CHAPTER SIX
-:- Paisley -:-
So, this is a clubhouse. It’s a massive building, but it has the feel of an enormous home. People walk in and out, shouting to each other, offering help, and playing pranks, which is amusing when you see they are grown men.
I’m not sure about the names, but I recognize Wings, Sentry, Mav, Knuckles, and Fist. Honestly, it would be frightening if they were not all friendly and polite to the women here. Even the Three Stooges, as they call the three elderly ladies is said with warmth, and dare I say love, love as you would have for family.
Our room is quite cozy and I’m pleased to see that TwoCents is tidy because I’m not sure I would have been happy with my husband being an untidy man.
I still don’t remember us meeting, getting married or anything about us. I keep having small flashes of taking photographs, working at a shop, and even some man who is just staying out of my memory”s reach.
Mia and Jo are great. They are becoming friends already, although I wonder why I feel we are only just forming this friendship. Star I have met, and she is so amusing, she has all these British sayings that you just can’t help be puzzled at or find highly amusing.
Eden is waddling around with only a few short weeks to her baby’s arrival. She looks more than uncomfortable and when she sits or stands the way she has to do it has me smiling. Belly up, hang on with one arm to the furniture and lower yourself so your body hardly bends in the middle.
Specs has taken charge of my laptop and has a friend working with my clients until my memory returns fully. I tried to work, but nothing was forthcoming. I knew what I was supposed to do, but just couldn’t seem to apply myself to the task.
Amelia, Bitty and Sybil walk over to where I’m sitting in what is known as the common room. I’m at a large round table and watching what everyone is doing as they walk in and out of the room. TwoCents is working in his office, and from what I can tell he runs an accounting business.
“You alright, Paisley?” Amelia asks as she takes a seat next to me.
Bitty places a plate of cookies on the table and Sybil a tray with mugs of coffee, which she hands out to everyone.
“Yeah, I’m good. I’m a bit bored, if I’m honest.”
“You can come outside with me if you would like. I’m going to do some weeding in the garden. We have used up all the pumpkins and I’m waiting for whatever Meat says we can use next.” Amelia leans back in her seat, taking a drink of her coffee.
“I’m not much of a gardener…” I stop talking when I realize I’ve just remembered something. “Wow, I just remembered that. I’m not sure I’ll be much help, but the fresh air will be good.”
Two hours later, with rosy cheeks and a dirty face, I look at myself in the bathroom mirror and grin. That was such fun, and Amelia is a tough woman, but she is also supportive, loving and mischievous. Bitty and Sybil are as bad, and they make a trio of trouble when they feel like it.
Showered, changed and back downstairs, I eat the soup and sandwich combo I was handed and enjoy every mouthful. TwoCents came and sat with me eating his lunch, whilst giving my hand a squeeze now and again, and with a warm smile.
“Forest is going to be coming to speak with you after lunch. He needs to find out a few things. Do you think you’ll be okay with that?” TwoCents asks.
“Yes, but I remember little. In fact, I don’t remember being at the bank. I’m seeing brief flashes of things like my house, working in the basement, washing a lot of clothes. But as yet, not anything worth telling the Sheriff about.”
While I wait for Sheriff Forest, I walk to the playroom where Mia is with the twins. She is reading them a story and they are lying on the carpet, eyes heavy but fighting sleep. I sit cross-legged next to Mia and she gives me a warm smile, but what surprises me is Carter climbing into my lap and snuggling into my chest. I wrap my arms around him and find myself rocking him slightly.
“He sure loves his cuddles,” Mia little more than whispers.
“Doesn’t Hunter?”
“He does, but not as much as Carter. Hunter is a quick hug move away kind of baby, where Carter loves to cuddle in and stay cozied up.”
That’s how Axel finds us half an hour later, talking quietly while the twins sleep. Carter’s in my arms, and Hunter on his back sleeping like a starfish.
“Paisley, can you come to my office because Forest is here to speak with you?” Axel keeps his voice down, but his expression is soft as he looks at his family.
“Here you are Mia. It was great holding Carter. They are beautiful and if you need help while I’m here, just give me a shout.”
“Thanks, Paisley.”
Mia is pregnant again and everyone is more than happy she isn’t suffering with morning sickness this time. She’s literally blooming with her pregnancy. I’m thrilled to help her if she needs me because I’m bored to tears sitting around all day long.
Entering Axel’s office, I see Sheriff Forest waiting for us. He stands as we enter, and motions to a chair by the huge table. Taking a seat near me, he places a folder on the table and empties the contents. He sorts through them and puts them in neat piles while retaining a notepad.
“Hi, Paisley. I understand that some of the questions I need to ask you may seem a bit odd, but from what we can piece together of your life so far without your input, everything may not be as it appears. That’s not helping at all, is it?”
“Well, Sheriff Forest, it isn’t, is it? That’s as clear as mud. I haven’t remembered anything new as yet, except that I’m not a very good gardener. And I don’t know why I’ve remembered that.”
“Just call me Forest. It’s fine. Well, we know you were currently living as a ‘Sienna Roseberry’, 32 years of age and running the Swap Shop in town. Do you know any reason why you would be living under an alias?” Forest asks me the question and looks at me as though I’m going to have an answer.
“All I can say to that is, I’ve never heard of a Sienna Roseberry. I know I’ve been doing something with children”s clothes, but only because my basement is full of them and there’s some sort of vague familiarity with that. As to why I’d be living under an alias, I can’t begin to understand. Hell, I can’t remember getting married, so I have no hope of anything else. That’s supposed to be every woman”s biggest day.
“Seeing some of the pictures hanging in my house makes me smile, as though they have some happy memories attached to them, but I don’t know what those memories are.” I feel myself starting to get emotional and a tear runs down my cheek. Looking at Axel, he steps to the door and shouts, “TwoCents. My office…NOW!”
Seconds later TwoCents runs in. Seeing me, he leans into me and wraps me in his arms.
“What…The…Fuck…Forest?” my husband snarls at the sheriff.
“It’s not his fault. I’m just upset that I can’t remember anything to help. It’s so frustrating.” I cling to him, and I can feel the tension in his muscles as he’s protecting me. My muscles, in contrast, are relaxing and I feel myself calming down as he holds me. Even then, I think to myself, why don’t I remember this feeling? It’s so natural and comforting, but I don’t remember ever feeling this way before.
Forest hands me a sheet of paper. Reaching out reluctantly, I see it’s a marriage certificate. Paisley Anne Sanders married Daniel Wilson three months ago.
Seeing the marriage certificate just confuses me even more. My head throbs and I start to feel dizzy. Hearing TwoCents calling “Stitch!” is the last thing I remember as I slip into darkness.
Waking up with what feels like a severe headache, I glance around the room. It’s the room I live in when I’m with my husband at the clubhouse. That’s a good start, I think to myself. Glancing at my watch, I see it’s early afternoon. Have I slept late? Hearing the bathroom door open, I turn, expecting to see TwoCents. Not recognizing the man walking into the room has me let out a scream. The man looks petrified and runs for the bedroom door, shouting ‘TwoCents’ as he goes.
A few moments later the room is filling with men, some I recognize and some I don’t. They all look like they’re going to kill someone and I cower on the bed, holding the bedding up to my face.
“EVERY FUCKER OUT! NOW! Fucking move it.” I don’t recognize the voice, but everyone suddenly disappears out the door. “Sentry! NOT you.”
Feeling someone scooping me up, I instinctively know it’s TwoCents. Glancing at the door, I see Popeye, the sailor man, herding everyone away. WTF! The bang on my head was definitely worse than I thought.
TwoCents looks at the door, and as he shows no surprise, I’m guessing I’m the only one hallucinating.
“Sentry! You were supposed to be watching out for Paisley. What happened?” TwoCents is not happy and I’m glad I’m not on the end of that scowl.
“I don’t know what happened. Paisley was sleeping. I needed to piss. I came out of the bathroom and she screamed blue murder at me. I panicked and ran out calling for you. She scared the shit outta me.” Sentry looks pale and is looking at TwoCents waiting for the shitstorm to start.
“TwoCents, it’s just as he says. I literally woke up to a strange man walking out of the bathroom. I don’t even know why I screamed. I’m not a screaming type of girl.” How do I know that?
“Sentry, meet Paisley. Paisley, meet Sentry. Sentry was watching over you after you fainted in Axel”s office. He’s also been looking after the Swap Shop for you.”
“Hi, Sentry. Sorry for screaming like that,” I look at him sheepishly. “I don’t know how much longer I can carry on with this memory loss shit, TwoCents. It’s having a bigger effect on me than a few lost memories.”
“It’s OK. It will take time, that’s all. Relax, Paisley. You’re safe and, as you just saw, everyone here will protect you. Not just me.”
“Yeah, Popeye included,” I mutter. “So, how’s the shop doing, Sentry? I don’t remember what happens there, other than it’s children”s clothing.”
“The place is booming. We’ve put a website in place and the amount of business has doubled almost overnight. I’ve increased the admin fee to cover the costs of running the shop, but with the increased trade, you’ll probably find you can reduce that in time. You’ll need two assistants. I’ll have them in place in the next couple of days. I know some reliable people looking for a volunteer position. I’ll throw in coffee and snacks to tempt them.”
“Wow. Sounds like I can retire, eh? I always wanted to retire young and have a family to nurture.”
TwoCents squeezes my waist and, grinning at me, states, “I’m all for that, Wifey. We can start working on that as soon as you’re fit.”
Sentry looks at TwoCents as though he has two heads and then excuses himself.
“I think I’m slowly making progress. Nothing major seems to be there yet, but little things are dropping into place now and again. I don’t know if I’m a screaming kinda girl, but I feel I’m not. Things like that could be a trigger for something bigger. I hope it’s not long before I remember our wedding day. That would be a step in the right direction for me.”
“Paisley, don’t rush it. You’ll get there, I’m sure. Now…I gotta get back to work. Rest a while and I’ll get Meat and Star to fetch you for a meal when it’s ready.”
Watching TwoCents hurry back to work, I wonder about the wedding. Not feeling like going back to bed, I take a long, hot shower and relax. Getting ready for the evening meal, I decide to make an effort to look good for my husband. Looking through the stuff that the ladies have supplied me, I don’t see my normal makeup shades. Now how the hell do I know that I wonder? And what are my normal shades?
Just putting the finishing touches to my hair, there’s a knock on the door. Walking over, I open it and see Popeye standing there.
“You can just fuck the hell off! I’m not doing any more hallucinations today or any other day.” Slamming the door shut, I turn back to the bed where my ballet flats are waiting. I get my foot in the first one and there’s a softer knock at the door.
Opening the door, I see Olive Oyl standing there, Popeye behind her. “You have got to be fucking kidding me! Honestly, I’m not on meds. I don’t have a pressure headache. Will you just go back to where the hell you came from and leave me the fuck alone!”
“Hi, Paisley. TwoCents asked us to get you when the evening meal was ready. I’m Star, remember? We were talking earlier, and this hunk is Meat, my husband.”
Reaching out, I pinch Olive”s arm. When she squeals and jumps back I realize I’m not seeing things, and it is Star. These are real people in costumes.
“Okay,” I say doubtfully, my head starting to spin again. This feels like Alice in Wonderland and the rabbit hole stuff. Do I go with Popeye and Olive or run for the hills?
Not having anywhere to run, I grab my second shoe and head off to the meal. As we’re walking, I keep looking at Olive, or Star, and she laughs before answering my unasked question.
“We’ve been at your Swap Shop all day helping out. Being in costume, we thought would break the ice for some of the people that were shy about needing help. I have to say, we’ve been a helluva success. We’ve had people come from miles around to get selfies for their kids and others to just donate clothes and toys. You may need to look at a warehouse soon to store and sort everything. Your basement ain’t gonna cut it anymore.”