Don't Save It All For Christmas Day
Seated at a table in the far corner of the bar, John gazed with disinterest at the pyramid of shot glasses set in front of him. Thanks to the storm the bar was nearly deserted—save for a couple of regulars who were seated at the counter watching the football game and the two couples dancing to the sappy love song blarring from the jukebox.
Despite not being a country music fan, even he had to admit that the songs about heartbreak and betrayal more than mirrored his life at that moment. Finishing his shot, he placed it on the table next to the other glasses.
"How you doin', John?" the pretty brunette waitress asked.
"I'm good, Megan."
"You're hitting that stuff pretty hard," she observed with just a touch of sympathy. "Can I call you an Uber?"
"I'm fine. Can you bring me another round?" John asked, trying not to sound irritated. All he wanted to do was forget about everything—Jessica, Sara, Taylor, and Joss. He just wanted to pickle his brain so every single memory would go away.
Megan hesitated. "I don't know, John. You're pretty toasted." She wasn't exactly the best judge of character, but it didn't take a brain surgeon to see that the man in front of her was suffering.
"Ask me how many fingers."
Unsure at first, Megan held up three fingers. "How many?"
"Three."
"Lucky guess." Megan gave in. "One more round and then I'm getting you a ride home. Understood?" Her voice was firm.
John popped off a salute. "Aye aye." Megan started to clear off the empty glasses. "No," John objected. "Keep them there." Every glass had a name, but he didn't want to part with them quite yet.
"Whatever you say." Megan turned on her heel, walking away. Busy with stacking the glasses in a new order, John didn't see the figure approaching to stop next to the table.
"Thought I might find you out here," Lionel greeted. "I've been looking for you all night."
"I'm busy, Lionel."
"Yeah, I can see that." Lionel sniffed the air, grimaced. "How can you stand this? It smells in here."
"That's because it's a bar, Lionel; it's supposed to smell." John put one glass on another and watched as they toppled over.
"Yeah. Well, it smells barsy."
John looked unimpressed. "Barsy? What brings you here?"
"I thought I'd be the first to tell you that I'm going to be a dad."
John stayed focused on the task. "Sam's pregnant?"
"Yep. A little Mini-Me is going to land in this area come June," Lionel announced. "Thought I'd share it with you."
"Thanks."
Taken aback by the dismissive attitude, Lionel blinked. "Thanks? That's all you can say?"
"I'm not in the mood to be festive right now." Megan brought the round over, setting it down. The corner of John's mouth tugged, but he couldn't smile. "Thanks."
"Hi, Sheriff. Get you a lemonade?" she offered politely.
"Can you make that cherry-limeade twisty thing?"
"Sure. It will be right up." Megan left the two men alone.
"She's a good kid."
"Yep." John tried to stack a couple of more glasses. This time they stayed.
"Working her way thru medical school." Lionel cast a glance at table. "From what I can see, the way you're drinking she is going to have all the tuition she needs."
"Where were we?" John diverted the present conversation.
"I was telling you that I was going to be a dad, and you replied 'thanks'."
"Oh."
"I'm not asking for a parade, pal," Lionel replied indignantly. "Maybe just a little appreciation."
"Sorry, but I'm all out of it today." John brought the glass to his lips. After a half dozen shots the whiskey no longer burned going down.
"Well, aren't you just peachy," Lionel puffed.
"I'm busy."
"I can see that. With Taylor and Joss...falling off the wagon..."
John stopped, turned to look at Lionel. "What exactly do you see?"
"That this isn't a good time for you. But I—"
"You're right on that one."
"What the—?! I came down here to share some great news with you, and all you can say is 'thanks'. I thought we were friends."
"Lionel."
"Are you blaming me for you losing Taylor? Is that it? You think all of this is my fault because I didn't stop that woman from coming after you?" Lionel took a step forward. "I did some things, but I didn't call Kara Stanton when Taylor fell into the pond. Go look for another scapegoat!"
"No, Lionel, I'm blaming you for Joss running away," John said evenly. Lionel's eyes widened in surprise.
"My fault?"
"No one else knew about Jessica except you. If you didn't tell her, how did she find out?"
Lionel searched for the right words to say. "It's not what you think."
"I think it's exactly what I think. But if you think you can explain better, go for it."
Meagan interrupted the moment to drop off the tall drink. Without a word, she hurried off.
"I hated Joss—from the moment she tattled on me for hitting her in the eye with the rock, until she left home. I was jealous of the way you two were buddies with each other—and the way she was always goody-goody. When you left, I thought she might move on to someone else, but she didn't."
"We took a blood oath to be brothers forever," John reminded his friend.
"Yeah, well, at that moment of my life, I wasn't thinking too clearly. I was hurting—my father had kicked me out of the house for failing to graduate and losing my scholarship; I was hanging with Simmons and Stills..." Lionel shifted uncomfortably as the memory of his wild days quickly flashed in his mind.
"She thought I was cheating on her."
"You were!"
"It was an accident." A stupid, tragic, mis-step that changed his life forever.
"You don't accidentally have a one-night stand, John," Lionel threw back.
"I was upset and drunk."
"You still cheated on Joss. And you weren't going to tell her."
John's blue eyes hardened. "And you felt it was your duty to let her know?"
"Not initially, no."
"Knew I could count on you, Lionel. With friends like you..." John let the motto hang in the air as he turned back to his task.
"Don't put the blame on me. I'm not the one who roamed. I'm not the one who hooked up with the wife of an officer." Lionel took two steps forward. "You want to play martyr, have at it, pal. But don't put all of the blame on me. I made a mistake out of anger and jealousy. It ruined a bunch of lives. However, I'm taking my second chance for all it's worth."
"Who's the martyr now?" John sneered.
"At least I'm not wallowing in it," Lionel stated. John ignored him. "Look, it's no secret that I hated Joss and I wasn't the least bit upset that she ran away—but what she did to Sara was unforgiveable. But since she's been back she's kinda fitting in. She's lightened Sam's burden at the office. She rescued Taylor. And she's made you smile—sort of."
"Are you saying that you like her now?"
"I guess. The person you know when you're nineteen is entirely different from the person you meet at thirty-six. Joss has grown on me."
"Sure she has," John replied doubtfully.
"She didn't have to jump into the pond and save Taylor. She almost died, or have you forgotten that?" Lionel heaved a heavy sigh. "She could have left this property and pulled it out from under you before you could even blink, but she didn't. Do you know why?"
"I'm sure I can't stop you from telling me," John replied dryly.
"Because she loves you." Lionel watched John's eyes widen briefly. "And you love her, too. You and she have something special—something I've been jealous of—and now you are getting a second chance to get it right."
"Not gonna happen." John finished the shot and slammed the glass down. "Joss left me."
"Try talking to her."
"Can't."
"Won't."
"All we do is fight," John remarked sadly. He was so tired of fighting. Always fighting over nothing.
"Sam and I weren't exactly tag-team partners when we first met," Lionel reminded with a touch of embarrasment. "She tazed me."
"I know. This is different." He would much rather have been tazed than feel the way his heart was breaking.
"You haven't killed each other yet. I call that a plus." Lionel picked up the glass and sipped the fruity beverage. "Talk to her and tell her what really happened; I'm sure she'll forgive you."
"She thought there was a baby," John mumbled.
"My fault," Lionel confessed. "Look, I was stupid. I'll help you fix it." He would—no matter what it took. Even if he had to do it from traction after Samantha found out what he had done. No, he would think about that part later.
"What about Taylor?" John felt the alcohol beginning to kick in. He was so tired.
"One step at a time, pal. We get Joss back, work on getting Taylor reunited with you, then we bury that Kara witch," Lionel laid out the plan of attack.
"She might bury us," John cautioned. He laid his head down on the table. If only he could get the room to stop spinning for a minute, then he could make his way home.
"Not likely. Remember that I used to run with Simmons and Stills." Lionel set his drink down and moved over to help his friend. Hooking his hands under John's armpits, he pulled him into a sitting position.
"I'm going to need you to work with me here, Boy Wonder." Lionel put all of his weight into getting John on to his feet. "Lean against me," he ordered.
"You taking him home?" Megan asked hopefully, eyeing the tall, inebriated John leaning against the short, stout Lionel. If it hadn't been so sad, it would have been comical.
"Yep." Lionel pulled out his wallet and fished out a couple of bills. He thrust them at the young woman. "Put this toward your doctor's license."
"Thanks, Sheriff."
"I'll be in later to settle up his tab. First, I want to get him home and tucked in ahead of the killer headache I know he is going to have."
"Have a safe drive."
"Take care." Lionel tightened his arm around John's waist as he led him out of the bar, into the cold night and bundled inside the cab of the truck. Megan watched until the truck's lights faded into the night.
*****************
"Are you sure you should be back to work?" Joss asked.
"I'm pregnant, not dying," Samantha replied as she quickly sifted thru the stack of papers on her desk. Three days away and it looked as though an avalanche happened in her office. Forming a plan of attack, she dived in.
"The doctor said you need to rest," Joss rebuked.
"Funny, didn't your doctor say the same thing?" Samantha signed the sheet of paper and tossed it in her OUT box. "I'm fine...as long as I take it easy. And that is why I'm glad you're here."
"Thanks." Joss took the stack of folders and carried them to her desk.
"And you have been here, haven't you?"
"What do you mean?" Joss asked innocently.
"I noticed the indentation on the couch. You've been sleeping here, haven't you?" Samantha's tone was not accusing but understanding.
"Yes," Joss admitted.
"What happened?"
"John and I finally had it out. He wanted to know why I ran away, and I told him. I confronted him about Jessica and that I knew they had..." Joss swallowed down the tears of self-pity. Tears weren't going to change what had happened. Nor would they bring back her grandmother.
"That's why you've been sleeping here?"
Joss shrugged. "Thought I could kill two birds with one stone. At least all of the filing and organizing is done."
"Have you talked to John?"
"No need. When the roads are cleared, I'm heading back to L.A. For Good."
Samantha looked pained at the news. "You're going to leave me?"
"You don't need me." No one really needed her, Joss thought remorsefully.
"I need you, Joss. The office needs you. I can't start to help get Taylor back without you."
"I have a friend working on getting everything on Kara Stanton. I'll make sure it gets transferred to you so you can take her down. But I can't stay."
Samantha stood up. "Yes, you can. John loves you."
Joss shook her head. "Maybe he does. Maybe he doesn't. I don't think any of that matters right now. I want to go home."
"I want you to stay." Samantha tried not to plead but her heart was breaking for her friends. Why couldn't they see what she saw? Why were they so blind?
"A part of me wants to stay, too. I just can't."
"What about the house? The land?"
Joss shrugged. "I'll give it to John."
"Can you do that?" Samantha had read the will carefully for any loopholes, but she couldn't recall a part that allowed for one party to just give the house over and forfeit the caveat.
"Who cares?"
"I think you do. You care more than you care to admit. Admit that you love John and you want to stay here."
"And what will that help?"
"Everything. It will help John get back Taylor, and it will help me keep you with the firm."
Samantha's sad eyes pleaded so intensely that it nearly broke Joss's heart. Joss had to look away.
"I will give you one week. That's all I can do."
Samantha nodded. "One week. Okay." She reached for her purse. "Will you do me a favour and go get lunch?" she asked, thrusting a large bill over. Joss took it.
"What would you like?"
"Soup and crackers sounds good. I think Zoe's special today is vegetable and barley. Get yourself something too."
"Sure." Joss picked up her coat and slipped it on. She pulled on her hat. "Can you do me a favour?"
"Name it."
"Can you draw up the paperwork to get the property transferred?"
"Joss..."
"Please."
"Okay. I'll have it ready by the time you get back."
Joss opened the door, stepped out into the hallway. "I'll be back shortly."
"Take your time."
Joss closed the door quietly.
"I'm going to find a way to make you stay, Joss," Samantha vowed to the empty room. Now she had to formulate a plan to make that happen.