Slowly, I opened my eyes. The thick curtains in the room were still closed from the night

before, but the small crack of light that streamed through was so bright and painful,

I may as well have looked directly into the sun itself. I groaned and tried to bury myself

under the duvet, but the waves of nausea suggested I'd be getting up soon. My head pounded.

I lay there for a moment longer as I gathered the strength to sit up. I was still wearing

yesterday's clothes, including my white lab code from work. I groaned. Waking up hungover, eh? I

really gotta get my life together.

Dad?

Came a voice, the voice of my daughter.

The one beautiful and good thing in my life.

It was my week to play house.

My ex and I share custody of her.

Yeah, baby girl.

I croaked.

Are you giving me a lift to school?

If you're not, I'm going to need bus money.

I made some mediocre excuse about her poor old man not feeling well and prayed she wouldn't

tell her mom about this.

My drinking was one of the reasons we split up.

I've made a lot of mistakes in my life,

but losing Evie wasn't going to be one of them. The front door slammed. The sound reverberated through my skull. I was going to be sick, but at least I'd be out of bed then. I staggered downstairs, made myself a cup of black coffee,

and tried to remember what happened the night before.

...