Twisted Deceptions- 26

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Chris, disoriented awoke to the cell phone ringing beside him. He flipped it open and mumbled a hello.

"Benoit, it seems that you are on your way to being a real hero. Congratulations. I'll call back in the morning with further instructions."

Chris sat up on the side of the bed and stared at the glowing numbers on the beside clock. He had slept for almost six straight hours. He didn't know how that was even possible considering the nightmares he's had while in such a deep sleep. He went in the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. He cringed as he saw his reflection in the mirror. He hadn't shaved in two days, his clothes were all wrinkled and he had circles under his eyes. He wet his hands and raked them through his hair to smooth it down. If Mel were here she would love this. He thought to himself as he picked up a razor and tossed it in the trash. For some reason that he didn't quite understand why Mel was always trying to get him to grow his beard out and he would argue that he would look like a crazy mountain man. To which she would giggle. He could clearly hear her unmistakable laugh. He closed his eyes and braced his arms against the sink and inhaled. The smell of her was everywhere and right now it was overwhelming. Chris prayed that if opened his eyes right now, she would be standing behind him. He choked back a surge of emotion and slowly opened his eyes only to see his reflection staring back at him. He slammed both hands against the counter. It was killing him. He couldn't do a damn thing but wait. Anger boiled inside him, all he wanted was to get his hands on the man that had destroyed his happiness. He splashed another round of cold water on his face and dried off before changing clothes and heading down stairs.

-- -- --

"Hi Chris, did you manage to get some sleep?" Autumn asked as she set a cup of coffee on the breakfast bar for him.

"Thanks. Yeah, I got woke up by a call from him."

"What did he say this time?"

"Nothing new. Just that he got the money and would call back in the morning for the rest of the money." Chris took a sip of the hot liquid and sat down at the bar. "Where are Molly and Shannon?"

Autumn poured herself a cup of coffee and took a seat at the nearby table. "Well, Molly went to pick up Dave at the airport. And Shannon went to pick up take out."

"And you got stuck babysitting me?"

"Yeah bro, I drew the short straw." She smiled. "So what do you feel up to?"

Chris frowned. "What do you mean? I'm not watching movies, playing cards or any of that shit."

She got up and went over to the refrigerator. "No, I meant beer, Jack and Coke or Tequila?"

"Now I have to wonder how I could ever be mad at you. Bring on the Tequila."

She grabbed a couple of shot glasses from Mel's collection and set them in the middle of the table along with the fifth of Jose Cuervo Tequila.

Chris smiled as he held a shot glass in his hand. "You know we aren't supposed to drink out of these right?"

"I know." Autumn poured them each a shot and they knocked it back. The routine went on like this for a few minutes, each quickly feeling the effects of the alcohol.

Chris held up his glass full of Tequila as if he were inspecting it. "Mel got this one when we were on a tour in Ireland. There were only five of them made and it's valued at a couple of hundred dollars I think. Anyway, we were at this pub and the bartender collected shot glasses. Of course Mel took it upon herself to start comparing their respected collections. The guy was apparently impressed enough with her knowledge and love of these little glasses that he showed her his most prized glasses that he kept locked in a box at the back of the pub. She was just in awe of these glasses, which I've never understood. But he explained the history of each glass in careful detail. Mel noticed he had two of these particular ones that were made by a knight or ancestor of a famous knight, I don't recall. So she tries to buy one from him and offers ridiculous amounts of money, to which the bartender declined. But you know how your sister is. She kept trying to persuade him until he finally made her a deal. If she could knock back five pints of his special Irish brew in five minutes or less, she could have the glass. Well, I need not tell you that the combination of Melony and a challenge proved a sweet victory for her. The bartender learned very quickly that you can't judge a book by the cover." Chris chuckled and knocked back the shot.

Autumn couldn't help but laugh. That was her sister alright. Sophisticated and demure on the outside and a raging bull on the inside. She was stubborn and never took no for an answer. She poured another round. "She never told me that. Then again she doesn't tell me a lot."

Chris knocked back another shot. "She's your older sister, she tries to watch out for you so much that she sometimes forgets to fill you in on the fun stuff, I suppose."

Autumn laughed. "You sound so wise for your age." She stuck out her tongue. "But you apparently don't know her as well as you think."

He poured them another round. "What do you mean?"

"This was before you two got together and she was still living in Norfolk. Mel was bored and decided that it would be fun to go out and get crazy. So Shannon, Mel and I went out bar hopping along the boardwalk in Virginia Beach. Mel of course is doing shots and ordering these weird concoctions all night long. And she's getting totally plastered yet maintaining that she is every bit as lucid as me and Shannon. Anyways, we hit about 5 different bars and lounges and closed down the last. By the time we got out of there, Mel was completely drunk. Shannon had to practically carry her to the car; thank goodness he only had a few beers that night. She fell asleep in the backseat and when we got back to her apartment she was so confused she didn't know where she was. But she got out of the car and started walking insisting she was alright. So Shannon and I were getting some stuff out of the car and when we caught up to Mel she was hugging a tree. It was this huge Oak tree and she had both arms wrapped around it and her head lying against the bark. It was just so funny. And to this day we really aren't sure what she thought she was doing. But we snapped a few pictures."

Chris almost fell off his chair laughing. It was so hard, yet so easy for him to picture his wife that way. She was always one of those people that handled their liquor so well. In fact she could out drink most guys he knew. Yet he knew she had a little wild side in her but he never questioned her about her past. He accepted that she was who she was. It was one of the many things he loved about her. "I'd love to see those pictures."

"I'll get them for you tomorrow." She picked up the empty bottle of Jose Cuervo and looked at Chris.

"Look in the pantry next to the wine rack."

Autumn came back carrying a new fifth and went to the refrigerator to get out the orange juice and cherry grenadine. "I think maybe we'd better tone this round down a bit. Tequila sunrise?"

"Sounds good." He walked to the cabinet and retrieved two glasses and set them on the table.

"You know, you and Mel are so lucky to have found each other. It must be so nice to have finally found your soul mate."

Chris laughed. "Yeah but if it wasn't for my friends I may have overlooked what was right under my nose."

"Well, I wish I would have overlooked Doug."

Chris arched his eyebrow. "I thought things were going good between you and Doug."

She shrugged and passed Chris his drink. "They were until the other day. He left with my car and I can't seem to get in touch with him. It's as if he's disappeared."

Chris smiled. "Maybe that's a good thing. Now you can't overlook what's right under your nose."

She studied him for a moment almost dismissing his remark when curiosity got the better of her. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, I'm just saying." His words slightly slurred as he polished off his drink and slid his glass to her. She finished off her on and started making them another. "How long have you and Shannon been friends?"

Autumn shrugged. "I don't know. He and Mel were friends first. She introduced us as soon as I started working for WWE. So I guess about six years. Why?"

"So he's been your friend for six years and you have never thought of him in any other way?"

Autumn stirred her drink and thought about what Chris had just said. She had always thought of Shannon as just a friend. Not to say that she didn't find him attractive, because she did. It's just that had always been friends and neither had really sent off a vibe that they wanted to be more. Although if she were to be honest with herself, she would admit that she had often wished for a guy like Shannon and had often compared her boyfriends to him. But she had never considered potentially ruining their friendship by dating. This was crazy. "Shannon is just my friend, that's all."

Chris laughed. "And that's your way of avoiding my question?"

"No. I, just... well, I've never given much thought to it. I mean of course we're close. And he's cute as hell."

"So what's the problem?" Chris asked as he finished yet another Tequila Sunrise.

"Why the sudden interest in my love life?"

"I just know Shannon likes you. I also know he's a decent guy, unlike Doug."

Autumn found herself feeling a bit giddy and her cheeks turned pink. "How do you know? Did he say something?"

"He didn't have to."

Autumn was just about to question him further, when Shannon came in carrying bags from a local restaurant. Both Chris and Autumn looked like they had just been caught with their hand sin the proverbial cookie jar.

"Did I interrupt something here? Shannon asked as he set the bags on the table and Chris and Autumn almost fell over laughing.