ANASTASIA


    I was exhausted, mostly mentally, by the time I returned home.


    As I dragged my feet to the door, I made a mental list of the things I had to do.


    Pack some painting books for Amie...


    After we tried to reach Dennis and he didn''t pick up. Amie had agreed that he might really be busy with work as I''d said.


    Then she said, "You''ll go home today, right? When you get home, tell him I miss him so much! When he''sing, he shoulde with some of my painting materials. I''m always bored whenever I''m not sleeping." Then she beamed, "Besides, I promised to draw something for him."


    I had taken that as an opportunity to cheer her up and begged her to tell me what she was going to draw for him but she wouldn''t tell. She just said, "It''s a secret between my daddy and I."


    With a sigh, I came to a stop before the door. I tried to unlock it but was surprised that it wasn''t locked.


    Dennis is back? My heart warmed. Him choosing toe home early was a good thing. Maybe he wanted to visit Amie early tomorrow before he goes to work. I just hoped Aiden would be too busy to visit her tomorrow.


    "Dennis?" I called as I pushed the door open. The lights were still off as I''d left it so I turned them on.


    I heard someone mutter something in a low voice.


    I turned to the direction that the voice hade from and found Dennis sprawled carelessly on one of the couches, shoes and all.


    "Dennis?" I repeated as I walked up to him. He soft snores notified me that he was asleep when I stopped before him.


    He was in a very awkward position. His neck looked twisted as he rested his head in the chair''s arm, his back arched over the couch. He struggled to rest one of his legs on the chair closest to him while the other dangled to the floor. I didn''t need to be in that position to be able to tell that he was ufortable.


    As I bent down to wake him and guide him upstairs, the distinct scent of alcohol wafted towards me. It wasn''t unusual to detect that aroma on him, considering it was amon part of his business.


    "Dennis," I lightly tapped his thigh, causing him to stir. As he opened his mouth and mumbled a response, I instinctively and swiftly leaned back, taken aback by the pungent scent that enveloped him. I wrinkled my nose. Goodness! The overwhelming aroma of alcohol that emanated from him was suffocating...


    This wasn''t the usual teasing aroma of alcohol. It was obvious that he had been drinking. He was drunk and it was very unlike him.


    Even though he owned one of the busiest and bubbliest bars in town, he never drank. He just wasn''t a drinker. Well, he stopped being one. I just hoped this trying time would not make him return to his old ways.


    I dropped my bag on the couch beside the one he slept in. I arranged his legs on the floor and straightened his neck. "Dennis? Wake up."


    He only managed to murmur more incoherent words, unconsciously attempting to choke me with the pungent smell of alcohol. Then he wiped his face with his hand and continued to snore.


    I sighed and took hold of his arm. I pulled him to me. When he rested his face on my stomach, I wrapped my arm around him and lifted him from the chair.


    He was heavy. I couldn''t do it alone.


    "Dennis, I need some help here."


    With his unsteady help, I managed to pull him up. We then headed for the stairs.


    While we staggered up the stairs, he kept muttering disjointed words. But slowly, they started to make sense.


    "I love you," he drawled and then he tried to hug me which almost caused us to fall.


    "I love you too, Dennis, but you can''t hug me now, else you''d get both of us killed. Let''s get up first."


    "I''m sorry," he muttered in a defeated voice.


    I smiled. "It''s okay. I''m not mad. let''s just get you to bed, okay? So you can sleep morefortably."


    He smiled and slurred, "Best wife ever." Then his smile fell. "Ana, will you leave?"


    His voice was sad and it pulled at my heartstrings.


    "Why will I do that?"


    "You won''t leave me for Aiden? Promise me."


    I won''t leave you, Dennis, I wanted to say but... it felt wrong. Maybe


    because he was drunk. When he''s


    sober, I''d assure him that I won''t et


    leave him. I have no reason to. Besides, Aiden doesn''t even want mel was sure he hated my guts right now.


    "Ana?" He slurred. "You gon leave, huh? You''ll take Amie with you and leave me all alone, won''t you?"


    I released a heavy sigh, almost like it was second nature to me now. "Dennis, you''re not thinking clearly. Let''s head inside."


    He said nothing as we continued our journey up the stairs but he looked like he was sulking.


    On thest stair, Dennis stumbled over the vase beside the wall, causing us to plummet to the ground.


    I squeezed my eyes shut and let out


    a low groan of pain as a sudden, sharp ache pierced through my back as Dennisnded heavily on top of me.


    "Dennis, get off," I groaned. I waited for a few seconds but he didn''t even move an inch.


    I pushed him off me and knelt beside him.


    "Dennis," I called, already worried about how I''d drag him from here to the room. Getting him up from the couch hadn''t been easy. I knew this one


    would be harder.


    "Dennis, the floor is cold, let''s go inside."


    I wrinkled my nose and leaned closer to him. I listened to his breaths and a sigh escaped me; he had dozed off.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.