Caustic Cassie

The Effects of Alcoholism on Relationships

Leslie smiled some at her explanation, and took a seat one chair away so not to crowd her. "That's understandable, I get it, heck we all do. Most of us have switched from booze to smoking, but shh don't tell." She spoke the last bit in a stage whisper. Wanting her to understand there would be no judgement for smoking. She offer a warm smile at the thanks. "Of course. In my line of work they expected me to take it black and bitter." She tilt her own cup just so to show a slightly lightened coffee, just one cream. "I put so much sugar in it I should be diabetic, but I work out all off."

She offer her hand to shake when Amanda introduced herself. "pleasure to meet you." And have you remember me. "Congratulations on the divorce if you were celebrating it. Nothing at all to be ashamed of, when life is hard sometimes you have to party harder." Then softer for Amandas' ears only. "We can help with more than the drinking, for a lot of us there are underlying reasons for turning to it. Me? Crappy childhood left me too damaged for relationships, stressful job so I turned to the bottle for comfort, can't talk about the job in detail but talking about growing up helps. Marias entire family have addiction personalities and it helps her to talk about that. Matt lost his wife to cancer, no other family so we are his family."

The once affectionate Leslie would have offered a hug or supportive hand, this closed off one kept her hands firmly to herself. "Making a fool isn't so bad as some of us. DUIs where people got hurt, were we got hurt, or the people we care about got hurt." Besides she'd been a cute if upset drunk. "You're just a probie anyway, court order right? Let's me guess first time non violent offense with a lot level of alcoholism if it was just cutting a bit too loose," she ticked off her points "Hmmm 90 meetings are for bad news, so I'm going to guess the suggest a minimum of 15 but ask that you hang out for three months or so? Could be worse, they could have sent you to a live in rehab center. This what you still get to live your life."

She didn't have her gun or badge at the moment but to some her body language said cop, rather than it sounding like she'd experience it. Neither she not Dotty really thought Amanda was on a fast track to destruction, but alcoholism would land her there eventually. If she understood why she drank, why she over drank, then self destruct could be avoided. Leslie herself knew if she start to drink again it was over. So she like most of the others in the room were lifers.

Renee came in then in a flurry. "Sorry sorry all, you know how it is. Let's get started I've already run into the hour." The short woman bustle to get some coffee as she spoke. "So we have a new face joining us everyone please welcome Amanda." Dark eyes glint some seeing Leslie near the newb, such a Leslie thing to do. The room had settle and everyone said, "welcome Amanda!" She took her seat and continue, "since we have a new face why don't we go around and introduce ourselves, I'm Renee, I'm the facilitator for this group, and a mentor to a few, and I'm thirty years sober."

They went around the room people telling their name and sobriety. Until coming to one man who tearfully told them he'd fallen off the wagon. At the end of the hour Leslie turn to Amanda and asked, "so on a scale of zero to ten how overwhelmed are you?"

The Effects of Alcoholism on Relationships

Damn I forgot I already said she was the one hurt gonna go back and edit that later

The Effects of Alcoholism on Relationships

Added some NCIS, Law and Order SVU, bones, castle, the closer. YouTube is great.

The Effects of Alcoholism on Relationships

Leslie had had a busy week as there had been a particularly violent murder. Where she would have normally gone to the bar for a drink to settle her nerves, she'd smoke a bowl or three before bed. She had to be responsible, as an adult and law enforcement, no smoking and driving. She went to visit Dotty a couple of times, around lunch to visit and enjoy a meal. Dots partner who ran the kitchen made some mean wings and fries, secret ingredients for both the wing sauces and and fry seasoning. If she didn't spend so much time training and working out she'd be a stereotypical fat cop with a doughnut.

She'd not asked Dotty about the redhead after the first time. She's okay and not overindulge. That was the end of her business and she shut down any lingering thoughts about her. Or so she thought. She'd needed to go to several emergency AA meetings and called her mentor, it was a nasty case and she couldn't go into detail about it but just talking about how it was affecting her helped. She really wanted that one year token. They caught the guy, and she didn't at all feel bad for roughing him up. He'd jumped her and beat her pretty good, she had a black eye and busted lip.

Leslie sat off to the side nursing a cup of coffee. They had all chip in to get a Keurig so they had good coffee to go with the doughnuts and danish. She'd come from work so was dressed in black slacks a forest green button down her leather jacket was on the back of the chair. Tired eyes track the others, until a familiar stranger walked in. It was her redhead damsel in another pretty dress. She looked tired too. She could approach and reintroduce herself, or observe. However she wasn't in the mood to watch someone be uncomfortable.

Rising from her chair she went to the snack table and prepared a cup of coffee. Armed with a handful of sugar packets and those little creamer cups she approach. "Hi." She spoke softly to not startle her. "Looks like you could use a coffee, names Leslie. Welcome, I promise we aren't scary, despite appearances." She couldn't be bothered to cover up the bruises. The first time is always a little awkward, bunch of strangers and all. But if you let us we can help." She spoke earnestly and open offering the sugar and cream.

Sometimes a veteran of the group would share why they came to AA when there was a new face. It help to ease some when they felt embarrassed by thier own reasons. Leslies tale was worthy of shame, she'd gotten herself wounded, almost killed. Her partner saved her ass getting wounded when she walked into a trap intoxicated. Leslie already knew why the redhead was there, and thought there was no shame in her being there. SHE hadn't hurt anyone. Embarrassed it happen maybe but she'd not hurt someone to end up here.

The Effects of Alcoholism on Relationships

Lol that's what I'm going off of, lol lots of Chicago PD clips. I'll get a reply to you sometime today.

Hope Les wasn't too forward or aggressive.

The Effects of Alcoholism on Relationships

That would be good. Haven't really had the chance to do research on what a detective actually does :|

The Effects of Alcoholism on Relationships

I should stop hurting Les so much. But I'm coming up on an unhappy anniversary so all the feelings are bad.

The Effects of Alcoholism on Relationships

Amanda was right to think she's be getting a court summons, ordinarily because of the way the system works this could take months. However a certain busy body who was paying attention to a certain Detective push the paperwork forward so is she would be getting a letter in the mail in the next couple of days. While Leslie believed all of her co-workers judged her and talked behind her back about being forever single, there were a handful that wanted to see her happy. So the pretty girl who got special treatment from the detective would be forced into AA within the week. Her summons would arrive, her court date would pass. (The judge listen to her side but would still send her to group therapy, without telling her about another young woman who was hurting and needed help. He'd handle Leslies case last year.)

The detective was blessed with a full day of paperwork she did not get assigned a new case and was able to go home at a reasonable hour. However she was also cursed with gossip hound co-workers. She shouldn't be surprised they were detectives, they detect things. However she did not appreciate everybody commenting about her lovely flowers. She was constantly telling people I helped a friend and this is the thank you it wasn't until she said that she had been helping Dotty that people left her alone as if they had forgotten her outburst before lunch. That seemed to be a trend. She would say something and mean it and people would forget that she said it. That's why she loved Dotty, she listen and remember.

That is how she found herself at the bar again after work. Sliding onto a bar stool she gave a finger wave to Dot who was busy with someone else at the moment. She sighed and put her chin on her fist and waited when it was her turn the bartender greet her and said, "I'm sorry honey but if you're looking for her she's not here."

Sad smile Les shrug "that's okay. Likely knows you won't serve her annoying with booze right now. I actually came to see you." Dot raise an eyebrow. "No no, I haven't fallen off the wagon, I just... You listen. You remember." Leslie ran a hand through her hair and sigh, "old complaints, they just... Don't." She heave a sigh and put her face in her hands. A moment later the soft clatter of a glass hitting the bar top made her look up a piping hot cup of tea set before her.

"Go on honey. Tell me about it." Dot said and Les did. She told her about how her co-workers kept talking about the redheaded damsel from the night before. But it wasn't that they were teasing her she could handle that, the fact that they couldn't say it to her face and had to say it when they thought she couldn't hear it really upset her. She rejected the concept and insist that she was just being too sensitive, but Dotty cut her off. Her feelings were real and valid, no one likes having people talk about them like that.

After her first cup of tea she finally asked, "the girl last night. Amanda?" She frown, was this not the same thing she'd been complaining about? Talking about people, but she wasn't there to hear? Instead of asking about her she said a soft vulnerable, "she sent me flowers and lunch. As a thank you. I didn't think she'd remember me."

Dots heart broke for her long time friend. "Oh honey. Knowing you she remembers being pampered, taken care of as you are so good at. Because you are a good care taker. She's ashamed of her behavior." Leslie let her shoulders sag. "Care but not the face. Just my luck, first woman in years asking if I'm taking her home and she won't even remember my face. Typical lonely Les. Thanks For, I knew I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up."

"Les wait!" Dot called after the detective who gave a shake of her head and a sad smile. "I'm fine. Dot, take care. I'm just a call away." Waved and left. Hands Shove deep into pockets walking to her bike thoughts bitter, of course the pretty stranger wouldn't remember her, that was too much to ask for, a knight in armor for the damsel. she was maybe a little reckless on the way home but her little bike wouldn't hurt anyone if she got hit by a car, or maybe a dump truck.

Brooding dark thoughts she crawled under a blanket on the couch and went straight for the decorated tackle box. She'd never been much for rolling, though she had papers and wraps on hand. (Old habit, she'd not had smoking buddies in a long time) no she prefers a piece, pipe or bong. She packed a bowl into a green silicone pipe called Wonda. After a deep pull she curl in on herself more and sigh the exhale. A good indica to get her to sleep. "She was drunk and wanted to go home, not invite me into her bed. I know better than this." She yawn and cap the pipe after a last long draw to tired to knock out the ashes. Curled in on herself and slept on the couch.

The Effects of Alcoholism on Relationships

Leslie was thankful for a day off paperwork, her last case had been brutal even by her standards. Street kids have a whole different comprehension of the evils of man. Closing that case had not given her as much closure as she would have liked and it was pushing her, this emergency AA meetings. Those feelings and thoughts pushed the pretty redhead from last night out of her thoughts. So she wasn't actively wondering if she was okay, not just last night but the talk of freedom to live. Was someone hurting her? Was she propositioning her last night or asking for a ride? She wouldn't want a tumble and cuddle, not with Clay. So stop wondering.

She had a few phone calls, double checking some things or getting stuff sent to her. Some complain about the paperwork but she likes it. A good paper trail for a case was as important as her firearm on the streets. This was how she helped people, helped save lives and get justice for those she couldn't. Her notes were meticulous, detailed and color coded, she was good at body language and danger assessment.

Throughout the morning working on paperwork her mood improve some, until the otherwise quite space scratch with the tone of a secret 'Did you hear about Clay yet?' she ground her teeth and put her pen down so not the break it. Tone icy she shot to her feet and slammed her hands on her desk and hiss at the man and woman by the coffee pot but it got the rest of the room too. "If you're going to talk shit have the damn decency to say it to my face. So fucking what?! I brought a girl in for drunk and disorderly. What's the big deal?! Dotty asked me a favor." They all knew Dotty, before she got her own bar she'd worked at the cop bar. "Dot said she was a nice kid and she knows some of the beat cops like to toy with the sweet ones. Which if I ever find out who's doing it Im taking to the director. Now stop fucking talking about my like I can't hear you I'm in the same damn room for Christs sake. She sat hard and tired.

Sometimes she loved her job, when it's a good day and the make the same and catch the bad guy. Even when it's a paperwork day was pretty good. But then there were days like today, already drained for a previous case that had no happy endings. Then add the ache of the daily lonely gap that her coworkers just love poking at with hot red pokers. She ached and if it wouldn't make it look like she was running away, she'd have gone out for a smoke. Strictly tobacco on the clock. Instead she hunker back down into work. A different Uniform officer from the one she'd snapped at called through the archway from the lobby "Detective Clay?!" She ignored it, if the new kid wanted her attention he could call her desk. Which he did

"Detective, detective!" He chant excited

"What?!" She snapped

"You have a delivery!!" His excitement reflect her confusion. She didn't get deliveries. She hung up the phone and stalk to the front desk, and froze. There was a lovely arrangement of flowers waiting. Still frowning she collect the vase and gave a small sniff of the flowers, to see lunch too. Her stomach growl and she realized it was lunch time. Taking both back to her desk she sat and turn the card over in her hands a moment before reading it. At the words she got a small smile. She didn't do it for the thanks, but it was nice to be appreciated. She tuck the card away from prying eyes, settle in and ate the burger gazing at the flowers. The small smile only show in the corner of her eyes.

The Effects of Alcoholism on Relationships

Exactly! If she couldn't make that contact she expected that if they met again Amanda wouldn't remember her.