p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"It was late, nearly two in the morning. Everyone had already filed out of the bar. The only people left were Sam, Diane, Carla, and Coach. Carla and Diane were wiping down the tables and collecting empty glasses, bringing those back to the bar every so often. Meanwhile Coach and Sam were putting away said glasses and going through tonight's earnings. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Ever since Sam's bottle cap had been lost, he felt off. It was like an important part of who he is was now missing. He felt stupid for ever letting that damn thing out of his sight. It was more than just a bottle cap and he felt like he was the only one who understood that. No one understood what that cap did for him, how it kept him from going to the bottle on nights where he felt especially down. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"He was beginning to think that tonight was going to be one of those nights. Sam was feeling extra stupid for ever trusting anyone with his lucky charm. It wouldn't be long until his thoughts would spiral into sadder ones. How much of a failure he was, especially in the eyes of his parents. How everyone saw him as a dimwit. Even the one person Sam wanted to like him more than anyone, Diane. He knew she saw him as nothing more than an airhead who slept around. Who was he kidding? That's exactly who he was./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Maybe tonight Sam would drown his sorrows in a number of different women. That's usually what he did instead of drinking. Though he really wanted to just say fuck it and go for the bottle. Who would care? Maybe Coach but even that he wasn't sure of. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"While cleaning tables Diane glances up and watches the tall brunette behind the bar. She knew something was up with him. Ever since that lucky bottle cap of his had been lost he had been acting all out sorts. Though he was never going to admit to that./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" Diane understood why the bottle cap meant so much to him but she also knew that it wasn't the only thing that kept Sam from drinking. It was himself and she knew he could power through any urge to drink without it. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"She sighs a little while cleaning, keeping an eye on him just to be sure he wasn't even thinking about doing something he'd regret. They were in a bar after all and it would be so easy for him to fall off the rails. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Twenty or so minutes pass and everyone was winding down on the cleaning. There was only a few things left that really needed to be done. Carla was heading for the door now and Coach was just about to follow after when the phone rings. He reaches down and grabs the receiver, "Cheers" Coach answers. It was only matter of seconds before he turns the telephone over to Sam. "It's for you Sam" he states. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"With Sam taking the phone, Coach heads for the door to go home with Carla. "Next time I'll drive Carla" he insists. The short and spunky waitress shakes her head, "I don't know bout that Coach, last time you locked your keys in the car" she replies. "Yeah yeah but I got them out..." he pauses for a moment to think, "or did I?" He suddenly questions himself. To that Carla shakes her head and leads the older man out the door. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Diane watches as they leave and then brings her tray over to the bar, setting it down along with her apron. She was watching Sam as he talked on the phone. His face falls from barely in a good mood to sorrow. "Yeah yeah I'll be there. I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you for telling me" Sam speaks sadly into the phone. Worry begins to build inside of Diane. He was already down because of the bottle cap and she didn't want it to become worse. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Sam hangs up the phone and puts it below the bar again. A huge wave of sadness had hit him, his chest was aching. He doesn't even look over at Diane standing there, he just tries to occupy himself. "You can go Diane" he insists. He was avoiding her gaze at all costs, pushing down every bit of emotion that he could. Sam didn't want to talk about it. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Sam..." she says, trying to reach out to him and let him know that she was there for him. It doesn't seem to work as he walks away and continues putting away glasses. What was she to do? He didn't want her around and Diane knew she couldn't leave him, not like this. It killed her to know that he was spiraling and it felt like there wasn't anything she could do. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Diane please.. just leave me alone" he insists once more. There was no way that Sam wanted to open up. His day already had been terrible and now he had just received news that one of his best friends from his baseball days had died. It was all too much for him to handle. He wanted to be alone so he could deal with how he felt by himself, just like he always did. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"She looks at him for a moment, considering her options. Diane sighs and walks over to the door and grabs her coat. After she slides it on she glances back at him. He wasn't watching her, he was heading off to his office to be alone. Another sigh falls from her lips and she walks out without another word. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"It was five minutes later and Diane had just arrived home. As soon as she steps through the door she hears her telephone ringing. "Who in the world would be calling this late?" She thinks to herself, eyebrows furrowing. No one was up this late, not anyone she knew anyhow. She strides across the apartment and over to her telephone and picks it up, "Hello?" /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Hearing Diane's sweet voice ring through the phone calms him in a way. Sam was sitting below the bar, against one side of it. Just off to his right sat a glass filled with beer. He was so tempted to drink it, he wanted nothing more. A better part of him though was telling him not to do it. To call her and ask for some sort of help. "Diane I need you to come back to the bar... before I make a stupid decision" Sam replies./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The line on the other end suddenly goes dead and he looks at the receiver before setting it down. He could only hope that meant she was rushing over here. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Sam reaches over for the glass of beer and brings it toward him. He knew how easy it would be to just drink it all down. The glass would be empty in seconds. Then he could endlessly refill it, he was in a bar after all. It would be so easy to fall right back into his old ways. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Time and time again, Sam brings the glass of beer up to his lips but at the last second he sets it down again. As badly as he wanted to he knew the outcome would not be pretty. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"It was a matter of minutes before Diane swings open the door to Cheers and rushes inside. "Sam?!" She calls out worriedly. She immediately heads toward his office thinking that's where he'd be. She should've never left. She knew what state of mind he was in, she should've insisted on staying no matter what he said. "Over here" his almost frail voice calls out from behind the bar. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"She turns on her heel at his words and rushes behind the bar, spotting him in the farthest left corner. "Oh Sam... Sam I'm so sorry I left. I should've stayed. Oh please tell me you didn't do it" Diane pleads. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"She was so worried about him, he had been sober for so long and seeing him lose his way would absolutely destroy her. She wished she could take away any of the pain he was feeling over this. Though she didn't want to admit it, she liked him a lot. Hell, she knew she was falling for him and that was something she never expected./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"He shakes his head and pushes away the glass of beer. "I didn't drink. I promise. I just called you because I knew you were still awake and I.. well I needed someone to be here" Sam admits. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"That wasn't completely true. He needed someone to be here but not just anyone, he wanted it to be her. It was strange but he felt like Diane understood him. They had become close over her time working here and he was most definitely falling for her. He was crazy about her, but he'd never admit to it. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Diane gets bends down and grabs the glass of beer and quickly pours it out. She didn't want that sitting there in front of him and continuing to tempt him any longer. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"She turns to Sam when the glass is empty and looks down at him. He had his head in his hands and his endlessly long legs bent up in front of him. The blonde could tell by his quiet and somber voice that he was in a bad place. All she wanted was to be there for him. With that, she sets her purse down on the bar and takes a seat next to him. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The bar owner suddenly moves his head back up to look at her, his hands falling back to his sides. For some reason he wasn't expecting her to stay here with him. He knew they were friends but Sam didn't realize she actually cared about his well-being. "You.. don't have to stay" he murmurs. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Diane looks over at him and nods, "yes I do" she whispers. She then reaches over and slides her small hand into his larger one and lets their fingers lace together. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Not another word comes out of either of them. They both sit quietly and stare off into the distance. Diane gently squeezes his hand to assure him that he was going to be okay. And for once in his life, he actually believed it to be true. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Ever since Sam's bottle cap had been lost, he felt off. It was like an important part of who he is was now missing. He felt stupid for ever letting that damn thing out of his sight. It was more than just a bottle cap and he felt like he was the only one who understood that. No one understood what that cap did for him, how it kept him from going to the bottle on nights where he felt especially down. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"He was beginning to think that tonight was going to be one of those nights. Sam was feeling extra stupid for ever trusting anyone with his lucky charm. It wouldn't be long until his thoughts would spiral into sadder ones. How much of a failure he was, especially in the eyes of his parents. How everyone saw him as a dimwit. Even the one person Sam wanted to like him more than anyone, Diane. He knew she saw him as nothing more than an airhead who slept around. Who was he kidding? That's exactly who he was./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Maybe tonight Sam would drown his sorrows in a number of different women. That's usually what he did instead of drinking. Though he really wanted to just say fuck it and go for the bottle. Who would care? Maybe Coach but even that he wasn't sure of. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"While cleaning tables Diane glances up and watches the tall brunette behind the bar. She knew something was up with him. Ever since that lucky bottle cap of his had been lost he had been acting all out sorts. Though he was never going to admit to that./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" Diane understood why the bottle cap meant so much to him but she also knew that it wasn't the only thing that kept Sam from drinking. It was himself and she knew he could power through any urge to drink without it. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"She sighs a little while cleaning, keeping an eye on him just to be sure he wasn't even thinking about doing something he'd regret. They were in a bar after all and it would be so easy for him to fall off the rails. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Twenty or so minutes pass and everyone was winding down on the cleaning. There was only a few things left that really needed to be done. Carla was heading for the door now and Coach was just about to follow after when the phone rings. He reaches down and grabs the receiver, "Cheers" Coach answers. It was only matter of seconds before he turns the telephone over to Sam. "It's for you Sam" he states. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"With Sam taking the phone, Coach heads for the door to go home with Carla. "Next time I'll drive Carla" he insists. The short and spunky waitress shakes her head, "I don't know bout that Coach, last time you locked your keys in the car" she replies. "Yeah yeah but I got them out..." he pauses for a moment to think, "or did I?" He suddenly questions himself. To that Carla shakes her head and leads the older man out the door. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Diane watches as they leave and then brings her tray over to the bar, setting it down along with her apron. She was watching Sam as he talked on the phone. His face falls from barely in a good mood to sorrow. "Yeah yeah I'll be there. I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you for telling me" Sam speaks sadly into the phone. Worry begins to build inside of Diane. He was already down because of the bottle cap and she didn't want it to become worse. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Sam hangs up the phone and puts it below the bar again. A huge wave of sadness had hit him, his chest was aching. He doesn't even look over at Diane standing there, he just tries to occupy himself. "You can go Diane" he insists. He was avoiding her gaze at all costs, pushing down every bit of emotion that he could. Sam didn't want to talk about it. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Sam..." she says, trying to reach out to him and let him know that she was there for him. It doesn't seem to work as he walks away and continues putting away glasses. What was she to do? He didn't want her around and Diane knew she couldn't leave him, not like this. It killed her to know that he was spiraling and it felt like there wasn't anything she could do. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Diane please.. just leave me alone" he insists once more. There was no way that Sam wanted to open up. His day already had been terrible and now he had just received news that one of his best friends from his baseball days had died. It was all too much for him to handle. He wanted to be alone so he could deal with how he felt by himself, just like he always did. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"She looks at him for a moment, considering her options. Diane sighs and walks over to the door and grabs her coat. After she slides it on she glances back at him. He wasn't watching her, he was heading off to his office to be alone. Another sigh falls from her lips and she walks out without another word. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"It was five minutes later and Diane had just arrived home. As soon as she steps through the door she hears her telephone ringing. "Who in the world would be calling this late?" She thinks to herself, eyebrows furrowing. No one was up this late, not anyone she knew anyhow. She strides across the apartment and over to her telephone and picks it up, "Hello?" /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Hearing Diane's sweet voice ring through the phone calms him in a way. Sam was sitting below the bar, against one side of it. Just off to his right sat a glass filled with beer. He was so tempted to drink it, he wanted nothing more. A better part of him though was telling him not to do it. To call her and ask for some sort of help. "Diane I need you to come back to the bar... before I make a stupid decision" Sam replies./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The line on the other end suddenly goes dead and he looks at the receiver before setting it down. He could only hope that meant she was rushing over here. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Sam reaches over for the glass of beer and brings it toward him. He knew how easy it would be to just drink it all down. The glass would be empty in seconds. Then he could endlessly refill it, he was in a bar after all. It would be so easy to fall right back into his old ways. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Time and time again, Sam brings the glass of beer up to his lips but at the last second he sets it down again. As badly as he wanted to he knew the outcome would not be pretty. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"It was a matter of minutes before Diane swings open the door to Cheers and rushes inside. "Sam?!" She calls out worriedly. She immediately heads toward his office thinking that's where he'd be. She should've never left. She knew what state of mind he was in, she should've insisted on staying no matter what he said. "Over here" his almost frail voice calls out from behind the bar. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"She turns on her heel at his words and rushes behind the bar, spotting him in the farthest left corner. "Oh Sam... Sam I'm so sorry I left. I should've stayed. Oh please tell me you didn't do it" Diane pleads. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"She was so worried about him, he had been sober for so long and seeing him lose his way would absolutely destroy her. She wished she could take away any of the pain he was feeling over this. Though she didn't want to admit it, she liked him a lot. Hell, she knew she was falling for him and that was something she never expected./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"He shakes his head and pushes away the glass of beer. "I didn't drink. I promise. I just called you because I knew you were still awake and I.. well I needed someone to be here" Sam admits. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"That wasn't completely true. He needed someone to be here but not just anyone, he wanted it to be her. It was strange but he felt like Diane understood him. They had become close over her time working here and he was most definitely falling for her. He was crazy about her, but he'd never admit to it. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Diane gets bends down and grabs the glass of beer and quickly pours it out. She didn't want that sitting there in front of him and continuing to tempt him any longer. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"She turns to Sam when the glass is empty and looks down at him. He had his head in his hands and his endlessly long legs bent up in front of him. The blonde could tell by his quiet and somber voice that he was in a bad place. All she wanted was to be there for him. With that, she sets her purse down on the bar and takes a seat next to him. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The bar owner suddenly moves his head back up to look at her, his hands falling back to his sides. For some reason he wasn't expecting her to stay here with him. He knew they were friends but Sam didn't realize she actually cared about his well-being. "You.. don't have to stay" he murmurs. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Diane looks over at him and nods, "yes I do" she whispers. She then reaches over and slides her small hand into his larger one and lets their fingers lace together. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Not another word comes out of either of them. They both sit quietly and stare off into the distance. Diane gently squeezes his hand to assure him that he was going to be okay. And for once in his life, he actually believed it to be true. /span/p