Chapter 2 surprise

When Robert opened his eyes, it took him a few seconds to realize where he was. He saw the empty whiskey bottle rolling about on the floor. He could also feel the pain go though his head when he tried to get up.

It is a good thing I don't have to go to work today, he thought.

Suddenly he heard the doorbell and whoever was ringing it was getting impatient.

Robert slowly made his way to the door, rubbing his neck that was stiff from sleeping in the chair and wishing he could block out the noise from the bell.

He began to lose patience with whoever was at the door.

"Goddamn it, you can stop ringing now. I'm coming, where's the fire, anyway? This better be..."

Robert swung the door open to a

Small woman with short, straight blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

A huge grin appeared on his face.

"Jayne, what are you doing here?" he said as he wrapped his arm around her.

"About time you answered that door," Jayne said. "I've been ringing that doorbell for about ten minutes..." She stopped and stared at him. "And by the look of you, Robert; I can guess why it took you so long to answer."

"Yes... sorry, long night," Robert replied, somewhat sheepishly. "But you look great." . She wore blue jeans, a white blouse, and an old brown lather jacket. He noticed the suitcase standing by her side.

This time it was Jayne's turn to look sheepish. Robert raised an eyebrow.

"I think you better come in," he said. "I don't know about you, Jayne, but I need some strong black coffee."

Jayne put her case down in the hallway and followed Robert into the kitchen.

She pulled out a chair from the breakfast bar and sat down.

There was awakening silence as Robert made the coffee; neither one of them knew what to say.

When the coffee was ready, Robert made his way towards Jayne and sat down.

He was the first one to break the silence. "So, I take it by the suitcase you're planning on staying in town for a few days."

Jayne lowered her eyes and started to play with her fingers nervously.

"Well, actually I think I'm staying in town for good. That is, if I can find a job and somewhere dirt cheap to live.

I was going to go to the Bates motel but when I got there, it was all boarded up."

Robert looked at her as if she had grown two heads.

"Oh, yeah, that drug infested flea pit was closed down when they found the owner dead in bed dressed in women's clothes with a needle in his arm and god knows what up his butt," he said. "Besides, even if it was open you can't stay there. You would have ended up raped or dead."

Jayne rolled her eyes.

"Look," Robert continued, "there's plenty of room here. Why don't you stay here until you get on your feet."

Jayne smiled at Robert fondly and took his hand in hers.

"Look, I only came to see how you were. Really,

I didn't expect you to bail me out. I'll be fine."

But Robert was not going to take no for an answer.

"Oh, come on, Jayne, there's only me in this big house. There's plenty of room and I know you didn't come here wanting a handout.

How long have we been friends? Since we were kids, and friends help each other out, just don't tell anyone I have friends. They would probably die of shock.

"So, how about it. There's a spare room upstairs. Why you don't put your things in there and take a shower while I make some breakfast."

Robert didn't wait for an answer. He got up and started to make breakfast.

Jayne was going to say no but when she looked at him, she saw something in his deep brown eyes.

He was not the confident man he was the last time she saw him. She knew Robert had never been as happy or as confident as he let on, but this time something was different. She realised for the first time how much the accident with his arm had affected him, and she mentally kicked herself for listening to Roberts's pleas to stay away when it had first happened.

The more she thought about his offer the more she realised that Robert may need her more than she needed him.

So she smiled a big smile, picked up her bag, kissed Robert on the top of his head and headed upstairs leaving Robert standing there smiling, a lot happier than he'd been when he'd first woken up.