Dear Readers, I've incorporated this one-shot into a multi-chapter story. If you liked Sloppy Drunk, you may like "Moving On, Together" as well. Please check it out!
"Hhheeeyyy, Wwwaaade." Meatball slurred into the telephone receiver.
Between the noises at the Rammer Jammer and what ever drinkin' hole Meatball was frequenting, Wade could barely hear. Pressing his phone closer to his ear, he asked, "Meatball? That you? What's up? "
"Me and Billy are over at The Crossfire in Pitney." Meatball explained, "Wade, your lady doctor is here, and well, she's …" Meatball laughed as he continued, "she's pretty messed up." He sounded pretty messed up himself.
Wade sighed and worried silently, "how the hell did she find that place?" Aloud, he told Meatball, "I'm on my way," and added sternly, "stay with her until I get there, okay? That place is too rough for her to be on her own."
"Yah, okay, man. I'll stay with her." Meatball agreed.
"Wanda?" Wade called out over the din of the bar. "I gotta cut out. Can you cover for me?"
Wade was expecting Zoe to try and drown her sorrows eventually. The numbing effects of alcohol were hard to resist. Hell! It's what he would do! "Except, I haven't" he thought quizzically. Never one to delve inward, Wade's thoughts immediately drifted to Zoe. "Crossfire?" he muttered incredulously. The name said it all. Every bad-ass in southern Alabama knew the place! The sheriff was called at least once a week to breakup fights, most of which ended with someone needing medical attention. He imagined the roughnecks hitting on Zoe as she sashayed around in those little short of hers and the trouble she'd find herself in when she discovered that "no" didn't mean "no" with that kind. "Damn it! Zoe," he swore. The thirty minute drive to Pitney did nothing but add to his unease.
Wade pulled into the dirt parking lot at The Crossfire, a low-slung building with a tin roof that was more rust then metal. He made note of a couple of jacked-up 4X4s, three motorcycles, Meatball's pickup, and Zoe's Prius. He parked near Zoe's car and made his way to the entrance. Taking a deep breath to gear up for whatever may happen, he pulled open the door.
Inside, it was dark and reeked of stale beer. A quick scan of the room revealed Meatball at the far end of the bar, Billy playing pool, but no sign of Zoe. Cold panic gripped him. A moment later, he noticed all heads in the room turn appreciatively as Zoe tottered, unsteadily, from the restroom back to her perch next to Meatball. "Thank God!" Wade thought as the ice in his chest warmed with admiration. She was wearing a dark purple dress with a deep square neckline that clung to every curve and, of course, her signature sky-high heals. He counted himself lucky that it was a slow night and that the unsavory clientele seemed content to leave Zoe to Meatball.
Slurring loudly, Meatball finally noticed him. "Hhheeeyyy, Wwwaaade." Elbowing Zoe slightly, he said "Doc, your guy is here."
In reply, Zoe slurred, "He's not my guy, 'member?! I told you. It's over!" She continued in a whisper that could actually be heard clear across the bar, "He cheated on me."
Wade glanced around, relieved to see her remarks go unnoticed by the other patrons, who were, admittedly, intimidating. He casually crossed the room. "Meatball," he greeted with a nod of this head. Wade reached Zoe's stool, and ran a hand across her back, saying, "Hey, Doc, about ready to head on home?"
"NO!" she yelled, leaning away from his touch. "I don't want to go home." Her voice got quieter, and she started to hunch over her drink. "I can't go there and see your house and wonder who you're with and imagine what you're doing with her." Her voice started to break as she held back tears.
Heartsick at the pain he had caused her, Wade leaned in closely and vowed, "Zoe, baby, there's no one at my house, I promise. C'mon, let's get you home."
"Why are you here?" Zoe nearly yelled the accusation. "I came here because you wouldn't be here. And now you're here."
"I came here to get you before you did something you'd regret." He explained, patiently.
"I already did something I regret." She stated flatly.
"Ouch!" Wade winced.
"Burn!" Meatball laughed.
Zoe, oblivious to the insult she just hurled, muttered, "Stupid relationships. Stupid men. I'm never doing this again. Relationships suck! You suck!"
With continued patience, Wade guided Zoe off the bar stool and towards the door as he agreed, "Yep, I most definitely suck."
As they made their way to Wade's car, Zoe continued muttering about all the things that sucked. He sat her in the passenger side and fastened her seat belt. Sliding behind the steering wheel on the driver's side, he noticed she was quiet, head back against the seat, eyes closed. He was suddenly heart struck by how much he missed her. This had been happening several times a day since the break-up, but, it always caught him off-guard.
Ten minutes into the ride home, Zoe turned her head towards him and asked dejectedly, "Wade? What's wrong with me? No one wants me." She sounded so sad, but Wade replied lightly, "there ain't nothin' wrong with you, Doc." She just continued to stare at him. He added earnestly, "you're smart and caring and beautiful. There is nothing wrong with you." Turning her head forward again, eyes closed, she spoke aloud to herself. "My dad, Zach, Annabeth, you." When her voice cracked with suppressed tears on the last word, Wade darted a glance at her, but she had turned her head towards the side window to hide her pain. With heavy hearts on both sides of the car, they drove silently toward home.
"Zoe," Wade whispered. "We're here." He shook her arm gently to wake her. He was parked in front of her carriage house and was at her side, passenger door wide open. She had slept for most of the ride. When they arrived, he debated just carrying her in and putting her to bed, but then thought better of it. It seemed too intimate. She wouldn't want him holding her like that, not anymore. She stirred enough to allow him to help her out of the car, up the front porch steps and into her apartment. He kept the lights off hoping she'd crawl into bed and fall back to sleep, but the cool night air must have revived her. "Wade, what does she look like?" Although she addressed the question to him, she continued talking as if to herself. "Pretty, for sure. Blond? I see a lot of blonds down here. It must be the sun." She stopped talking for a moment, and Wade hoped she was finished.
"C'mon. Let's get you to bed." Wade said in an attempt at redirection, a skill he had fairly mastered after years of dealing with his father, the town drunk. As he steered her toward the bed, he discovered that his attempt had failed, and she started talking again, still seemingly unaware that he was there.
"I bet she's taller than me, that's not too hard. And definitely sexy, like Tansy or like Joelle. Does she know about me? About us? Well, not us, there is no us, anymore." Her voice faded to a forlorn whisper as she said these last few words.
"Doc, it's late." Wade whispered. "You need to get some sleep. Bed. Now." At this, Zoe nodded and started pealing off her clothes, each article dropping to the floor as she disrobed down to her bra and panties. Eyes wide, enjoying the show, Wade silently scoffed with regret "absolutely nothing wrong with you, Doc."
She climbed on to the bed, and, with her back to him, hugged her pillow like a life line. She continued talking aloud to herself.
"Why, Wade?" She lamented. "Why did you…ever start up with me?" Her speech slowed and her voice grew softer. "Why…couldn't you...just...leave me...alone?" Her head eased into her pillow and she fell asleep.
Wade stood there a moment considering her last question. Why? Why couldn't he leave her alone, even now, when the mere mention of her name let alone the sight of her caused his chest to tighten and a lump to form in his throat?
He moved toward the bed, pulling the blanket over her, and stared. She was lying on her side, face averted. He moved aside a silky length of hair, leaned over, and breathed in her scent. "Because, I love you," he whispered and gently kissed her cheek.
Zoe's eyes opened. Watching his reflection in the dresser mirror, she saw him leave the room. She heard the soft click as he gently pulled the door closed, and her eyes fluttered shut.