Rebecca Weller - A Happier Hour

A HAPPIER HOUR

Rebecca Weller

A HAPPIER HOUR

Copyright 2016 by Rebecca Weller

All rights reserved.

Published by Mod By Dom 2016

Perth, WA, Australia

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher or author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

The content of this book is for general information only. Each persons physical, emotional, and spiritual condition is unique. The story in this book is not intended to replace or interrupt the readers relationship with a physician or other professional. Please consult your doctor for matters pertaining to your specific health concerns.

Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

Cover and Interior Design by Dominic Garczynski

Cover Photography by Royden Monteiro

Digital ISBN: 9780994602312

Paperback ISBN: 9780994602305

Audiobook ISBN: 9780994602343

Hardback ISBN: 9780994602381

For anyone struggling with similar challenges.

You are loved, and you are not alone.

And for Dom, who never let me forget it.

A blaze of sunlight snuck its way through a gap in the blinds, drilling directly into my eyelids, punishing me. Desperately, I held them closed. The pain arrived a split-second later; loud and brimming with intent, like a diva making her dramatic entrance. My skull felt like it was cracking from the inside, and every breath caused my body to tremble and ache. Even my hair hurt. Every strand of it throbbed in agony, sending a thumping SOS to my brain.

Slowly, carefully, I opened one eye. The pain intensified. I was still in last nights outfit, and judging by the way my eyelashes were stuck together, last nights makeup as well. What the hell.

I was so thirsty, I felt like I could drink all the water in all the oceans of the world. Thankfully, Dominic had placed a glass of water on my bedside table, although I knew I didnt deserve it. I gulped it greedily and was immediately hit with a wave of nausea.

I fell out of bed and scrambled through my handbag, as Id done a thousand times before, desperately hoping I hadnt lost anything. In the pale morning light, I found my keys, my purse, my Oh God. My phone was missing. I tried to piece together the night before. Did Dom simply put it somewhere for safekeeping? I scoured the apartment with bleary eyes. No such luck.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, I tip-toed back to our bedroom. I really didnt want to wake him, especially not with this news. A conversation wed had a few weeks earlier played in my head, taunting me. You need to put a security code on your phone, he lectured, so that its locked, if you ever lose it. Only, I hadnt quite gotten around to it yet.

I carefully climbed back into bed and tapped his shoulder.

Call your parents, he sighed, after I told him the situation. See if its at the hotel.

I left him in bed, hoping he wasnt too mad. In the kitchen, I grabbed his phone and switched it on. My family were scheduled on an early morning flight to Bali, and I felt increasingly stressed out, hoping I wouldnt miss them before they left their hotel.

His phone flashed to life with a loud beep, signalling one voicemail message. I held my breath as it connected. A few seconds later, I heard my Step-Dads voice, Hey Bec, we found your phone. Well leave it with reception when we check out, okay. Well see you in a couple of weeks. Love you.

I let out a huge sigh of relief, causing my body to shudder again. I poured myself another glass of water and attempted to drink the whole thing. My body accepted three-quarters of it before calling a strike.

I crept back into the bedroom. Maybe if Dom had gone back to sleep, hed forget all about this.

Well? he asked.

Yep, they found it, I whispered, crawling back into bed. So I guess Ill drive out there later today.

He sighed again and climbed out of bed. I waited for him to say something, but he didnt. Instead, he headed for the shower, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The place I was most afraid to be.

I frantically tried to remember the events of the night before. My parents, sister, and her family, had managed to arrange an early check-in at a hotel near the airport. Wed originally planned to meet them there for dinner and drinks, but impatient to join the festivities, I asked my boss if I could leave at lunchtime, and scooted out the door. I sent Dom a text message, letting him know I was heading over earlier than planned, and he agreed to meet us there later. As always, my family popped the champagne the second I arrived.

And thats where my memory gets hazy. I vaguely remember Dom sending a text message to let me know he was still stuck at work, and please dont drink too much. A blur of time passing. Two more bottles? Maybe three? Then Dom arriving and encouraging us to order dinner, urging me to please eat something. But no doubt the damage was already done.

It was only now, in the cold light of morning, that I realised how ridiculous the whole scene must have looked. Dom and I had been living together for six months, and in love for a year. By all accounts, we were still in the honeymoon phase. Only, his patience with my drinking antics was wearing dangerously thin, and I knew it.

He returned from the shower and dressed in silence. He obviously wasnt ready to talk to me, so I figured it best to wait a while. Probably best to wash off the smell of alcohol first.

In the shower, I was still trembling. What kind of woman cant remember how she got home, and loses her phone, past the age of twenty-five? A big, old lush, thats who. Under the steaming hot water, I closed my eyes and held my breath, attempting to wash the hateful thoughts from my mind. It was no use. I wanted to collapse onto the shower floor and sob, but my body ached too much. Why the hell did I keep doing this to myself?

When I finally got out of the shower, Dom was gone.

~

An 8am meeting meant I had to be at work before I could even contemplate retrieving my phone.

As I drove into the carpark closest to my office, I prayed Id make it through the meeting without throwing up or passing out.

I managed. Just.

The second the meeting was over, I vanished; stealthily making my way along the outer hallways, back to the privacy of my car. My hands were still trembling as I turned the key in the ignition. As I drove, I cranked the radio up and tried not to think about anything besides getting there in one piece.

Twenty minutes later, I pulled into the hotel carpark, happy to discover that my car was amongst only half a dozen or so. I prayed that the hotel wouldnt be busy. I couldnt handle more eyes on me right now.

I held my throbbing head as high as I could manage. Taking a deep breath, I walked into the lobby. To my utter relief, it was deserted. Just one man stood behind the reception desk.

Hi. Um. My family found my phone last night and left it here for me to pick up? I said, trying to breathe as little as possible so he wouldnt smell my hangover. Was he on duty last night? Did he see me leave in my drunken state? That boozy woman came in to get her phone, hed tell the rest of the staff later, and did she ever stink! And theyd all fall about laughing. Probably.