Chapter 5
They spent a long time in the shower. So long that it was almost seven by the time they were dressed and ready to go. In the shower they had played around washing each other and making each other laugh. Caleb was doing everything to keep Hanna's spirits up and when he noticed her drifting away into her mind he picked her up and made love to her against the tile wall.
He did his best to keep her mind in the present and not the past but every so often he would catch her drifting away from him and so he kept up the chatter and the jokes, the playfulness and the tender touches hoping to with hold the storm he could tell was coming.
They got a few curious looks from his mom and brothers when they finally walked into the kitchen to join them for dinner. His mom was placing the food in serving bowls while his brothers carried those bowls as well as plates and utensils to the table. His step-dad wasn't in the room yet.
It took a minute but his youngest brother Clay noticed them standing there first. "Caleb!" He shouted running over to him for a hug.
"Hey buddy how are you?" Caleb asked returning the hug and ruffling his hair.
"I'm good. I'm in a tennis tournament. Got my big match on Sunday and then I'll be done for the season." Clay said proudly.
"That's awesome bud and how are things with you James?" Caleb asked his other brother.
"I decided not to do the tournament this year. I wanted to do some real hardcore training to work on my swing and my form. I'll play next year and by then I'll have an edge over the other competitors." James responded in a very serious, grown-up voice.
"That's great I bet you'll knock 'em dead next year too." He said. "I'll be sure to come and watch you practice to see how good you get." Caleb said making his brother smile.
"Will you come to my match on Sunday Caleb? It's the championship match." Clay asked his eyes wide in hope.
"I'll be there with bells on." He promised.
"Caleb who's that?" James asked noticing Hanna standing behind him for the first time. Hanna had been standing quietly and nervously watching the interaction between Caleb and his brothers.
"Guys this is Hanna." Caleb said pulling Hanna forward to introduce her.
"Oh. She's the girlfriend he always talks about." Clay said nodding wisely. Hanna blushed while Caleb just laughed softly.
"Hanna these are my trouble making brothers, James and Clay." Caleb said to Hanna.
"Nice to meet you both. Caleb has talked a lot about you." Hanna replied quietly.
"Okay guys come on and sit down dinner is ready." Claudia said as she put the last dish on the table. "Hanna this is my husband William." Claudia said gesturing behind Hanna at the man entering the room.
"Ah they've come in at last. I thought we were going to be waiting forever for you two to show up." William joked as he sat down making Hanna blush and Caleb laugh.
"Honey this is Hanna." Claudia said completing the introductions.
"Ah yes Hanna. We've heard a lot about you but were beginning to think you were a figment of Caleb's imagination." He said with a friendly wink at Hanna. "Well it's nice to finally meet you at last." He added,
"It's nice to meet you too." Hanna answered. As they dished out the food and began eating Hanna went quiet listening to the conversations around her while at the same time doing a lot of thinking in her head. She wanted to join in on the laughter and the jokes but she was too lost in her own misery and memories to just enjoy herself.
Caleb noticed her silence but at first just thought it was down to nerves from meeting his family for the first time. Halfway through the meal though he became worried as he noticed she had hardly eaten anything.
"Come on princess you have to eat something." He said quietly as he put an arm across the back of her chair and leaned in to whisper in her ear.
"I'm not very hungry I guess." She responded just as quietly.
"Liar. I know you are. Come on Han you can do this if you eat something you'll feel better." He told her trying to cajole her into eating.
"No I won't. I'm not going to feel better anytime soon." She responded. Caleb kissed the side of her head before speaking again.
"Please Han eat something. If not for yourself then for me because it is killing me seeing you do this to yourself." He told her desperation lacing his tone.
"Okay, I'll try." Hanna responded after a long pause. She turned back to her plate of food and began eating, slowly but she was eating. Caleb kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye to make sure she continued to eat while keeping up with the conversations going on around him.
After dinner was over and the kitchen had been cleaned up James and Clay went upstairs to play video games while Claudia, William, Caleb and Hanna went into the living room with coffee.
"So Hanna I don't want to upset you with this conversation but I need to know. Does your mom know you're here?" Claudia asked quietly breaking the silence they had been sitting in.
"Sort of. I left her an e-mail before we got on the plane here." Hanna explained quietly.
"Okay. Is there a reason you didn't talk to her face to face?" She asked curiously.
"I didn't want to go back to Rosewood after I left. I can't go back there." Hanna said getting a little anxious.
"Calm down Hanna it's okay." Caleb said soothingly rubbing her back while giving his mom a pointed look.
"I'm sorry Hanna I didn't meant to upset you." His mom said looking contrite.
"No it's okay. You have a right to ask considering I showed up here with your son unannounced. I don't know what's wrong with me I keep going into these panic attacks." Hanna responded trying to explain.
"Panic attacks? Do you know what triggers them?" She asked kindly.
"Several things I think. Thinking about going back to Rosewood, being alone here, Caleb walking away again." Hanna responded noticing Caleb flinch at the last reason. She reached over and squeezed his hand letting him know that she wasn't upset with him.
"Hanna I don't know how you're going to feel about this but I think we should get you in to see a doctor. Panic attacks aren't normal and they're not something to play around with." William said gently speaking for the first time since sitting down.
"A doctor? I don't have one out here." Hanna said nervously.
"It's okay we'll get you in to see ours. I can call tomorrow to make an appointment if you're open to going." Claudia said.
"I think you should go Hanna. I don't like seeing you like this and I'm worried." Caleb said his hand still rubbing her back gently.
"Okay I'll go. I'm scared though." She whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.
"It's going to be okay Hanna. We'll all help anyway we can." Claudia said comfortingly.
"Thank you. You don't have to do this for me." Hanna said.
"We want to. You did a lot for Caleb over the past few years so it's our pleasure to help you now." His mom responded with a small smile.
"Okay. I think I'm gonna go to bed now I still feel very tired." Hanna said as she got up, bid everyone goodnight and left the room for the guesthouse. Caleb stayed behind to talk to him mom and step-dad for a few minutes longer.
"I'm worried about her mom. Something's very wrong with her. She's never been like this before." Caleb said a frown on his face.
"I've only just met her and I'm worried too. She seems so very broken and fragile. Are you sure it's a good idea for her to stay here and not go home?" His mom asked gently.
"She can't go back there mom you heard her. She's not ready. Things in Rosewood weren't just hard for Hanna and her friends they were dangerous and deadly. People she knew and cared about were hurt, hospitalized and arrested. There's been so much pain in that town fir her it's no wonder thinking about going back gives her panic attacks." Caleb explained.
"She's probably got a form of depression." William said.
"Why do you think that?" Caleb asked.
"She's not herself you said. She looks sad all the time, she wants to sleep a lot, she doesn't eat much, doesn't talk much unless asked something. I just think it's something that should be looked into. I also think she should talk to a shrink to maybe help her deal with all that had happened in Rosewood." William explained.
"Talking to a shrink I agree with. I think that talking to the doctor will be a good thing for her and maybe he'll point her in what direction she should be going into right now. It's going to be a long road for her." Caleb said in agreement.
"Are you sure this is something you're prepared to handle Caleb?" His mom asked worriedly.
"I won't leave her again. I made a promise to her and even if I hadn't I won't leave again. I need her just as much as she needs me." Caleb responded.
"Okay honey you should go get some sleep too. You still look tired yourself.
"Okay night guys. See you in the morning." He said as he got up and left the room.
Hanna was asleep when he entered the guesthouse so he stripped down to nothing and crawled in behind her pulling her back into his front and holding her tightly in his arms. She didn't move the whole time he did this so he knew she must have been exhausted.
He fell asleep worrying. The next few days were going to be hard for the both of them although neither of them knew exactly what hardship tomorrow would bring them.