COMPETITION ENTRY - Jackie

Jolted awake by a familiar crashing sound, Caroline stumbled sleepily downstairs to find Jackie slumped on the kitchen floor again, sick in her hair, the sour aroma mixing with that of cheap vodka and the kebab on the side… She wasn’t worried about her breathing, as she could hear the snoring from half way down the stairs… it really wasn’t very attractive.

“Come on love” she said in a slightly weary but encouraging voice as she heaved Jackie up off the floor and hefted her up the stairs to the shower “it’s alright” she encouraged as Jackie groaned and whined. It was all part of growing up she supposed…

Sometimes though, like now, as her mum struggled to focus on her face and burbled incoherent apologies, Caroline wished that she could be the one coming home wrecked at 3.00 in the morning, and her mum - the laid back so-called free spirit who insisted on only first names - would just be a normal sodding adult.