get my Alcpos membership list please Brad.'

Two hours later Marsha and Lucy arrived at Kelly's house.

'C'min, ' a voice answered their knock.

Kelly was sprawled in a large arm chair. A huge glass ashtray was on her pregnant belly, she was stubbing out a cigarette with one hand and reaching for another cigarette with the other.

'Hi Marsha, hi Lucy, ' she wheezed, 'Could you get me another bottle please and get one for yourselves.'

'So when are you due?' Marsha asked.

'Next week, ' coughed Kelly, lighting her cigarette, 'I can't believe how much my smoking and drinking has increased over the last few weeks. Fuck I am even smoking when I'm eating, still who gives a fuck.'

'Yeah, so fucking what, 'agreed Marsha, 'Lucy is pregnant now.'

'Great letsshh celbrate ... celebrat, err more booze, ' Kelly snorted.

'Fuckin grey idea, ' slurred Lucy, 'Smy body, if I want to fuck it up I will.'

'Aww babe, I'll give you all the shuppor I can in that, ' Kelly talked through her exhale.'You an your baby need alcol and nicotine.'

'Yeah, ' sighed Lucy.

'I mean, it's not as if you could give up or even cut down is it?' Marsha asked.

'Well, ' Lucy hesitated.

'Don't be silly, even thinking about cutting down would cause you and your baby stress.' Marsha smiled.

'Admit it babe, your alcoholishm ishh more import ... important to you than a baby, ' Kelly laughed.

'Too fuckin right, 'slurred Lucy.

'Who is your baby's father?' Marsha asked Kelly.

'Ha, ' laughed Kelly, 'How the fuck would I know. Shit I've been trashed too many times. Fuck I'm not even shure what colour it is going to be. I've just had shooo many cocksshh, lotsh in one night loadsh of timesh. Fuck I'm sush a shlut.'

'Lucy has a steady boyfriend, Brad loves Lucy and likes alcoholics in general, ' smiled Marsha.

'How lucky isshh that, Shtill I love the feeling I get when I wake up and see shomebody next to me who I don't even rec ... recog ... know. Whoopsh, nother boll gone, passh another. Gotta drink fuck loadshh of thishh shtuff.'She stubbed out her

cigarette and reached for another. 'Fuck, empty, passh another pack shomebody and hurry up, I fuckin don't wanna rishk my levels dropping.'