Recalling Reality

Chapter 11

I wake up in the morning on Tuesday and enter the vacant hallway. There is no blonde looking all lovingly into Shane's eyes. In fact, there is no beautiful blonde at all. There aren't even photos of Shane either. The walls are bare, and all that was there, was the shadows of what used-to-be.

My heart skips and dances as I make my way into the living room to see Shane hunched over his laptop at the coffee table. This time, he has a pair of glasses that are perched on his nose and his interest is deep into the computer screen.

"I didn't think you would be awake yet." I slink out into the living room and curl up in his recliner, drawing the fleece blanket over my lap.

"It's not noon yet. How come you are awake?" His eyes leave the screen and venture over to me. A smile spreads wide on his face.

So, it's ten o'clock in the morning. I am allowed to get up early once in a while. Besides, this week will be filled with wedding stuff, and I still haven't met Quinn's very-soon-to-be wife. But, this week, I will meet her for sure. There will be a little dinner Friday night, and there will be no way she will get out of that one.

"I have been going through your accounts and social media. Do you check anything?" Resting back into the cushions, he runs a hand over his face, stopping at the growth that is covering his jaw line. It looks very good on him, and keeps my eyes interested for a little longer.

"Why should I? Sit and dread on what is going on? How many people don't like the book? It doesn't matter."

"Are you sure it doesn't matter?" He leans forward again and messes with the computer. Then, he turns it to face me and I am seeing a bunch of reviews. More than I figured I would get. "Your sales alone last month were close to two hundred dollars. The second has made almost five. A little more to it and you will be in the thousands."

"And?"

"Hannah! Come on! You have to be stoked about your sales." He lifts the computer off the coffee table and places it on his lap. "I am setting up some automated responses and some things to try and spread out the word of this latest book. Did you do anything to promote or market? Or, did you just put it out and walked away?"

"I just slapped it on up and paid no attention after that." Reaching over the side of the chair, I press the lever and my feet begin to rise.

"Fine. You better thank me in the end. I have a ton of shit to do, because you're a lazy author." The laser blues beam with excitement as he begins to work on the laptop.

"Have at it. I will do all the writing, and you take care of that."

Closing my eyes, I listen to his fingers tapping on the keyboard. If he wants to do the marketing for those books, he can. I just wrote them, someone said to publish them, and I did. Who knew they were really something someone wanted to read.

After a while, his cell phone rings and I am pulled from my dozing to listen to him.

"Quinn, what are you up to these days?" His fingers stop typing, and he places the laptop on the counter. "Yeah. Well your sister is beginning to think that it's me who you are marrying."

I roll my eyes and take out my cell phone to scroll through the latest of social media.

"But you will save me a dance at the reception, right?" He laughs and looks over at me. "Yes; I will have her ready by then." He hangs up giving the screen one last look.

"What? Who? And why?" I press the button and the back of the chair begins to sit upright before it brings my feet down. Now, I am curious as to what I am doing and why I have to be ready. I am not going anywhere tonight. I don't want to go anywhere tonight.

"Yes. Yes, and no." He slips his phone onto the coffee table and begins working on the laptop again.

"That does not answer my questions." I wait, and he is still working away. His attention doesn't become mine until after he finishes what he is working on.

"At seven, we are meeting Quinn. It's hockey night with the big boys."

Standing, he cocks his brow and motions for me to get out of his chair. I refuse, so he picks me up and places me on the couch. Then, he takes his seat and I stretch out.

"Who? Quinn? Quinn doesn't play hockey."

"He does, and he's pretty good. One of his many hidden talents. And he owes me a dance at the reception, so make sure I get that dance." He digs the remote control out from the cushions and turns the television on. "It's a bunch of us who play just for kicks. There's really no rules, and we just go to have some fun."

"So, I get to be the cheerleader or something?"

"Hockey doesn't have cheerleaders, Hannah." He changes channels and stops on an old episode of Baywatch. "Can I interest you into buying a red one piece and doing some slow motion running for me?"

"Yeah, sure. After I sell one thousand on a book in one month." Rolling my eyes, I find myself getting hooked on the show and the actors. Back in the nineties, this was the show. And I can see why. A man's show because of the barely clothed women. But the story lines aren't half as bad. If there was some better acting, that is.

"That is a challenge." He puts up his feet and tunes back into the show.

Heaviness settles into my eyelids and I am not able to keep them open. I wake back up to Shane snoozing and some soap opera playing. I slink over to the end beside him and steal the remote. Just as I change the channel, those blue eyes are staring at me, threatening me for touching his piece of manhood.

"There is one rule in my house."

"You were sleeping."

"One rule!" He leaps up from the chair and tackles me on the couch, fishing for the remote I stuffed between the cushions. After coming up empty handed, his fingers dig into my side and he frantically tickles me until I hand over the remote. And I give up with a fight, too.

Once he has it in his hand, he wiggles and I land on the floor, laughing the hardest I have laughed in a long time. When he peers over the edge of the couch, his eyes are dancing with delight and happiness that I haven't seen before.

"We better get ready. The rink is an hour away, and we can't be late."

"So, if I'm not a cheerleader because hockey doesn't have cheerleaders, then what am I?" Accepting his hand, I stand and follow him down the hall to the bedroom.

"Exactly what we are doing."

"I never played hockey before. And, I am not even sure I can skate." Just like the past two times, I follow him without a doubt. First zip lining, and then sky diving. Now, it's hockey. For some reason, when it comes to Shane, there is no way I can say no.

So, I just end up following along.