He run in there. She hear him open the door. He going to bust it in a million pieces. She get up and go after him, wobbly. She grabbing for doors and stuff, trying to get in there. He done took her money away, she can’t have no more. He don’t let her write no checks. He holding the bottle up where she can see it good. The contents of that bottle done trashed.

He say, “First glass my ass.”

“Oh, Alan,” she say. “That a old bottle.”

“Old bottle? That what you say, old bottle?”

“I found it,” she say.

“Lyin!” he say.

She shake her head no no no no no. She wanting that last drink because everything else hid.

“What you mean goin out buying some more?” he say. He got veins standing up in his neck. He mad, he madder than she ever seen him.

“Oh, Alan, please,” she say. She hate herself begging like this. She ready to get down on her knees if she have to, though.

“I found it,” she say.

“You been to the liquor store. Come on, now,” he say. “You been to the liquor store, ain’t you?”

Angel start to say something, start to scream something, but she see Randy come in from the front yard. He stop behind his daddy. Mama fixing to get down in the floor for that bottle. Daddy yelling stuff. Ain’t no good time to come in. He eight year old but he know what going on. He tiptoe back out.

“Don’t pour it out,” she say. “Just let me finish it and I’ll quit. Start supper,” she say.

“Lie to me,” he say. “Lie to me and take money and promise. How many times you promised?”

She go to him. He put the bottle behind his back, saying, “Don’t, now, baby.” He moaning, like.

“Alan please,” she say. She put one arm around his waist and try for that bottle. He stronger than her. It ain’t fair! They stumble around in the kitchen. She trying for the bottle, he heading for the sink, she trying to get it. Done done this before. Ain’t no fun no more.

He say, “I done told you what I’m goin to do.”