Category : Stories

Sub Category : Drama





I don’t know how much more I can take.

Weldon Blake gazed down at his drink. He knew he was pushing his luck being at the singles’ bar, but he didn’t really care. Never in his life did he ever feel as empty and broken as he did at that moment. He lifted his hollow eyes up and gazed at the young patrons there. He mournfully stared at them.

I wish I was their age again. To have my whole life ahead of me.

He glanced down at his wedding ring. A single tear rolled down his cheek. He picked up his bourbon and slammed it.

“Bartender.” He called out seeking more poison so he could forget the day he had.

The bartender zipped over to him. “Hey.”

Feeling the liquor taking effect he replied with a raspy voice. “Another.”

“Sure thing.” In moments, the man behind the bar put another glass in front of him. Weldon put a five on the bar. “Keep the change.”

The bartender inclined his head and left to fetch drinks for the rowdy crowd at the other end of the bar. He raised his glass and took a quick gulp

 If she knew I was here…

“Fuck it. It’s over anyways, so why the hell not?” He sniffed and straightened his back.

“I tried to give her the world. I opened up and let her see the real me. I love her, damnit!” He felt like he was going to break down and bawl in front of God and country. She is sucking the life right out of me.

“Hello.”

Weldon turned to his left to see a sight that was more beautiful than heaven itself. Hair like Goldilocks and a shape the looked like she was molded from the hands of the gods, she was a vision. Her soft crème skin looked inviting. But the part that stood out was her eyes. They weren’t ones of a sexy vixen, but filled with soothing compassion and grace. He felt she was just as out of place there as he was.

“Hey.” He tried to sound sociable but his heart wasn’t in it.

“Is this seat taken?”

He shook his head as he stared at his drink. He could smell the her sent of coconut and vanilla as she sat down on the red leather bar stool.

The bartender nodded her way. “What will you have?”

“A sprite, please.”

Both Weldon and the bartender gave an odd stare.

“Are you sure?” the bartender inquired.

“Quite. Thank you.” She smiled back.

“Okay.” And he was off.

Weldon wasn’t sure what to make of the lovely stranger sitting next to him. “Don’t mean to be blunt, but who comes to a place like this and orders a sprite?”

He could feel his heart warming up as she slightly tossed her head back and laughed. She sounded magical. She stopped and gazed her beautiful copper brown eyes into his defeated gray ones. “I do.”

Her smile was one of dreams. If it wasn’t for the fact that it would be considered weird and creepy, he could get lost in her angelic face for hours. Clearing his throat, he asked, “So what brings someone like you to a place like this?”

She smiled. “I could ask you the same thing.” Weldon could feel the shame creeping up as she glanced down at his wedding ring. He quickly shoved his hand in his pants pocket. “You wouldn’t understand.”

She thanked the bartender as she took the can of sprite from him. Taking a sip then setting it down, she mused. “Try me.”

Weldon took a big gulp of his bourbon. “I’m here because…because…”

Why am I here? He thought.

She turned to face him. “Whatever happened couldn’t be bad enough for you to sit here and kill yourself slowly.” Weldon suddenly grew irritated. He scoffed at her. “You don’t even know what happened! I tried! She…She doesn’t care. I’m never going to be good enough for her.”

He zoned out on his drink as the words rolled off his tongue. “For eight years, I have been faithful, understanding. Everything a good husband should be. I treated 0her like my queen and all I have gotten in return is bitching how I’m not doing enough and that I need to do more.”

Starting to cry now, he went on. “I would die for her, even with the way she treats me. Not to mention, she is so damn emotional that every other time we talk, she snaps on me. I don’t deserve that.”

Weldon’s body shook as he cried. Just then, he could feel her hand on his back rubbing it and trying to comfort him. “Have you ever told her how you felt?”

Sniffing, Weldon mumbled. “I tried. She shuts me down before I can get a word out.”

He lifted his head. “The woman I married isn’t there anymore. She’s gone. I don’t know what she is now.”

She cocked her head. “The thing about people and life is that over time they change. Did you ever stop to think that you may have changed too and that she feels the same way as you do?”

He stopped crying for a second. Could that be true?

“Where is she now?” The mysterious woman asked.

“At home. She has to work in the morning.”

The lady on the stool shifted her weight on it. “And now I ask, why are you here?”

He knew the reason. He never done it before. All he wanted to do is drunk enough that when he did it, he wouldn’t feel the guilt until the next day. He just wanted to have one night not thinking about how miserable he was.

“I think you can figure it out.” He hung his head in shame.

“Well, are you going to go through it?” he looked at her face. He could tell she was genuinely concerned.

“Let me rephrase that. Do you think one night would be worth throwing eight years of marriage away?”

He thought for a minute. Is it worth it? Can I really go through with this? He inclined his head and pushed away the drink. “You’re right. This isn’t me. She deserves so much more.”

Deciding to go home and try to work things out, he turned to where the woman was, but she was nowhere to be seen. He stood up. Stretching his head, he examined the crowd of the twenty-somethings hoping to see her dancing or something. Nothing. She vanished.

He looked down at the stool.

The only thing that remained was a single white feather.

He picked it up and studied it. Could it be?

“No way. She probably just left.”

He smiled.

Whoever she was, I’m glad she was the woman I talked to tonight.

With that, he left the bar too.

He would never forget her.

In his mind…

She was a Godsend.