CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWO

HEAVY BATTLE

It took a few minutes for Lara to feel a little better. Better enough to sit down. Her stomach instantly improved, and her head was no longer spinning. Her nausea had weakened, but she still trembled. It was the first time she had experienced withdrawal like this, but it was also the first time she had gone so long without consuming alcohol.

Shame. Shame about her humble home, shame about the psychologist being there. The disparity in their financial situations was glaring. Patrícia didn't fit in that two-room house in the community, and even though Lara was proud of her little house and found it tidy, seeing the psychologist there was strange and didn't match. Patrícia wore a cream-coloured suit that reached her ankles. Underneath, she wore a high-necked salmon blouse. The pants were formal, beige with tiny flowers that were barely visible. Her low-heeled sandals were adorned with intricate decorations.

"Do you feel a little better?" Patrícia asked.

"Yes, thank you."