London

Allie walked into Muldoon's and sat down at the bar.

He had been coming in almost every night for the past month. Every time he had seen her come in, she was with the big guy, but tonight, he was not with her.

He watched her from the back corner, three shots, six shots, nine shots, and 5 Beers. He thought he would take the risk and try to approach her again. Maybe this time, she would be drunk enough to converse with him. He walked up to her.

"Hey, can I buy you a drink?

She looked over at him. "Well, isn't this flipping Deja vu?

"I noticed you are here by yourself. Would you like some company until your boyfriend gets here? I promise I will leave as soon as he walks in.

"Well, he's not my boyfriend. He's my ex-fiancé, now in California while I am still here. I'm alone. He left a month ago today."

"Oh. He could not believe how perfectly this was working out for him."

"I'm very sorry to hear that. If we were my fiancé, there is no way that I would ever leave you. I would quit my job before I left you on the other side of the country."

"I know, right?" She sighed deeply. "I think if he could have, he would have. It was necessary. What he does is important."

"What about you? Are you not very important?"

"You know I did not catch your name, Allie said.

"That is so rude of me. Hi, my name is Landon."

"London? Like the Queen and shit?"

"No, LANDon."

"Well, LANDon, I am Alexsandra. Just call me Allie."

"Well, it is very lovely to meet you, Allie."

"You know what? Why don't you have a seat? I am very drunk and very lonely, and I would not mind having a real conversation. No offense, Charlie.

"None taken.

"So, Landon, tell me a little bit about yourself.

"Well, I am a lawyer. I work down here, and I enjoy good wine and beautiful women.

"Well, I'm not sure they have good wine here, but I am beautiful.

"How about you tell me something about Allie?"

"Well, I love tequila, and I love to play pool. I love to kick this shit out of people who respect me, and I feel so lost and hurt right now.

They sat at the bar for a couple of hours.

They talked about a little bit of everything; however, most of what she told him was a lie, and everything he told her was a lie.

"So, Allie, how are you getting home?

"I have a friend coming who's taking me home. I took one to work because I knew I would end up here by the night's end.

"I can take you. Then your friend doesn't have to make the trip.

"My friend would trip over Jesus Christ himself to come get me. But you're a nice person for offering.

Alex walked through the door and saw her. She was sitting with a guy whom he immediately disliked.

"Oh, there he is!

Jesus H Christ, does this woman know anyone under six feet or two hundred pounds?

"That's my friend Alex. He's been helping me out ever since my… I don't even know what to call him. I have no idea what we are anymore." Her face fell.

"Hey, don't break down here. He's gone, but you need to remember that you're here, you're alive, and some people think you are terrific. He's the idiot for leaving you alone.

"Awe. Landon, you are so sweet. How about I give you my---

Alex walked up and interrupted their conversation. "Hey, Cara Mia." He kissed her on the cheek.

"Mi Vida, this is my new friend, Landon, not to be confused with London. Dean and I went to London. At least, I think we did. Alex, I'm losing my memories. They are not there, but I know they are here."

"Allie, how much have you had?"

"Not enough. Do you know how I know? No? Well, I'm going to tell you. His name is Dean. I want to drink until I can't remember his name."

Alex waved Charlie over. "Can I have her tab?

"Sit down, Alex, and have a seat and sit down and have a drink."

"No, I'll pay your tab and take you home.

"Remember the first time you took me home? What happened to us? Why weren't we together forever?"

Charlie put her tab down. Alex glanced at it and handed him his credit card.

"Jesus Christ Alexsandra. Sixteen shots and eight beers! I've known you for over five years and have never seen you this drunk.

"Oh, please don't preach to me, not today. I am not in the mood."

"I'm not preaching to you, Allie. I just think---"

"You know my new friend LANDon will give me a ride home, preaching not included. Right?"

Alex looked at him.

"I would, but your friend is right. I think you should go with him.

"Good answer, Landon.

Charlie came back with Alex's card. He scribbled his name down.

"Leave him a tip, baby.

"Of course, I left him a tip. Okay, time to go."

He helped Allie to her feet, but she could barely stand. She sat back down and folded her arms.

"I don't want to go home." She pouted.

"You're going home.

He stood her back up. She sat back down in a huff.

"Alexsandra, please don't make me carry you out of here; I will literally carry you out of here.

"I'd like to see you try.

He stood her up, and before she could sit back down, he threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Charlie, see you another day. We are going to have a refresher course on overserving."

"Alex, I'm sorry. I didn't realize how intoxicated she was. You know I wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

"Alright, Miss Kingston, time to go.

"You know I was going to be Mrs. Kingston-Stapleton." She said the word hyphen.

"Oh, wait. I was going to give Casper my number."

"No, you're not."

He walked with her over his shoulder to the door.

"Sorry, new friend Casper! Buzzkill over here says no, you're not. Till we meet again." She blew him a kiss.

He walked down the street to his truck.

"I have a magnificent view of your ass Mi Vida."

"And I yours."

He opened the door to his truck. He put Allie down.

"I think I'm going to puke."

"Well, do it now. I love you, but I don't want to clean your vomit out of my truck."

"I don't want you to see me. I'm embarrassed."

He led her over to a secluded side of a vacant building. It took her about fifteen seconds before she started to empty the contents of her stomach. This was the first time she had ever thrown up while drinking. He held her hair back.

"Bad day to wear your hair down, Cara Mia."

She threw up. She couldn't see straight. She wasn't sure if she had feet.

"Ready to get in the truck?"

" Yeah. Do you have any gum?"

"I do have some in the truck."

"How about nuggets? Oh, and fries!"

"I am fresh out of nuggets and fries. Besides, you don't eat that kind of food. I've seen you eat fast food maybe half a dozen times since I've known you."

"Can we make it half a dozen plus one?"

"Let's get you home, and if you're still conscious, we can DoorDash you some, okay?"

"Promise?"

"With all my heart."

"You are like my best friend ever."

"Thanks for reminding me that I have been eternally banished to my friend zone." He loaded her into the truck.

He started the truck and headed towards her apartment.

"You have yet to answer me. Why are we not together? We were good together."

"You never asked me those questions, Allie."

"Maybe I reminded myself that I needed to tell you about this. Guess I forgot."

"I have been saying that exact same thing for the last three years. We aren't together because you didn't want me to write parking tickets or walk security in a mall as a career. Remember?"

"Oh, yeah. That. I'm not sorry. I wasn't going to be the reason you walked a mall."

"I could have gone into private security. Look at me. I could get work as a bodyguard."

"I wouldn't mind if you guarded my body." She tried to say it under her breath, but she failed.

He smiled, and parked the truck, and helped her out.

"I can't do those stairs, Mi Vida. So, leave me by the front door, and I'll eventually make it upstairs."

"Yeah, right. Come on."

She hopped up on his back.

He opened the door and carried her up the stairs.

"I remember Dean gave me a piggy to go up these steps. I miss him so much."

She put her head in the crook of his neck. He could feel her hot tears running down his collarbone.

"I know you do. I'm sorry you have to go through this."

He let them into her apartment. He went straight to the bedroom and plopped her down on the bed.

"Straight to the bedroom. Classic Alvarez. You know I missed you too when we split up for a long time."

"I know. I have missed you every day."

He started to undress her to get her into a nightshirt.

"Why don't we brush your teeth?"

"Remember the morning when we brushed our teeth together?"

"We brushed our teeth a lot together."

"I know, but the first time, we did."

"I do remember. It's one of my favorite memories."

After she brushed her teeth, he helped her into bed.

"No nuggets?"

"No. You just need to go to sleep."

"Alex?"

"Yes, Allie."

"Make love to me like we used to."

As much as he wanted to, he knew it was wrong. He despises Dean but wouldn't want this to happen to him. He said he would stay faithful, and Allie resigned to do the same. She looked so beautiful.

"You don't really want to do that. You are drunk, and you are upset. You are craving for your, what is he now?"

An asshole

"Do you not like me anymore? I still like you."

That's not what he said. Shit is too drunk to see or hear me.

"You know how I feel about you, and I know how you feel about Dean."

"So, no on the lovemaking?"

"No on the lovemaking.".

"No nuggets or love? Man, this day does suck. It's only been a month. Look at me. How am I going to get through this? Alex, what if he's gone for a year or more? I'm so lonely. I don't want to die from alcohol poisoning. I can't. He promised he would never leave me. Why does everybody leave? It's like I'm allergic to real love."

"I'll always be here. I will never leave you, and I never have."

He looked at her, and tears welled up in his eyes. She had never admitted to being lonely, even though she had been lonely at various times throughout the entire time he had known her.

"I'm going to sleep on the couch. I don't want to leave you this drunk on your own. If you need me, call me."

"Okay."

He made it to the door.

"Alex."

He stopped and closed his eyes. "Yes, Allie."

"Ooh-Rah."

He felt an ache in his heart. "I love you, too. Now, be a good girl and go to bed."

Allie, you know better. Stop playing with him. She can't hear me, and she is really inebriated.