"Elias darling, come here please!" Mother called out in that sing-song voice I so very much hated.
"Coming mother." I said to myself, knowing very well that she couldn't hear me and knowing just as well that it didn't matter if she did. She knew I would come. I always did.
I hesitantly pushed open her door and saw her lounging luxuriously on her plush bed.
"My love, come here," she purred, and I could immediately smell the sour stench of alcohol.
I strode up to the foot of her bed and saw that the sheets were messed up. She's been having nightmares again. "Elly, do mummy a favor and bring me my jewelery box." She slurred her words, and I knew tat she'd overdosed on her anti-depressants.
"No, Mother, I think you should just lay down and go to sleep. You've had a rough night." I took a step backwards and almost tripped on some discarded clothes. I bent down to pick it up, then saw that the whole floor was littered with garbage, clothes, shoes, and whatever else she decided to toss aside. I sighed deeply and straightened up.
"Elias, sweetheart, please bring me my box. It's so special to me." She was whining now. She crawled along the bed to where I was standing and reached up to try and touch my face, something that I used to love. Now it just made me feel sick.
I looked at her, pity and fear bubbling up inside me, and I saw that underneath her silk robe she had no clothes on. I quickly looked over at the door, wanting nothing more than to escape.
"Elias!" She barked, and prodded me in the stomach. "Look at me when I'm speaking to you!" she said harshly.
I looked at her lined face and my throat constricted. "Why do you want you music box, Mother?" I choked on my words, knowing exactly why.
"Because it has my wedding ring in it," she said dreamily, and I knew I needed to change the subject because she was coming close to a meltdown.
"Ok, mother, I'll get you your jewelery box. I'll return in just a moment." I backed away quickly and went for the box.
I opened it and went right to the secret compartment. I had seen her wedding ring on the bedside table, so I knew what she really wanted. The velveteen lining peeled away from the bottom of the little box, revealing multiple bottles of pills such as Vicodin and various antidepressants.
I felt a stab of sadness as I removed everything, and not for the first time I wondered where they came from.
I slid the bottles into my jacket pocket, then took of my jacket and hung it on the door, ready for my quick escape.
"Elly!" My mother called, and I reattached the lining and rearranged everything abck to the way it was.
"Coming." I whispered.
