ASLEEP YET AWAKE

CHAPTER ONE

ASLEEP YET AWAKE

JACE firmly believed that life was give and take, take too much and it would eventually come back to bite you. However as he looked at his wife sleeping bathed under the soft glow of the lava lamp by the table he decided maybe life had a soft spot for him.

The bed creaked under him as he rose up to meet the challenges of the day, He caught a reflection of himself from the bedside vanity, a tall, well-built man in his early 30s with short, dark hair and piercing blue eyes stared back at him giving off a confident demeanor. He touched the small scar above his left eyebrow, which he got in a fight during his teenage years. 

He had a small tattoo of a lion on his right bicep which represent strength and courage, He has a small mole just under the right side of his chin. Overall, he gave off an attractive and imposing figure, someone who commands attention and respect.

With that in mind, he trudged towards the bathroom, dragging his feet like a man on his way to the gallows. As he turned on the shower, he tried to summon up some enthusiasm for the day ahead. But all he could think about was the warm, inviting bed that he’d just left behind.

Eventually, he mustered up the courage to step into the shower, bracing himself for the shock of cold water. But to his surprise, the water was hot and soothing, washing away the cobwebs of sleep and the grime of yesterday’s work.

Feeling refreshed, he wrapped himself in a towel and headed to his dressing room, where he set about the laborious task of getting dressed for the day. Shirt, tie, jacket – it was all a blur of fabric and buttons, a dance that he’d done a million times before.

But just as he was slipping into his shoes, he heard a familiar voice from the doorway.

“Jace, honey, have you seen my purse?”

It was his wife, and she was looking particularly puzzled.

Jace sighed, knowing that this was going to be a thing. “No, I haven’t seen it,” he said, trying to keep his tone even.

His wife walked into the room, her eyes scanning the space methodically. “I had it last night, I swear. I must have left it somewhere in here.” 

Rain was tall enough to make a man feel short and slender enough to make him feel bulky. She was beautiful in both form and feature, her soft brown hair tied up in a simple bun, her pretty face framed by a dark grey shawl that hid most of her delicate features. Her eyes however were something else, Piercing blue orbs of color that stole Jace’s breath when she gazed at him.

“Good morning,” Jace said blandly, “Did I wake you?” Rain smiled softly, her hands held behind her back and pressed together

“I don’t mind “ she said with a wry smile as she hugged him from behind, her cheek against his shoulder, “It’ll give me a chance to catch up on my beauty sleep, That being said my purse is still missing.”

With a small laugh Jace moved away from Rain and opened the door, letting her step inside.

“You’re always so perky in the mornings. Did you get any rest last night?”

“Not really, but it was worth it” Rain replied as she removed her shawl, revealing a simple black dress that showed a lot of cleavage, “Besides, we.. you have a busy day today. I’m sure you can’t afford the luxury of sleeping all day. Which means we need to find that purse.”

Jace rolled his eyes, feeling a pang of annoyance. “Well, I don’t see it anywhere. Can’t you use a different purse?”

His wife glared at him, clearly not amused. “This purse matches my shoes, Jace. You know that. I can’t just use any old purse.”

Jace sighed, feeling defeated. “Fine, let’s look for it.”

And with that, they began a frantic search of the room, pulling open drawers and rifling through closets. Jace couldn’t help but think that this was not the way he’d planned to start his day. But hey, at least it was never dull with his wife around.

He wasn't sure how he'd made it this far in life the daily grind of running an start up was merciless, working hard until he collapsed into his bed and slept soundly until morning. His world was like a hamster wheel on wheels, never getting anywhere fast but always moving forward. He couldn't imagine a life without it though, the thrill of what could be just beyond the horizon kept him going.

 With a heavy heart going dangerously empty stomach, Jace trudged down the stairs, his wife trailing behind him like a lost puppy. He slumped into a chair but his wife, on the other hand, seemed to have renewed energy, chattering away about something or other.

 Jace tuned her out, his mind drifting to more important things, like bacon.

But just as he was about to dive into his food, his wife let out a yelp of triumph. "Found it!" she exclaimed, holding up the elusive purse like it was the Holy Grail.

Jace's head snapped up, his eyes wide with surprise. "Where was it?" "Under the couch cushions," his wife said, beaming with pride

Jace couldn't help but laugh. "Of course it was."His wife plopped down in the chair opposite him, setting her purse on the table with a thud. "I told you I had it last night," she said, sticking out her tongue.

Jace sighed, feeling a surge of relief. "Yeah, yeah. Can we eat now?" And with that, they tucked into their breakfast, the memory of the missing purse fading into the background like a bad dream. It was just another day in the life of Jace and his wife, full of drama and excitement, and the occasional lost accessory.

The smell of coffee and toast filled the air, and he pours himself a cup and takes a sip, savoring the rich, bold flavor. Taking his time to enjoy his breakfast before he starts his day.

“So what are we doing today?”

Rain took a deep breath, “I need to go shopping for your birthday present.”

With a groan Jace sipped at his coffee, “What did I ever do to deserve such a wonderful woman?”

Rain giggled, “You know exactly what you did to deserve me.”

She stood up and kissed him gently on the lips, “Now hurry up, I want to leave early. If we’re not careful we might end up in traffic because of the parade.”

Jace sighed and rolled his eyes, “All right fine, let’s get this over with.”

With a smirk Rain grabbed her purse and walked out of the kitchen to prepare herself, leaving Jace to finish his breakfast alone.