She took a deep breath and opened the door, steeling herself for what she'd find inside.
In what seemed like a little miracle, the living room was empty. She had expected their dad to be there, probably passed out on the couch with a hangover, but he was nowhere to be seen. She gave Elliot a silent all-clear, and he shuffled in next to her. She bent down to unlace her shoes, wincing at the pain that shot up her side. That was going to be lovely in the coming weeks; she dreaded the thought of sleeping without drugs, too.
“Charlie, are you okay?” Elliot asked, his face scrunched up with concern. She grinned at him and ruffled his hair, making a mental note to hide the pain better next time.