Recalling Reality

Chapter 5

My eyes flutter open just to see the white walls with a couple decorative sconces and wildlife framed art on the wall. The wooden doors of the closet are closed, and there isn't any clothing tossed around. The bed has a large, black, lightweight down comforter, and the plushness of the pillows allows my head to cradle right into their lap.

But, this is not Taylor's house. This is not Mom's condo either.

I sit up, and my head throbs. Beside the king-sized bed is a wooden stand with a brass lamp, an alarm clock, my cell phone, and a tall glass of water with two white pills sitting beside it. I take the water and drink some of it. Then, I take the aspirin and finish the glass of water.

My phone chimes and MOM is displayed over the screen.

I hope you are ready. We are heading to the Milwaukee Zoo in a half-hour.

The zoo. That's right. We planned to go there with the boys today. And I am in no shape to do anything, except to find out where the hell I am.

Pulling my body out of the arms of the most comfortable mattress there ever was, I drag myself to the door and step into the hall that is littered with photos. Photos of the blue-eyed man and a beautiful blonde haired woman. There are photos of them together, hand-in-hand, kissing, looking into each other's eyes, and one of them wearing a tux and a dress. Not a wedding dress, but one that could have been in a bridal party. And she is way prettier than anyone I've seen before.

If he was there, hitting on me last night, then where was she?

Maybe she passed away. Good heavens. That would be hard to take for a guy as young as he was. Losing his girlfriend or wife so early in life. I can't even imagine that kind of pain.

"It is about time. I was going to come and throw some shoes in the room to wake you up." Shane appears, holding another glass of water, and the aroma of eggs and hash browns floats in the air, swirling up from behind him.

"I'm sorry. I should go."

I am in this guy's house, and I don't remember how I ended up staying there. Taylor's is just a short walk away, and there would have been no reason for me not to go back after we had a couple beers. But, to be in Shane's house, his bed...

Oh my Gosh! I was in his bed!

"Don't panic. I slept on the couch." A little smile comes out, but his eyes are different today. Today, they aren't as vibrant or as captivating as they usually were. They are dull and ... sad. "I only took your shoes off and stuck you in bed. Then, I hightailed it out of there because your snoring was ... waking up the neighbor kids."

"I don't snore."

"You sure do."

"I do not." The heat fills in my cheeks and tops off in my ears.

"You do. And loud."

"I'm beginning to dislike you." I manage to take my eyes off him, but he is standing right by the most loving photo I've ever seen. He was with her, and she was sitting on his lap, on a swing. His arms were wrapped around her, and they were both smiling, unaware of the photo being taken. The love is busting out of the frame and spreading along the wall. Their wall.

"You do snore." He reaches into the back pocket of his blue jeans and pulls out his phone. "Let me go through these photos here ... that you wouldn't stop taking last night."

"I did not."

When he turns the phone around, there's a photo of me and him. My chin was resting on his shoulder, and we were both smiling. As he flips through, there are more. Laughing photos, some of me and some of him, that I am guessing I took. Apparently, we had had a good time last night, and I don't even remember it. But when he stops on the final photo, he was sitting on my lap and I was cradling him.