Chaos

Shane busied herself over the next few days with her writing. Since she had started her latest story it was hard to stop writing long enough to even let the dog outside. Gabriel had only called once since leaving for Italy a week ago and Shane sensed the strain in their relationship.

"Everything will be cool when he gets back." she thought.

She thought about calling him but decided against it figuring she'd catch him busy and not available to talk. Shane had made up her mind that even though he hadn't told her he loved her, she would be the first to tell him when he got back and they had some time together.


Just then the doorbell rang pulling Shane from her thoughts. She wondered who it could be and after calming Brutus from his incessant barking, looked through the peep hole of her front door. When she saw that it was Gabriel's roommate she immediately opened up the door welcoming him in.

"Well hey Thomas, What brings you over?" she said to him.

Thomas looked at Shane and then hung his head down. With his hands in his jean pockets he looked back up at Shane.

"Uhh Shane, I wanted to come over because I received a call from Gabriel's relative. His aunt to be exact and...

Shane felt flush and immediately sank into a chair in her living room. There was no indication that Thomas was going to say anything bad but Shane had a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach that something terrible was about to be told to her.

Thomas continued to speak. "It seems that Gabriel and a few of his buddies were flying in a small Cessna plane to visit friends on an island near Venice. From the word his aunt received the 2 hour flight never made it's ETA. They think it has gone down but the search team hasn't been able to find them yet."

Shane froze and tried to form words. Thomas sat quietly until she finally was able to stop shaking her head "No" long enough to speak.

"Whaaat, Wherreeee did it.. I mean When?" she said dazed.

Thomas told her everything he knew and Shane barely held on long enough to tell him a thanks and goodbye before closing the door behind him.

Shane sank onto the floor and her body started shaking. The room was spinning and all of her life seemed to be playing out one huge back-to-back movie in her mind. She saw the horrific memories of her childhood, and all the evil images of her marriage. She saw herself fighting off the men her ex-husband had hired to take her two beautiful young children. Them being escorted with their little suitcases to a waiting vehicle to be taken from her by any means necessary.

Now Gabriel.. Her Gabriel...

Shane laid down on the bare wooden floor of her living room and cuddled herself into a fetal position. Hours later after crying herself into exhaustion Shane fell asleep where she lay with Brutus protectively by her side in the crook of her arms.