Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right

I spent the whole evening at this little dive bar, from three in the afternoon until nine, just sipping away. I didn’t go overboard, but I drank for hours, enough to feel that numb buzz where everything else faded

away.

The bar’s owner, Mr. Seth, knew me well enough by now. I didn’t have to worry about getting too wasted, even if I was on my own.

“When are you heading out? Is someone picking you up?” Mr. Seth asked. I never knew his first name- everyone just called him Mr. Seth.

He looked like he was in his fifties. If my dad were still around, he’d probably be about the same age.

“I guess I should get going.” I said, though honestly, the last thing I wanted was to leave.

But I had work tomorrow. I needed to get home and at least pretend to sleep. Tonight’s drinking was my way of saying a final goodbye to whatever I had left for Jace.

I tried to steady myself as I stood up, but Mr. Seth stepped in front of me, blocking my path. “I’m not letting you leave like this. I’ll have someone take you home.”

Mr. Seth was always looking out for people. He’d been running this cozy little bar tucked away in an alley

for

years, and it was always packed.

That’s because the folks who came here were regulars, people who knew they could count on Mr. Seth.

I started coming here back in college days, the first time being when I saw Jace dancing with some girl who was all over him. Jealous and heartbroken, I ran to this bar and drank until I passed out. When I woke up, it was nearly dawn, and I was the only one left in the place.

I freaked out, but Mr. Seth just made me a plate of pasta and told me if I ever needed to drink again, I should come to his bar. He warned me to steer clear of other places where things could get sketchy if I wasn’t careful.

Since then, whenever I was down, I’d come here. He never stopped me from drinking, letting me do my thing, but he always made sure I was safe, no matter how much I drank.

I also knew he once had a daughter who, after a bad breakup, drank too much and got assaulted. She never recovered and eventually took her own life. Mr. Seth opened this bar to give heartbroken girls a safe place to drink, where he could keep an eye on them.

“Okay,” I agreed, not wanting to stress him out.

“Wait here, don’t leave on your own,” Mr. Seth said as he turned to make some calls.

“Mr. Seth,” a familiar voice called out just then.

I looked up to see Wayne walking toward me.

I smiled. “Mr. Seth, looks like I won’t need that ride after all.”

Wayne knew this place too. We’d run into each other here a few times before.

Tonight seemed like just another one of those ‘coincidences.” Belongs to © n0velDrama.Org.

But I knew better–there were no real coincidences, just stuff that was bound to happen. I knew that.

“Settle up the tab,” I said, tugging at Mr. Seth’s sleeve.

“No need, next time,” Mr. Seth waved me off.

I didn’t argue. If not this time, I’d just pay double next visit.

But Wayne pulled out his phone and scanned the payment code without even asking the amount. He just sent over a couple hundred right away.

Mr. Seth looked like he was about to protest, but Wayne spoke first. “Whatever’s extra, keep it to cover her next visit.”

Another visit?

Did he think I was some kind of regular drunk?

Still, it was easier if he thought I was hammered.

Wayne came over, sliding an arm around me, and led me out of the bar. The cool night air hit me as we stepped outside, clearing my head a little.

“Want to grab a car, or take the bike?” Wayne asked.

I hesitated, caught in a foggy memory.

Back when Wayne was always around, I didn’t even have a driver’s license. I used to ride my bike everywhere, and whenever I drank here, Wayne would come to pick me up on his bike.