Sarah and Kevin 32

"OK you guys, dinner is ready." Kevin was already at the table. He watched as Scott and Tom came in.

"Where's Peter?" Kevin asked.

"He says he's not hungry."

Kevin looked at Sarah. Her hands were on her hips and her lips were pressed together. She sighed heavily, dropped her arms and went toward the bedrooms. Kevin waited for just a moment, then he followed her down the hallway. Scott and Tom were right behind him.

She had left the bedroom door slightly ajar. They could see Peter lying with his back to the door. Sarah sat down on the bed behind him.

"I need an answer from you, Peter." she said.

Peter rolled over so he was looking up at her. He reached up and touched her cheek. Kevin felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"Sarah, I am so sorry," he said.

Sarah was silent for a moment. "Apology accepted. But I still need you to make a decision." Her voice was quiet and firm.

"I promise, this will never happen again." He ran his thumb gently over her swollen lips. Sarah quickly grabbed has hand and held it in both of hers.

"I'd like to believe you, but I don't think you have control over it, Peter. And I can't afford to take that chance," she said.

"So my apology and my word mean nothing?" Peter asked and pulled his hand away, turning to face the wall again.

"Peter, it's a yes or no question. Why are you making this so hard?"

"I don't need help. I can stay sober on my own."

"Maybe that's true. Maybe you just needed one more time to see how things go wrong when you drink. But maybe it's not true. We won't know until it happens again." Sarah sighed. "If you don't agree to go to AA every Thursday night from tomorrow until the day you guys leave here, you will be moving out first thing tomorrow morning." Sarah sounded like she was going to cry.

Kevin was barely breathing. "What's your decision?" she asked quietly.

"Fine. I'll go."

Kevin stopped breathing completely. His stomach knotted up and it was all he could do to stay in the hallway.

Sarah was silent for a moment. "You'll go where?" she asked.

"I'll go to the god damn meetings."

All of them exhaled at the same time. Sarah looked up and saw them. She frowned, but they could see the tears rolling down her cheeks. She brushed the tears away.

"Are you going to come and eat?" she asked.

"No."

"Do you want me to bring you a plate?"

Peter shook his head.

"OK" she patted his arm. He jerked it away from her. She stood up and came out into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

Scott put his arm around her shoulders. "You are god damn brilliant." he said quietly.

"He's not happy. At all."

"So what?" Kevin asked.

Sarah shrugged. "Anyway, the meetings are at 7:30 on Thursdays, so you'll need to keep those days open." she said. "I'll drive him to and from the church. He won't like that either, but I want to make sure that he goes."