A New "Normal" Now

Theresa had saved some money and we had just sold her the 1994 Saturn for $500.00.  She would be working full time and we hoped this would help her self-esteem.  The day after she bought the car I asked to borrow it real quick to run an errand.  She said “sure”.  While I was out I needed a pen and many times there were pens in the glove compartment.  I opened the glove box up and there were about 4 or 5 shot test tubes in there.  I gave her a call and woke her up.  I asked about the shot tubes and she said she found them on the Riverwalk.  I felt so sad and with tears in my eyes I quietly said “Theresa, you’re an alcoholic. We’ll talk tonight when dad and I come home.”   I knew that when an addicted person relapses they just don’t use a little, they go right back to where they left off or worse.  Later that evening when Eric came home I could hear him come in the front door.  And then I heard Theresa talking.  She was telling Eric good-bye.  She would be going to live with the drug dealer.  I was upstairs and I bent over the staircase and said “good-bye Theresa, I love you.”  “Bye mom, I love you too.”