Good Bye

as she packs her bags, she can't help but to look around and cry. She is finally of age and can leave. It feels like a lifetime that she was trapped here. As she puts the bag on her back and picks her suitcase up, the bedroom door slowly opens and her heart drops. In comes a drunken man, a man who put her through hell for years. Alex, her father looks at her with dilated eyes and comes closer to her, with a raspy voice he says.

"You don't have to leave you know; it'll get better. I promise I can change. we can do this."

As he finishes, he opens his arms for a hug, and she step back the small of her back bumping into the desk. Fear in her eyes, she looks at the door for an escape.

She grabs her bag off the bed and runs for the door, she turns and looks at a dumbfounded shook man. In a soft voice she explains,

"I have given you plenty of times, and today I went to the court and got emancipated you no longer can tell me what to do. Father or not I can make my own decisions."

She turns and walks away. He falls to his knees and yells,

"You are all I have"

A tear falls from her eyes as she walks to the door and unlocks it. 'Fairwell bad memories, Fairwell pain and Fairwell torture.'

As she goes to open the door Alex grabs her arm and stops her, she yanks it away.

"You have no one sweetheart you know nothing about how bad this world is. What are you going to do live behind a dumpster and hope that someone won't come by and shoot while you sleep or worse?"

"Wow Alex for someone who claims to want better you sure are doing a shitty job at it, just like being a dad you couldn't even do that right let alone being a good husband to your dying wife. Mom was all I had left not you and I am going to do just fine without you. Mom committed suicide because she couldn't handle being your wife anymore, holding on to her was you being the controlling abusive dick that you are. You want to control someone until their last dying breathe and I am not giving that to you. This is my life, and I am going to live it. Where I eat and where I live no longer is under your control."

Alex looked at Layla with shock in his eyes he could not believe the things she had said. She had finally grown the courage to stand up to him, if only it could have happened sooner. She opened the door and slammed it shut behind her.

She knew the things she said were harsh, but she couldn't stand the way he treated her any longer. All the bruises could finally heal, and her life could be better. As she hopped on the bus heading 50,000 miles away and found a seat, she let out a heavy much needed cry.

10 years later

Layla is a scientist on the verge of finding a cure for dementia. A baby on the way and a loving husband and father of their 9-year-old son, Olly. Her life has changed for the better and she is living a better life than she ever imagined for herself.

Alex has gotten cleaned and has started a new family and doing better for himself and his family. Layla and he have started to get in touch, and she is proud of her dad for what he is doing. He is now a wealthy lawyer and on his free time he volunteers at rehabs helping alcoholics like himself.

I wrote this story in honor of all recovering alcoholics and families going through hard times because of it. I wanted to spread awareness that you can get clean and that there is help if you or anyone you know is suffering from alcoholism, please call this number and get help today.

alcohol anonymous helpline

(888) 341-7785

Abuse Hotline

(800) 799 – 7233