A Drink

(4. A Drink)

Cassie paid the taxi after coming down. Before entering into the Night Owl, she had her overcoat removed revealing her ravishing beauty in those sexy skimpy dress. She did a quick breath in and breathe out before sauntering into the building. She went to the barroom and sat down on the stool before the bar. She ordered a champagne from the bartender and quickly glanced round the barroom looking for a man who fit right into the description given by her aunt. The bartender called the attention to her order. She smiled, taking her champagne to sip. She didn't want to waste much time. She's gotta find this man.

"Excuse me" She called onto the bartender.

"Yes ma'am"

"Sorry but do you know anyone name Lance? He's always in suit"

"I believe that's me" A voice sounded behind her. "I assume you're looking for a Lance in suit"

"Yes" Cassie said. The man before her fits the description given to her.

"Then, why don't we head to a booth." He suggested. " I'm meeting with some of my friends"

"How great. By the way, I'm Cassie"

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful lady. Come on" They both joined arms and walked to a booth full of his mankind's with ladies. She smiled as they both joined the rest.

This was the worse night for her. The men discussed nothing than business. They talked about stocks, marketing, products and other boring terms. All she could do was to smile and nod at some yes/no questions that came to her and also, drink some champagne. She checked her phone. It was 50 mins past 8. She was getting quite hasty to leave their midst and probably the bar. Judging from the facts that she couldn't fit right to their discussion, she had herself quite busy. She kept herself with the job of watching everyone's movement in and out of the barroom. She was watching everyone who came and went, all having fun, all but one that she could notice. She saw a nice looking guy who barged in angrily minutes ago. He ordered bunch of drinks and was gulping them one by one. "That man is getting himself drunk tonight." She thought. Her watch woman's job took her attention, not aware when Lance went to make a call. He came back and tap her shoulders. She seems lost.

"Cassie, I have to go. Something came up and unfortunately it needs my urgent attention."

"Oh no" She acted sad outward but extremely glad inwardly.

"Not to worry, I'll transact the money as agreed with your boss and you can stay if you want to. Order anything you like and place it on me. I'm quite popular here". He said with a wink and Cassie giggled softly.

"Will do"

He bade his friends goodbye and placed a peck on Cassie's cheeks. Finally, this night is not that worse at all. She stood up and walked to the bar. She ordered her normal drink, Champagne, when she noticed the man who she saw earlier. He's seriously gulping down tequila and immediately taking a lime wedge to lessen the burn.

"Dude, slow down with that drink"

He gazed at her for a short while before taking another shot with a lime wedge accompanied. "I'm just having a drink'' He said

"You've had several drinks. You'll get drunk at this rate"

"It doesn't matter. It's either here or that fucking house"

"Looks like you've got a lot on your plate"

"I've got plenty on my plate. My old man wants something off me. He wants me to take a leadership but I don't want to."

"That shouldn't make you drink yourself to death."

"That's not it." He paused, giving a quick sharp exhale. She looked into her eyes, probably finding the right assurance if she was right a person to outpour everything bottling in him. "My brother was supposed to do this"

"Why isn't he doing it?"

"Cause he's dead and it's all because of me. I am the reason he's covered in sands, 6 feet underground."

"Oh" That was what she could only say.

"You're drinking because you feel guilty of his demise"

" I've always been guilty. For fucks sake, I am the cause of his death. Stupid me"

Cassie sighed. She stretched her arms to take a shot of his tequila with a lime wedge. She lifted the glass quick to her mouth and emptied it quick. She sucked the line wedge and gave a sour face. It was her first time taking a tequila drink. "You know, I fit right to your dilemma. I've always blamed myself for my parents death. I feel guilty everytime and I constantly remind myself of how faulty I was to their death." She took a pause and gave him a concerning look. She pressed her lips together in silence and watched him taking one more shots.

"Its a bitter pill to swallow."

"It is" He said in concord in a manly husky tone.

"But you know, I finally figured out that reminding myself of those faults won't yield me breakthrough. It'll constantly make me stagnant in all areas, physically, mentally and emotionally. Your decision are affected by you. Constantly reminding yourself the faults you had in his death is making you so messed up. With this, you can't move on"

"Move on? How can I move on when the scene keeps playing in my head day by day, minutes by minutes."

"You can move on from it. The first step has to be decided by you"

He submissively calmed down after hearing her words. "What do I do? I don't want this at all"

"The first thing to do is to take the leadership. That's the first step for you to move on."

"You clearly heard me when I did say that I don't want this"

"Taking the leadership doesn't mean that it is as a distraction from thinking of him, it simply means it is a decision for him. You have to take the leadership not for yourself, but for him. You know he would appreciate that more."

Stephen breaths were shallow this time, his eyes were locked with hers. No one has ever gave him words like she has now. Her words were genuine, comforting and he couldn't understand why her words made his worries go away at that exact time. He genuinely smiled for the first time in four years. What has she done to him!

Stephen was about replying Cassie but what came out next was a burp, almost at the peak of a puke. He tried standing but he fell right on her. He closed his eyes and could not open them again. He was weak, tired, restless a d drunk. Cassie seeing this took him by his arm and dragged him out of the bar.

"What do I do now?" Cassie found herself asking. There she was, holding an unknown man who is just as drunk as hell and didn't know where to go. She dragged him more to the nearest cafe she could find and sat under the awning. She tried reviving him but he was so deep in unconsciousness. She began searching his pockets of she would see an I.D. Alas, she found his wallet in his pockets alongside with his carkeys. She opened his wallet to check a name and address.

"Stephen Xerx." She said silently while looking to his beautiful face. "I've heard his name somewhere" She thought for a second and tried figuring out where she heard his name from. She killed the thoughts and ran her eyes through his address. She really wasn't familiar with his stated address. It wasn't even an address if you would say. 'Maybe a taxi man would know.' She thought and helped him up to the taxi rank (or taxi stand)

"Where to ma'am?" The taxi driver cordially asked .

"Um...I was thinking, do you know where 'The Xerx Residence' is?"

"It's a popular place but not everyone is allowed in it. Hop on."

She was a bit relieved as she gets him in. She got in too and the car drove it's way to the street. She kept thinking of the place or when she heard of Xerx. The driver also identified the name 'Xerx' to be popular. Is he sort of a rich artist? Or son of a wealthy philanthropist?

The thought were beginning to give her migraines knowing the fact that she couldn't get an answer. She stopped thinking and viewed the streets. The drive was a bit long and messy after various turns. She got pretty uncomfortable when Stephen's body rested on hers. They drove past a bump which caused Stephen leaning on Cassie's body. He was sleeping peacefully and she didn't want to disturb that. Even in his sleep,she was amazed that he was smiling. 'He's having a happy dream.' She smiled. She felt his skin on hers, so soft and moist. She felt the hotness of his body against hers. Though she was pretty uncomfortable with all of that, she didn't want to shake him or even wipe off that smile on his face so she left him at his sleeping position.

After several minutes of driving, the taxi parked before a long paved way which was filled with palm trees side by side with street lights to lighten the darkness.

"No car is authorized to enter here. This is how far I can reach."

"Really" She said only, looking deep to the void road . She gave the taxi driver a thankful smile after coming down. "Thank you mister' She said after paying the taxi.

"No qualms. Have a good night miss" The taxi driver gave a sharp U-turn and went it's way, leaving Cassie and Stephen standing all alone before the void street.