Lizzie took in the smell of O'Malley's now smoke free atmosphere as she washed some glasses in the tiny sink under the bar. She smiled as she hummed "I've Got You under My Skin" by Frank Sinatra. It was the familiar sound of a Tuesday night. The clock hand glided past 9:30pm and straight on to 10. Ten was when Vic would come strolling in after watching old movies on AMC. He would order his merlot and take his usual seat at the bar then complain to Lizzie about his wife not cooking him dinner. Lizzie had specially chilled some merlot just for this Tuesday.

She glanced at the clock. 10:00pm, she thought. She glanced to the door as Vic came strolling in, a cigar hanging from his lip.

"Vic, you know you can't smoke that in here." Lizzie whispered to the old man as he took off his hat.

"Let 'em kick me out. I'll be back in five minutes and they wouldn't even notice."

Lizzie rolled her eyes and chuckled. "You're regular?" She asked him. He nodded as he took another puff of his cigar and tossed it into an unoccupied glass of water.

"I chilled it just for you; it should be nice and cold." She smiled and set the glass down in front of him.

"You know just what I like Liz. Thanks."

Lizzie turned around just in time for Mo to slide up next to Vic.

"Hey Vic, hey Liz can I get a Heineken?"

"Doing something different tonight?" Lizzie asked walking over to the tap.

"Yeah." He said quietly.

Mo and Vic began to converse as Lizzie tended to some other customers. Cindy soon appeared on the other side of Vic.

"Hey Cindy, what can I get you?"

"Hi Lizzie, did you do something different to your hair?"

"Yeah I got it highlighted. I went a little blonder this time. Every girl needs a change sometimes, right?" She shrugged.

"It looks great."

"Oh, thanks."

"Maybe Zach will come in tonight and you can make him swoon over what he's missing." She chuckled. "Can I have a Bud Light?"

Lizzie laughed. "Hold on."

Miriam came in at 10:30 but there was no sign of Brian. It was understood that he was studying for some exam he had.

The four Tuesday niters chattered cheerfully as Lizzie served other guests. She was waiting for the night to die down so she could catch up with her friends. Something interesting had happened between Cindy and her mother. Surprisingly, the bar didn't die down but everyone seemed content with their drinks and nobody was really coming up to the bar so Lizzie pulled up a stool and joined in the conversation.

"Yeah, my first love was Harry." Miriam put her hand to her heart. "That boy knew how to use his hands and he knew how to talk to a woman to make her feel special. We dated in our twenties for three years and talked about marriage until Harry was hit by a drunk driver." She paused for a moment. "I would give anything to have Harry or Al back. Al was the love of my life but there is something always about that first love that never leaves you." They were silent for a second, each lost in their own thought. The silence caused Lizzie to think back to that fateful summer, when Gordo's family had moved to Ohio.

"My first love was Betsy- my high school sweetheart. I married her and am still with her. I guess there is something about the first love." Vic smiled.

"Vic I didn't know you actually liked your wife." Mo said causing the group to laugh.

"I'll never forget my first love, Carl. I was head over heels but my mother hated him and made me break up with him because he wasn't going anywhere in life. She'll be glad to know that he's a pediatrician." She paused. "What about you Liz, we've never really even heard of any other boy except Zach."

Lizzie swallowed hard. "Well, his name was David Gordon. My first love. I loved him for seven years of my life but never dated him. As soon as we both realized we loved each other his family moved away." Lizzie sighed and slurped some Coke through a straw.

"Oh wow, do you still talk to him?"

"I haven't talked to him since high school I mean I contacted him a few times in college but there was no use. He was always busy. It's hard to stay friends with someone who lives across the country."

"So when did you stop having feelings for him?" Cindy asked.

"Well…I guess I got over everything sometime in college but I still think of him and wonder what he's up to and what he looks like. He was the sweetest guy ever- perfect even. Smart, cute, my best friend." She breathed heavily and glanced out at the people still sitting in O'Malley's. Cindy was saying something but she paid no mind to it. Her thoughts drifted to Gordo and how she should contact him. Her eyes landed on a young woman sitting by herself at a table, stirring her drink with a straw. She was a pretty woman and was very neatly clothed. Lizzie noticed she kept checking her watch as if she were waiting for someone. Finally, the woman's eyes lit up as a man about Lizzie's age strolled toward her. She stood and they exchanged hugs and words. Lizzie couldn't help notice the reaction she had to this guy she never had even met. It was like her body was telling her something. He palms were sweating and she became nervous and uneasy.

"Liz, are you ok?" Miriam asked.

"Yeah." She replied, pushing all thoughts out of her head. "What about you Mo?" Lizzie asked, as she reverted her gaze from this stranger that had just walked in.

"Actually Liz, its Mel that I have my eye on. From the first time I walked into this bar I thought she was beautiful."

Mel was the other female O'Malley's barmaid. She was round and had big rosy cheeks but beyond that sweet exterior was a strong woman who didn't take shit from anybody. Lizzie and Mel seemed to get along just fine because there would be times Lizzie would back down from a fight and Mel would convince her to stand up for herself. They were two peas in a pod.

"Oh Mo! Ask her out!! Please!" Lizzie exclaimed.

"Are you crazy Liz? She would look at me like I'm crazy! I mean I don't know how to dress or even act around a woman." Mo chugged the rest of his beer.

"I can surely help you with that Mr. Sampson. You will have Mel eating out of your hands." Lizzie excitedly said as Mel rolled his eyes.

"I should never have told you."

"Cindy, you should help me and Miriam you need to tell him what a woman likes. Vic I know you can sweet talk a lady."

They all looked at her like she was nuts.

"Come on you three!" Lizzie said. "If I make your drinks on the house?"

The three of them looked at each other and then at poor Mo.

"Ok." They agreed as Lizzie squealed in excitement.

"Mo, come by my apartment tomorrow night. Mel works on Thursday. You three had also better come." She pointed at Miriam, Cindy, and Vic.

"I can't honey. Betsy and I are going over to my daughter's house for supper."

"That's ok Vic. Miriam are you in?"

"I'll check my schedule and let you know."

Miriam, Vic, and Mo left together around midnight leaving Cindy and Lizzie at the bar chatting slowly about what had happened with Cindy's mother and her.

"Enough about me Liz. I want to hear more about David." She took the last sip of her second Smirnoff.

Lizzie glanced over at the table where the curly haired guy sat. He and the nicely dressed woman were laughing and going over some papers. She figured they were either doing business or in school together or possibly married. She thought about telling Cindy about the guy and telling her he resembles her old flame.

"Well I've known him since I was about five. We were best friends most of our lives…Miranda knows him too. Around fourteen we both realized we had feelings for each other and we went on this trip to Rome and ended up sharing our first actual kiss overlooking the Roman skyline." Lizzie paused and here eyes glazed over with this dreamy look.

"Wow." Cindy said.

"After that we both knew we liked each other but never did anything about it. We lived with the tension so our friendship wouldn't suffer. I was so in love with that boy and my life went into this downhill spiral when his parents, who are both psychiatrists, got moved to Ohio. We were seventeen. I think we were juniors. He was dating some girl named Karrie and I remember thinking I was over him but I wasn't and I realized I needed to do something about it because it was obviously never going away. I remember the night he told me he was moving was the night I was going to tell him I loved him. Let's just say him moving, put a damper in my little plans."

"Lizzie, wow, I mean things could have been so different for you but everything happens for a reason. When is the last time you saw him?"

"I know everything happens for a reason but I also know that you should take risks to avoid the kind of hurt I put myself through and I haven't seen him in about five years."

"Risks are a hard thing to take and especially in your situation. You said he was your good friend?"

"My best friend." She looked down at her chipping French manicure and over to the couple at that table. Mystery guy was helping the woman with her coat as his curly hair vibrated against every move he made.

"Who do you keep looking at Liz?" Cindy glanced in the direction her friend was looking.

"Do you see the guy with the really curly hair and that nicely dressed woman?"

"Um, yeah the guy in the blue button up?"

"Uh huh."

"What about him?" She asked as she turned back to Lizzie.

"It's funny…but he looks like…well he looks a lot like David."

"Really?" She turned to get a better look. "He's kind of cute Liz. I wonder who he is because I have never seen him in O'Malley's before."

"Me either." Lizzie said as she watched him walk toward the door. As he opened it for the woman, he happened to glance back toward the bar. His eyes met Lizzie's and for a brief moment Lizzie forgot where she was, everything around her seemed to be moving in slow motion. Her heart leapt into her throat as she swallowed and felt her palms become moist again. The guy paused too, almost burning holes into Lizzie with his gaze. Their moment was broken by the woman with him as she tugged his arm. He began to walk out but not without glancing back at her.

"Whoa." Lizzie said as she sat back onto her stool. It was as if she had to recuperate from that strange feeling she had just had.

"What was that about? Was that him?" Cindy asked completely interested.

"I…I…there is no way. I don't know Cin. There is just no way. It's impossible." Lizzie said still staring at where he had been standing.

"He seemed to like something about you. I mean he totally checked you out."

"Yeah but it was weird. It was like he was checking out my soul. I mean that gaze …it was just…it reminded me so much of…"

"David?"

"Yeah, but I haven't seen him in so long."

"What does he do? I mean I'm just trying to understand why a good-looking guy like that would be in Carterville."

"He went to film school. He wanted to direct and Miranda had said something to the fact that he was directing independent films somewhere."

"Wouldn't that be weird if it was him?"

"Yeah, it would be…"