Looking up, Shane smiled gratefully.  “Just a beerand a shot of Jack.”  If you’re going to get drunk you might as well go all out.  Today wasn’t exactly a day she longed to remember.  If the funeral wasn’t enough, she had to go and piss off her best friendone of the only people who actually understand her.  Now her answer was to run away and get sloshed.

The barkeep placed the drinks on the counter and smiled at the young woman before him.  He watched as she quickly threw back the Jack and guzzled some of her beer.  Quickly he refilled the shot glass and looked back at Shane.  He waited patiently for her to start telling her story, they all eventually told him their story. 

Shane continued to throw back the shots and was nursing her third beer; she was far past inebriated and had moved on to falling down drunk.  Still she had not spoken to the man behind the bar, although she could feel his eyes on her.  Thus far they had been communicating with nods and she was having trouble even doing that at the moment.

“I called you cab, go home sober up and tell Alice you love her.” 

Startled she looked up into the twinkling brown eyes of the barkeep.  At this point she managed to sober up enough to stumble out a partial sentence. “How did I don’thuh?” 

Smiling down at her, the barkeep began to clean up the mess.  “You told me.”

“I did?”  She must have been really drunk, because she didn’t remember even speaking to him after her scene.  Reaching into her pocket she pulled out a balled up hundred and placed it on the counter.  “She doesn’t love me.”  Shane stumbled off the stool and supported her weight against the bar.

“Sure she does.  You already know she doesyou don’t love you.”  He smiled at the flailing mess before him.  “She loves you enough for both of you.”  Looking behind the brunette he nodded at the cab driver. 

Still stunned and a little more than confused, Shane felt herself being practically carried to the cab.  Fighting consciousness she tried to slur out Bette’s address, but was unsure if she managed to say anything.  She struggled to stay awake, but ended up passing out.