Alone.

A Story by Val Shauger

A couple must face a challenge in life.

When I wake up I'm on the right side of the bed. I only just realize as I reach out for Darrel that he isn't here. I reach out for him but only find an empty bed. Suddenly my head begins to hurt.... Hell what happened last night? As I slowly climb out of bed I notice all the Vodka bottles surroding my bed. I need something for my head! I walk into the bathroom surprised to see that my hair is the same exact way I left it when I went to bed with Darrel, who is in the shower.

"Morning" I say popping in the two little Tylenol. I take the opportunity to brush my teeth as well. He makes a sound that I take to be a good morning grunt.

"Hey, Darrel?" I say.

"Yeah?" he says putting shampoo all over his head.

"We drank last night didn't we?" I say spitting the minty tooth paste into the sink.

He makes another noise which I'm pretty sure means yes. "Dammnit Darrel!" I say trying my best to sound angry, at seven in the morning. He sighs. He knows I don't want him drinking... I push the thought away and walk out of the room so I don't loose my temper with him. How the hell did I let him talk me into drinking with him? I hop back into bed, to angry to make breakfast. Immediately anger is replaced with guilt. I shouldn't be so angry with him. I wasn't the one who had to suffer through watching my best friends die right before my eyes.... I cant even imagine what war must be like. I can only picture what Hollywood has made war into.

I wake up to the smell of pancakes. I smile a little. How long was I asleep? 'I don't care' says my stomach. I have forgotten how hungry I was. Darrel always gets up at five in the morning and doesn't stop working until ten at night, leaving barley enough time for us to do anything.. I know it must sound selfish but I don't like the fact that I am pushed all the way down to his very last minute when he gets home... I try not to think about it and dress. I put on my favorite sweater and jeans along with my sneakers and don't bother to put my hair in its usual braid. I leave it down and practically run to the table. "Mornin' sweetheart" he says, as I take my place next to him. I peck his cheek and get a plate, putting four pancakes on my plate. He laughs a little, sipping his coffee. I look at him and roll my eyes. "I swear, you could it a burger the seize of a fire truck and still look like you just walked out of a People's magazine" he says. I laugh. Then after a few moments of silence, I begin my usual speech .

"Stay home today, Darrel" I say taking his hand. Its then it happens. He pushes me off my chair and yells someone's name. He grabs a fork and starts slashing the air. I quickly grab the fork out of his hand and tell him that its just me. Just his girlfriend, Lisa. He looks at me. I can see the fear and anger going away slightly. He then begins to cry. And cry. I hold him telling him I will always be here and that it will be okay. I tell him this often. I suddenly don't care if he doesn't spend the day with me.

Darrel

Lisa is my world. She means everything to me. I cant live without her. How do I show her my love for her? I cant even pull myself out of my hallocations long enough to know that she isn't trying to hurt me? I cant help myself. One minute I'm seeing Lisa and the next I'm seeing Joey in his own blood choking... I loose it. Then I cry. What a boyfriend I am.

The first day I met Lisa it was raining. She worked in Hot Chops the little restaurant. She always took my order first before anyone else. Though I had always been the first one to come into the small little dinner in North Carolina. She had her beautiful long brown hair in a braid like she always had. She had her contacts in and she smiled at me, the smile that makes my knees go weak. I was going to the military tomorrow.

"Can I help you?" she asked. I thought I might die or worse wet my pants right there on the spot. I think I must have just starred at her for an hour.

"Sir? Is everything okay?" she asked. I nodded and told her my order in the most monotone voice ever. Finally it was five o'clock and I needed to leave. I really didn't want to though. It was then that I noticed she and I were the only ones left in the dinner. She smiled at me as she poured more coffee in the small mug in front of me. She blushed. I wander if she did this with every guy or if I was the exception.

"Do you always blush when you are pouring coffee?" I ask in the most composed voice I could manage. She shook her head, and burst out laughing. I guess her laugh was contagious because I immediately started to laugh as well. We must have laughed for about five minutes.

"What's your name stranger?" she asked. Her voice reminded me of honey. Sweet.

"Darrel" I told her. She nodded. I bit my bottom lip and noticed that she was overfilling the coffee cup. I laughed a little. I wandered if she knew what she was doing... I sighed. The sigh was immediately followed by a laugh. Coffee was pouring down her hand. She suddenly saw what she was doing and her cheeks flushed an even more brighter pink. It reminded me of cotton candy.

"What in God's name am I doing?" she whispered. She grabbed some towels and began to clean up the mess she made. I laughed a little at this. She noticed my laugh and started up with that sweet as honey laugh. She suddenly hit me with the towel and laughed some more. I gently hit her back.....

TO BE CONTINUED!