Read Just for Today Online

Authors: Tana Reiff

Just for Today

Copyright © 2013 Tana Reiff

First published in 2013 by Grass Roots Press

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used

or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the

prior written permission of the publisher, except in the

case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

Grass Roots Press gratefully acknowledges the financial

support for its publishing programs provided by the

following agencies: the Government of Canada through

the Canada Book Fund and the Government of Alberta

through the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication from the print edition

Reiff, Tana

Just for today / Tana Reiff. — Rev. ed.

(Pathfinders)

ISBN 978-1-927499-67-2 (Print)

ISBN 978-1-927499-84-9 (ePub)

1. Readers (Adult). 2. Readers for new literates.

I. Title. II. Series: Pathfinders (Edmonton, Alta.)

PE1127.A43R43 2013 428.6’2 C2012-906776-8

Cover image: © Will Crocker/Getty Images

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Just for Today
Tana Reiff

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 1

“Give me

another one!”

shouted Biff.

He stood up slowly.

He started to walk

toward the bar.

His girlfriend, Abby,

and some friends

stayed at the table.

“This is

your last drink tonight,”

said the bartender.

“You don’t think

I’m drunk,

do you?”

Biff yelled.

He stumbled back

toward the table.

His foot caught

on a chair leg.

He almost fell.

His friends

laughed at him.

“What’s so funny?”

Biff asked.

“You, man,”

said Jerry.

“You’re smashed!”

“And why

are
you
laughing?”

Biff asked Abby.

“You’re my girlfriend.

I could have

hurt myself.”

“Forget it, Biff,”

said Abby.

Biff’s drink

went very fast.

“Give me

one more!”

he called out.

“You’re done,”

said the bartender.

“You’ve had enough

for tonight.”

“Abby, get me

a drink,”

Biff begged.

“No,” said Abby.

“No more tonight, okay?”

“You’re not

my mother,”

said Biff.

He pushed Abby.

She fell

to the floor.

“Don’t do that!”

cried Abby

as she got up

and brushed herself off.

Abby was

a little scared.

She had seen

Biff get drunk

many times.

But he had never

pushed her around

like this.

Biff headed

for the door.

He was having trouble

standing up.

Abby stayed back

for a minute.

Then she left too.

Chapter 2

By the time

Abby got outside,

Biff was gone.

He had taken

the car.

Jerry drove

Abby home.

When she got home,

Biff was not there.

Just then

her phone rang.

It was the police.

“We have Biff

here at the station.

We picked him up

for drunk driving.

He could not walk

a straight line!

Do you want

to come and get him

and the car?”

“I’ll be right there,”

Abby said.

She grabbed

her bag.

She took a cab

to the police station.

She paid

the police

bail money.

“He won’t be driving

for awhile,

you know,”

said the cop.

“We have

some nice classes

he must take first.

And count yourself lucky

that this is his first time.

Could be a lot worse.”

Then they let Biff

go home.

The ride home

was very quiet.

For a few minutes

the only sound

was the car itself.

Then Abby said,

“What happened?”

“I don’t remember,”

said Biff.

“You left the pub.

You were

really drunk.

What happened next?”

Abby asked.

“I don’t remember,”

Biff said again, louder.

What he said

was true.

He didn’t remember

where he had been

or what he had done.

“I guess

I blacked out,”

Biff said.

“I guess

you did,”

said Abby.

Neither one of them

said a word

the rest

of the ride home.

Chapter 3

The next day

Abby got home

from work

at 5:30 p.m.

There was Biff,

sitting in the living room.

Most days

he got home

later than her.

“I didn’t go

to work today,”

said Biff.

“I didn’t feel well

this morning.

This hangover

was a bad one, Baby.”

“You have used

all your sick days,”

said Abby.

“I know,”

said Biff.

“That means

I won’t get paid

for today.”

Abby was not glad

to hear that.

They needed

the money.

There were bills

to pay.

Abby went

to the kitchen.

She heated up

some leftovers.

She brought Biff

a tray of food.

He stayed

in his easy chair.

“Sorry, Abby,”

he said.

“I’m not hungry.”

“What’s the matter?”

Abby asked him.

“You’re drunk again,

aren’t you?

How much

have you had?”

“I don’t know,”

said Biff.

He held up

a big bottle.

It was almost empty.

“This bottle

was full

this morning!”

he laughed.

Something in his laugh

was not funny.

“You’ve been drinking

all day?”

Abby shouted.

“Looks like it,”

said Biff.

“Now, shut up!

I don’t want

to hear about it.

I like to drink.

It’s not

hurting anyone.

So just shut up!”

“You think

it’s not hurting
you
?”

said Abby.

“You think

it’s not hurting me?”

Biff got out

of his chair

and pushed her

against the wall.

“Mind your own

business!”

he yelled.

Abby was crying.

Biff put his arms

around her.

“I’m sorry, Baby,”

he said.

“Have a little drink

with me.”

He poured Abby

a drink.

“This will make you

feel better.”

They finished

the bottle.

Then they started

another bottle.

They both

passed out

in the living room.

Chapter 4

Biff couldn’t get

out of bed

the next day.

His head

felt like a rock.

Or like a rock

pounding his head.

His stomach

was rolling around

like a rubber ball.

He stayed in bed

half the day.

Once again,

he missed work.

Abby didn’t feel great,

but she went

to work.

When she got home,

the two of them

had another fight.

Once again,

Biff said

he was sorry.

Once again,

Abby drank

with him.

Biff passed out

in his chair.

Abby sat alone

for a few minutes.

Her head

was a mess.

She thought about

how much she hated this.

The alcohol.

Biff getting mean.

Fighting.

That is when she knew

something had to change.

Abby found

the number

for Alcoholics Anonymous.

She called.

“My friend is sick,”

she began.

“Where and when is

your next meeting?”

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