Wine and Spirits

"I honestly never felt that way about him. Sure, I liked him okay enough, and he's a terrific guy. He just wasn't ever meant to be my guy. I tried to tell him that so many times, but he always shut me down. Until one night, he wanted to visit me at my place, but I was out drinking with friends. He found me at a bar, dancing with a stranger."

"Oh, so he thought you were cheating?"

"Well, I wasn't. But in his mind, I might as well have been. Anyway, he made a huge scene at the bar—embarrassed the hell out of me, yelling, 'Maybe we're really not meant to be together!' And I mean he was really yelling it."

"Oh." Lily recalled him mentioning that line before, without all the context, though.

"So, I left in a huff. He humiliated me in front of all my friends and a bar full of strangers. But here's where his version of the story is just plain wrong. He thinks I left because I was upset about what he said. That isn't true. I had been trying to tell him that very thing for months, but he didn't want to believe it. I stormed out of there because he embarrassed me and that's the only reason."

"So that explains a lot...but not the guilt."

"Yeah, so here's the kicker. I said I'd been drinking, right?"

Lily nodded.

"I'd been drinking a lot. And...well, I didn't exactly make it home that night."

"Oh." It all made sense, now. Everything came together in Lily's mind.

"I'd like to say a part of me died that night...you know, the cliché?...but all of me died that night, Lily."

"I understand, Sarah."

"Do you?"

"Are you kidding? Look at this place. You think this many people would come to this place if there wasn't something else going on? Half the people here have unfinished business, just like you."

Sarah looked around. "Okay, so I only see about a dozen people in here, but whatever."

"Huh?" Lily scanned the room again. There were easily fifty people who hadn't left yet.

"Anyway, I don't have unfinished business. Not really. I'm only here because of Nick. He's, like, stuck. I've been trying to get him unstuck for almost a year."

"And your time runs out tonight."

"So you do understand."

Lily nodded again.

"Lily, I don't love him. And I never did. But he's a good guy, and he took on guilt for something that wasn't his fault...Anyway, that's the story."

"Thank you for sharing it with me."

"Sure, and thank you. The real tragedy would be if two people died that night, instead of just one." Sarah rose and gestured to Nick to come back in. He quickly reentered, looking forward to the warmth inside if not the conversation.

Sarah had some final words she wanted to share to both of them. "Lily, I've seen how you light up. And Nick, I see how you are around her. Those gifts you bought her were sweet, by the way."

"You saw that?"

"Yeah, sometimes I just looked through the window but didn't come in. Anyway, what you guys have is real. What we had...well, it was fun for a while, and then it wasn't. But it was never love. Nick, I'm leaving tonight and I don't think you'll ever see me again. You need to know that Lily is your love...not me. Do you finally understand?"

"I do, Sarah. Yeah, I do." Then he turned to Lily and took her hand, gazing into her eyes for a moment before speaking. "Lily? I'm sorry I put you through so much this past year. Thank you for helping me."

"You're welcome, Nick. You're very welcome."

When they both turned around, Sarah was gone—the wine glass, empty.

"Hey, Anna. Are you feeling any better?" Eddie reached up and held the back of his hand to her forehead, as if to check for a fever. Why he thought to do that, even he didn't know. It just seemed like something to do.

"I think I might already know the answer," Anna started, "but how did you know my name, Eddie?"

"I already told you."

"Tell me again."

"Sure, your mom told me."

"And how did you know my mom?"

"Well, she's a customer here. Her and your dad, both."

"Right...right...And when did you first see them here?"

"I don't know, I guess it was around the middle of September, maybe?"

"I have one more question. Can you tell me something that only my mom would know? Anything at all?"

"Like what?"

"Anything, Eddie...that only my mom or dad would know...please?"

"Okay, uh, well, she said that when you were five, she said you'd someday meet prince charming and you said you didn't want one. Does that count?"

"Wow..." she looked down at her arm and pinched it, then winced in pain.

"Anna, why are you asking all these questions?"

"Because I've been visiting my parents these last few weeks, Eddie."

"Yeah, I know. I've seen you."

"And now, you're saying you've been talking with my mom, too."

"Sure, tonight even."

"Eddie...I only came here tonight because my mom told me I should. She said there'd be someone here I'm supposed to meet. Not my 'Prince Charming'...but my honest man. I don't know why...or how...but I think that's you...But Eddie..." She paused before proceeding. "I'm the executor on my parents' estate....that's why I came home from school...over a month ago."

Eddie was still trying to comprehend what Anna was telling him when he felt warmth on his shoulder. He turned to find Doc patting him—partly to give him an encouraging 'attaboy' and half to ask him for a moment of his time.

Doc nodded toward the bar, indicating further that he wanted to talk with him privately.

"Anna, I'll be right back, okay?" He rose and followed Doc back to the bar.

"Hey Eddie, listen. I'm just about out of time but I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure, Doc, anything."

"Well, I'm hoping you'll take over tending the bar in my absence."

"Okay, sure. For how long?"

"From now on, Eddie. I won't be coming back."

"Doc, where are you going? I don't understand."

"Yes, you do, Eddie. You do understand. I just know it. You see all the souls here tonight, right?"

"Yessir."

"Then, you know. As to where I'm going, I'm really not sure. But, back to my question; will you take over behind the bar?"

"Of course, Doc. Of course...and I don't want to, but...well, I do understand."

"Good. Very good." He smiled contentedly. "Then my soul is at rest now. I know I'll be fine and so will you."

"Thank you, Doc. For everything. You have no idea..."

"It was my pleasure, son," Doc said as he pulled Eddie into a warm, fatherly embrace. "It was truly my pleasure. I'm so very proud of you."

"I love you, Doc."

"I love you too, son. Now, I have one more person to say good bye to." He turned to go find Lily, but paused. "One more thing, Eddie. That young woman over there needs you. And you need her. She can help you find your way. Love her."

"Yes, sir."

Doc downed one last swig of whiskey before heading toward the table in the corner. Nick was holding Lily tightly, rubbing her arm, in silence. Each lost in deep thought.

"Hey, Lily-bug."

She looked up to Doc and sensed what was coming. Tears immediately flooded into her eyes.

"It's time for me to go."

She stood and came around to him, snuggling up to the old man, like she used to when she'd first met him, when he'd taken her in off the streets, gave her a warm home, and his heart. A tear fell to her cheek.

"Thank you for being patient with Eddie. I know you didn't want to."

She snickered despite her sadness. "I understand what you saw in him now. You always did have that special gift of seeing the good in people. I didn't see Eddie like you did, not at first. But I do now."

"Oh, you've got the eye, too, Lily. I know you do. This man you're with is proof of it." Doc continued to hold Lily in a tight embrace as he reached out his hand to introduce himself. "And you must be Nick."

"I am. You're Doc, right? This is your place?"

"Well, it used to be. It's Lily's now." He paused. "I know we've just met, Nick. And you won't be seeing me again. But I have a request of you—only one request.

"Yes, sir. Anything."

"I only ask that you'll take care of...and love...my precious daughter...with all your heart." Tears were flowing down his cheeks and his words were choppy, broken, uneven. "Leave no unfinished business...Can you do that for me, son?"

"Yes, sir. I believe I can."

Doc released his hand and nodded—a gentleman's agreement, sealed with a handshake, that he knew Nick would honor.

Lily moved to Doc's side, still clinging tightly to him, as they walked toward the door. She resisted the pace, hoping to prolong the moment as long as she could. "Doc?"

"Yes, Lily-bug."

"I want to do something to the bar."

"You what?"

"Don't worry, I've honored all of your provisos and always will. But what I want to do, you didn't have a provision for."

Doc seemed a little bit concerned, but said nothing.

"I want to rename it."

"Oh, Lily, I don't know. Everyone knows it as Doc's Place."

"I understand that, but it's nothing major—not to anyone else anyway. But it would mean the world to me if I had my name on it with yours."

He pulled her in tight.

"I was thinking Doc O'Connor's Place. Doc is your name. O'Connor is mine...and yours.'

"Lily, I think it's perfect—just like you."

They reached the door and Doc reached for the handle. Lily clutched to him as tightly as she could, not wanting to see him leave, for good.

"I wish you didn't have to go."

"I wish I didn't either, Lily-bug." He managed to face her and held her face in his hands. "Know this..."

She looked into his eyes, blinking repeatedly so she could see him clearly through her tears.

"...I will always love you...and I'll never be far."

"I love you, too, Dad."

He kissed her forehead, then released her. This time, she let him go. He walked through the door and disappeared.

There was a hole in Lily's heart, that only Doc had filled for most of her life, and once again it felt desperately empty...but only for a moment. As she stared out the door, into the cold darkness, she felt a warmth from behind her. And then that warmth enveloped her as Nick wrapped his arms around her from behind. And then she felt a hand...a warm hand...on her shoulder. She turned to see Eddie, looking down at her and smiling; his other arm was holding Anna close to his side.

"We're going to be okay, Lily." Eddie reassured her. "You know why?"

"Tell me, Eddie."

"Because we're family."

She smiled back at him and nodded. She knew he was right.

"Better than okay, in fact," he continued. "You know what I always say...there's nothing better than a half-dead bar...especially on a Friday night."