The Empty Room

by H P Steven

  “She’s gonna sort out the funeral arrangements and take you, so you don’t have to worry about that and she’s wanting to talk to you over the last few chapters,” Hannah said.

  “Okay cool I’ll ring her when I get back up, thanks Hannah,” I insisted.

  “Yeah no worries.”

  As I rubbed my eyes after falling asleep in my hands crying, I quickly walked over to the kitchen sink and splashed some water on to my face.

  “Hey Hannah how have you been?” I asked.

  “Yeah good thanks Phil,” Hannah insisted.

  “How are you?” Hannah asked.

  “Well, Julie gave me a number, of someone to talk to that’s been in this kind position before,” I said.

  “Julie?” Hannah asked.

  “Yeah Devin’s doctor,” I replied.

  “Holy shit, how did you run into her?” Hannah asked.

  “Though it’s probably a good idea that you talk to someone,” Hannah quickly added.

  “She was on the team helping Karen,” I declared.

  Walking back into the room. Noticing a bruise or shadow on Hannah’s face I walked over and turned the lights on properly as we were sitting next to the lamp.

  “What the hell happened there?” I asked.

  “Packed tube and high elbows,” Hannah insisted, telling me not to worry about it,

  “I’m more worried about you,” Hannah added.

  “Well, thanks Hannah but I don’t want to see you like this, be more careful on the tube,” I suggested.

  “Yeah well you know how it is,” Hannah remarked.

  “Not really, but thanks for this,” I added.

  As I finished off the last bit of lasagne on my plate, I took both our plates into the kitchen and got them soaking in the sink, heading back to my room, I’m a little surprised when Hannah joined me in bed and wrapped her arms around me, like a big spoon.

  “Thanks Phil, I know you’ve always got my back and it means the world to me,” Hannah whispered in my ear.

  “Always Hannah,” I said. As I doze off to sleep.

  Waking up to find, Hannah’s tears drying on my neck, I wasn’t sure what was going on but I’d have to find out eventually. Sliding out I headed out to the kitchen to try some more of Hannah lasagne and chill out for a bit.

  Checking my phone on the way I notice its 5:30am and already missed a call from Audrey so I gave her a quick call.

  “Hey people are going to think you’re stalking me,” I answered.

  “I am, how are you? Are you up for a while?” Audrey asked.

  “Yeah possibly how far away are you,” I replied.

  “Just leaving home now be at yours in thirty minutes,” Audrey declared.

  “Cool, pick me and Hannah up a caramel flat white coffee?” I laughed back.

  “Yeah that’s why its gonna take me thirty minutes,” Audrey said laughing back.

  “Okay cool see you soon,” I remarked.

  Hanging up taking the lasagne out of the microwave, that unfortunately when the alarm went off it woke Hannah.

  “Hey put a piece in for me as well, I’m just gonna have a shower, I feel all dirty after sleeping in your bed,” Hannah insisted.

  “Oh ha ha, hey Audrey’s on her way over and she’s picking up some coffees, so I wasn’t sure what you wanted so I went with a caramel flat white.”

  “Yeah cool, I could go the sugar rush,” Hannah replied.

  Heading off to her room, I heard the shower as I put a piece of lasagne in the microwave and headed out to the lounge to chill and switch the TV on. Quietly thinking to myself this lasagne might have tasted better cold and laughing. It’s not too much longer that Hannah came back out and enjoyed her lasagne and we’re both sitting there watching the morning news.

  “This is so sad,” Hannah said laughing.

  “I know, what’s been happening?” I asked,

  “How’s work?” I added.

  “Works really good got some good cases and some more work drinks this Friday, ha not that I’m inviting you!” Hannah remarked.

  “That’s all right we can catch up for a drink later maybe?”

  “Yeah sounds good,” Hannah replied.

  As there’s a knock on the door, Hannah turned to me.

  “Did you not leave the door slightly open for Audrey?” Hannah laughed.

  “Far out you’re useless,” Hannah added.

  “Ha, I’ll get it then,” I remarked.

  Getting up and heading to the door via the kitchen sink.

  “Hey morning Audrey, how’s it going?” I asked.

  With a cheesy grin on my face.

  “Can’t believe you didn’t leave the door slightly ajar for me,” Audrey replied.

  “Yeah Hannah, was just laughing at me as well, but to be fair you usually ring when you’re parking up,” I remarked.

  “Yeah fair enough, take one of these and let’s have a chat,” Audrey said.

  As Audrey hand’s me a coffee and we walk back in to the lounge.

  21

  Just One Step Closer to the Edge

  After talking to Audrey and seeing her off back to her car. She was gonna be in touch with Christine to see what they were going to do. I was happy I was gonna be allowed to see them again and be a part of something, all though I couldn’t get back to Sydney with them as Audrey had explained that the publishers had some stuff for me to do. Always liked how Audrey would explain everything as stuff.

  Walking back inside,

  “Hey do you have a moment?” Hannah asked.

  “Is it important?” I asked.

  “Um, not really,” Hannah replied.

  “Okay, I need to sort some stuff out, it won’t take me too long then we can go for a wander down the road and grab a coffee and talk,” I suggested.

  “Thanks Phil, whenever, I should probably tell you,” Hannah replied.

  As I walked into my room to get some stuff organised for Audrey and finished off a couple of chapters, the thought of what was lingering in my head as I heard a knock on the door was intense.

  After everything that had happened I wasn’t expecting to see Mike this morning.

  “Hey what the hell are you doing here! What are you doing with him Mike?!” Hannah yelled.

  As I sat at my computer working away, I got up when I heard.

  “Hey take your hands off me!” Hannah yelled.

  “Hey Ralph, what the hell man?” Mike asked.

  “You don’t break up with me in a phone call,” Ralph must have said, as I heard a slap as I opened my door.

  “Hey what the hell!” Mike said, as he must have tried to grab his friend and pull him away from Hannah.

  “Hey prick get off me!” Hannah yelled again.

  “Let me go its over I’m done with this shit!” Hannah yelled.

  As Mike saw me walking out of my room and walking towards him,

  “Oh shit!” Mike mouthed.

  As Ralph looked in my direction.

  “Who’s this guy?” He asked Hannah.

  “It’s Phil leave him alone and get out,” Hannah insisted.

  As Ralph let her go and walked towards me.

  “So you think your tough, do you?” Ralph asked.

  “Get out,” I said as calmly as I could.

  “Why don’t you make me,” Ralph insisted, as I saw his hand tense up and he took a swing at me, connecting his fist to the temple on my forehead, the force of it made him lose balance and fall onto the floor in a heap.

  “Get out,” I declared again surprisingly calmly.

  Leaning over and picking him up and pushing him towards Mike.

  “Mike get him out of here,”

  “You’ve got nothing, poofter!” Ralph yelled.

  “Ha, take one step closer and I might just jump over the edge and you don’t want that,” I commented, in a calm voice.

  “Whatever poof,” Ralph remarked again.

  “Hannah go into the lounge or your room and stay there,” I insis
ted.

  “No Phil he’s not worth it,” Hannah replied.

  Mike was just frozen on the floor as Ralph tried to square up to me.

  “What are you going to do poof?” Ralph asked again,

  as Hannah tried to walk past him and into the lounge, I stepped in front of him so he couldn’t touch her. As he took another swing at me, missing and struggling with his balance.

  “Have you guys been drinking?” I asked Mike.

  “I think he has, “Mike replied.

  “This is the same guy you went to University with Mike?” I asked.

  “Did you know he hits girls?” I added.

  “No sorry Phil, its new to me,” Mike said.

  As Ralph was still squaring up and Hannah was safely in the lounge.

  “I’m gonna say this once, leave now walking or leave being carried, I’ve had a bad week and I’m a few steps from breaking,” I calmly expressed.

  Mike understood, but the state Ralph was in, he was at a loss.

  Tensing up again and punching me as hard as he could in the head.

  I’ll be honest I let him hit me as it took my mind off Karen, then he hit me again and I remembered.

  The switch happened before I even realised it, and as Ralph went to throw another punch I was on to it and slipped outside of his laboured right hand, connecting just under his ribs I heard a crack, as he leaned over I hit him on the chin with an upper cut, as his head snapped up I came back with a left hook to the nose, with so much force I could have sworn I heard Karen yelling at me to stop. I leaned over and threw an over hand right and floored him, as he was going down I followed and with every punch I could remember, I felt the pain that Karen must have felt, I started crying thinking about how upset she would have been with me. I stopped when Mike and Hannah grabbed me and my knuckles were covered in blood I wasn’t sure who’s it was.

  Hannah held me as I cried and she whispered.

  “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I should have told you, I’m sorry,” Hannah insisted crying.

  Mike picked his once friend up and told us later he had taken him home and explained to his house mates and friends what had happened to him and choose to never speak to him again. All I knew was, I was gonna be walking with Hannah to work for a while. I wouldn’t run into him for the next few weeks as Hannah had organised a move to work in Natalie’s firm but luckily still have sponsorship so she could stay, not that it mattered a week before she left her job she already had an English passport.

  “Hey I’m gonna go wash my hands, then we can talk,” I commented.

  Hannah looked at me a little worried as I walked back to my room,then headed to the bathroom.

  “So, your bruises, this piece of shit had something to do with them?” I asked, again calmly I think it might have scared Hannah a little bit as I joined her back in the lounge.

  “Yeah,” Hannah said, looking at me trying not to cry.

  “Are you okay now?” I asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Hannah commented.

  “What’s happening at work?” I asked.

  “I handed in my notice and Natalie got me a job at her firm,” Hannah said.

  “How long?” I asked.

  “A few more weeks,” Hannah said.

  “Okay, honestly, are you okay?” I asked.

  As Hannah broke down in my arms.

  “I’m so sorry,” Hannah said,

  “I wanted to tell you, I needed your help but you’re going through so much,” Hannah said.

  “Hey that’s okay, when I say I’ve got your back,”

  As Hannah pulled away.

  “Yeah I know,” Hannah said.

  “All right, how are you feeling?” I asked.

  “I’ll be okay,” Hannah said.

  “Yeah you will, I’m gonna hang out with you for a while,” I insisted.

  “Huh?” Hannah said.

  “I’m gonna walk you to work, I’d love to see this idiot again,” I remarked.

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Hannah replied

  “Well too bad, be good to see the team again,” I added.

  “Okay, thanks Phil,” Hannah shrugged.

  “Dudes lucky Audrey wasn’t still here,” I declared.

  Audrey being quite tall and lean had been a jiu jitsu champion as a young kid, luckily Greg had told me that, so I always behaved around her.

  “Why’s that?” Hannah asked, looking confused.

  “Audrey’s a proper badass,” I replied.

  “Thanks Phil, I’m just gonna have a lay down okay,” Hannah said.

  “No,”

  “Get your shoes on and let’s go,” I added.

  “Ha okay, I’m cooking dinner tonight as well,” I insisted.

  “Yeah okay,” Hannah replied laughing.

  We were down the park in no time and had a laugh running around. The park was full of people and quite a few families having BBQ’s. We stayed down there for ages, was a great day after what had happened, deep down I thought the dude might have tried to charge me.

  “Hey I’m gonna have a shower then get dinner started,” I remarked.

  As we both barged our way through the door. Hannah laughed as we were just having fun again, we rushed through and got ourselves sorted and had fun cooking dinner together.

  “Ha, steaks again,”

  “Yeah cool, those sausages need to be cooked as well,” Hannah mentioned.

  “All over it Hannah,”

  We had it sorted in about half an hour and sat around eating it and later I bought my laptop out and we sat on the couch watching a slide show of the trip I had taken with Karen. Hannah’s eyes lit up when she saw the photos of her in China.

  “That was an amazing trip,” Hannah commented.

  “Yeah the ones on the train are pretty-funny also,” I replied.

  “Oh, whys that?” Hannah asked.

  “Ha, you’ll see,” I laughed.

  “So who are all those other people?” Hannah asked.

  “Well that’s Karen and that’s Devin,” I said, sarcastically.

  “Oh very funny,” Hannah declared.

  “Oh damn it,” I said, a little too loudly.

  “What, what is it?” Hannah asked looking around.

  “Should have gotten some cheese cake,” I said.

  Making Hannah laugh.

  “The others are well, Lisa from the other day, and her husband Greg who was actually in the car waiting for her, the tall girl is Georgia and the guy next to her is named Nick,” I remarked.

  “Yeah wow, is she standing on a box or something?” Hannah asked.

  “No, she really is that tall.”

  We sat around for a little bit longer watching it, till my eyes started to fill with tears, I blamed the dust of course.

  “Hey, I’m going to bed I’ll see you in the morning,” I declared.

  “Yeah night, is it cool if I watch a little more of this,” Hannah asked.

  “Yeah no worries all my writing stuff is only password accessible,” I said, smiling away as I walked off to my room.

  “That reminds me, you should be getting a copy of the first novel in a few days,” I added.

  “Yeah about time,” Hannah laughed, smiling back.

  “Night Hannah,” I remarked, walking off.

  “Night douchebag,” Hannah declared, quickly placing my computer on the coffee table and running over to give me a hug.

  “You’ll be okay Hannah,” I said.

  “Yeah I know, thanks Phil.”

  As I went into my room and crashed out, sleeping like a log till the sun started to break through the sides of my curtains, and the drone of someone breathing behind me.

  Waking up to find Hannah in my bed again didn’t surprise me, the dribble stain she had going on one of my pillows did though.

  I thought about taking a quick pic, but I was pretty-sure, if Audrey had heard about it, she would have kicked my ass. Laughing, I walked out and turned the jug on, only having a weird
feeling again like I was being watched. As the sun blinded me as I opened the curtains and sorted out the coffees.

  “Hey I don’t know what it is, but I always feel dirty sleeping in your bed,” Hannah remarked.

  “Tell that to my pillow,” I laughed.

  “Cut it out,” Hannah said, laughing, walking to her room.

  Finishing up making the coffees and getting some toast sorted, Hannah re-joined me as we both sat around drinking our coffees and eating our slightly burnt toast drenched in marmite and butter.

  “So what should we do today?” I asked.

  “You have a spare day?” Hannah asked.

  “Yeah they’re all pretty much rolled into one, but let’s go sightseeing and act like tourist for a while, give Natalie a call to meet up with us later on,” I suggested.

  “Yeah sounds good, are we in a hurry?” Hannah asked.

  As we both laughed and shock our heads, “Nnnooooo!!!”

  We took a few hours till we were out the door and heading into London on the tube,

  “So have you let Margaret know your home,” Hannah asked.

  “No, I was gonna send her a book, and I still have to see if there’s any photos on Cam’s laptop,” I said.

  “Oh wow, you still haven’t checked it?” Hannah asked, as we both walked on to the train that had just arrived and took it up to Earls Court where we eventually hopped onto the Piccadilly Line, before hoping off at Convent Garden Station, where we eventually caught up with Natalie inside the Porterhouse. Slowly laughing as she had already set us up with a couple of bottles of wine and the glasses were already to go.

  “Hey how you two doing?” Natalie asked.

  “Yeah good thanks Natalie,” I replied.

  “Been better but will get through it,” Hannah added.

  “Yeah I bet, well let’s have some drinks then go somewhere to get something to eat,” Natalie suggested.

  “Sounds good,” Hannah said.

  “Yeah, we have no chance of making the changing of the guard, so that sounds like a great plan,” I remarked.

  “Good,” Natalie added, while filling up both glasses, as we went to sit down,

  “So your selling out, or because of that douche aye, Hannah?” Natalie asked.

  “Yeah well we had an incident the other day, which might explain a few of the scratches on Phil’s face,” Hannah replied.

  “Yeah wasn’t going to ask, but had a feeling something might have happened, good to know you were there though Phil,” Natalie insisted.