The Story Of Us

Chapter 7

I wake up with a headache. Looking at my phone I ignore all the messages that have been sent through. Today marks five months since my wife passed away.

I lazily get out of bed and walk to my boys room, opening the door. It is a weekend today, meaning they don't have school. I have also taken the day off but tonight they will be going to Aria's. Tonight I have the house to myself.

I get out of bed, walking toward the ensuite. A shower will do me some good. I get under the hot water, it cascading down my skin, heating up my body instantly. I shiver slightly at the change of temperature.

Taking the soap I lather myself up with the honey comb smell, rinsing it off before using the coconut scented shampoo and conditioner. I sigh before getting out of the shower. The cool air hitting me straight away. Most mornings I would hurry to stay warm but today, today I welcome it. My mind wanders to the days that I shared with Ellis, every morning, waking up together and having a shower together. She would wake up with me even though she didn't need to since she worked from home.

I walk into my bedroom, her side of the bed in view first, there's still a slight indent from her body and her things are perfectly placed on the bedside table. I turn and open the wardrobe, seeing all of her clothes still there, the dress she wore on our first date, the jacket she bought when we were in America for Christmas, when the snow got really bad and she hadn't packed enough warm clothes. I smile and run my hands along all of her clothes, each one with a memory attached to it. I finally will myself to get dressed in tracksuit pants and a sloppy jo. After getting changed I blow dry my hair and put it into a messy bun. Glancing at the time I see it's ten in the morning.

Walking down the corridor, I turn into my boys room. They are asleep together in the same bed, something they do quite often, If one of them has a nightmare. Walking to them I stole their heads softly and kiss their cheeks as they stir awake.

"Time to get up boys. You're going to sped the day with Aunty Aria." I say softly as they wake up.

Tyler and James sit up and get out of bed, hugging me as they head toward their wardrobe to get changed. I laugh to myself as Tyler gets his top stuck over his head. Walking over I help him get unstuck.

I always love watching them get theirselves ready. Especially the types of clothing they mismatch together. Once they are both ready I take them into the kitchen, pouring them both a bowl of Cheerio's. I don't feel like breakfast today so I'll skip it.

Once the pair of them were finished eating, I took them to the bathroom to brush their teeth and go to the toilet before Aria arrived to pick them up and take them out for the day with her two kids Lucy and Mason, both were older then my boys but still adored them. I hear my doorbell ring and Aria is there waiting at the door with her children in the car. I smile and hug her as she opens her arms.

"How are you?" She asks worriedly. I roll my eyes.

"I'm fine Aria." I say shrugging her off. She gives me the 'I'm not buying it' look but let's it go. Seconds after hearing the door bell, there is a stampede, well that's what it sounded like as my two boys camping running toward the door. I smile and hug both of them before handing Aria their overnight bags and some money for whatever she does with them for the day.

"Have fun boys!" I call out as they run toward the car.

I close the door after them and rub my hands over my face and sigh. Walking toward the lounge room, I take out the video of my wedding day. Putting it into the DVD player, I sit down on the couch and press play.

"Mum, stop recording." Ellis says as her mother films her.

She's got on a gorgeous white dress that fits comfortably around her curvy figure, also making her dark skin look so much more elegant, her hair is naturally curly, held up slightly with a diamond covered clip. She is getting her make up done while she is getting filmed, just before the wedding.

"Oh come on, I know Laura would love to see this." Her mother says lightly, Ellis smiles to herself with a light blush on her cheeks.

My eyes start to water as I hug my knees to my chest watching the woman I love so dearly. I remember our wedding day like it was yesterday, she was so gorgeous and the way she would smile and blush every time I was near her, even though we had been going out a year before I proposed.

The screen cuts off for a couple seconds before it's me in front of the camera. I had gone for a feminine looking pant suit. I've never been one for dresses, something everyone knew.

"I wish you would have warn a dress." I hear my mothers voice behind the camera.

My breath catches as I think about her, it's been so many years now that hearing her voice has shocked my system. I could really use my mother right now.

I grab my remote, pausing the video and getting my bottle of gentleman's jack from the cupboard, not bothering to get a glass. I sit back down with the unopened bottle in my hands before pressing play.

"Don't start mum, you know I don't like dresses. Besides, I wouldn't look anywhere near as gorgeous as what Ellis will look like." I look at myself on the television screen, I look younger, a lot younger. I clutch the unopened bottle close to my chest as it starts to tighten. I watch as I smile happily and worry free at my mother, who then turns the camera to herself with a smile on her lips.

"You heard her Ellis, you look beautiful." Mum says to the camera.

Seeing her face is enough for the tears to silently make their way down my cheeks as I finally open my bottle, taking a long and harsh swig of it. The taste of the liquor invading my mouth as it burns my throat on the way down.

Each video of us together that I watch during to day consists of about four swigs of my gentleman's jack, of course until it run out, which it was then replaced with a bottle of Jack Daniels.

Standing up with a pain rising in my chest of the loss of Ellis, I feel it boiling over turning into rage I started pacing back and forth, I grab the closest thing, being the lamp and throw it at the television where I had paused a video of Ellis just after giving birth to our son. The lamp smashes against the screen, both the lamp and television smashing. I sit back down on my couch with my head in my hands and cry. Today, has hit me harder than any other day.

I hear a knock at my door about fifteen minutes after I had smashed the television. I stand up stumbling, the alcohol in one hand as I get to the door. I answer the door to see Archer at the door. He glances at the bottle and shakes his head going to take it from me, I pull back so he can't and take another big swing, finishing the bottle. He sighs and let's himself in and closes the door behind himself.

"What are you doing?" He asks me I shrug.

He follows me into the lounge room and looks at the television, a sigh escaping his lips. I lay down on the couch, looking up at the ceiling.

"What are you doing?" He asks.

"Laying down, what does it look like." I say in a monotone. He walks to me and lifts me up, I push him and stand up on my own two feet.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him.

"Making sure you're okay." He says, obviously knowing that today is the mark of five months. He leads me down to my ensuite. Ok the way I start to feel dizzy and lean against the wall. He grabs hold of me and carries me the rest of the way, taking off my top, leaving me in my bra and taking my pants off so I'm in underwear before turning the shower on and putting me under, I sit down on the floor of the shower, leaning against the wall letting the freezing water cascade down my body as he sits on the toilet seat lid, watching me with worry etched on his face.

I close my eyes and sigh, letting the drowsiness take over.