(alcohol & sex tw)
Years had passed. Polly was thirty now. Polly was alone in a bar now. She sat stirring her drink with the stem of her cherry.
"Is that an old-fashioned?" asked a deep, soothing voice.
"Yeah. Wh-" she looked up. He looked just like Shoeshine without his freckles.
"You alright?" he asked.
"I- uhm," she further analyzed his face, choking back tears, "You remind me so much of a dead friend."
"That's unfortunate," he said, "I'm sure wherever they are now they're very happy."
"I sure hope so."
The silence between them was so intense you could cut it. Polly ultimately decided this man wasn't dangerous. Maybe she was too depressed to be on her best judgement, but it's not like the trusted the man either.
"...would you like another drink? On me?"
Polly went into alert mode harder than she had the rest of the night. "Sure."
The man raised his hand and placed the order, Polly keenly watching every movement. The drinks were placed in front of thm, the man quickly grabbing his, offering a clink. Polly rolled her eyes, accepting.
"Cheers," he muttered, taking a hearty drink before placing it back down. "I don't believe I've introduced myself," he reached out his hand to shake Polly's, "My name's Taptap Clark, I'm a jeweler, I work at Typanni's. All my friends call me Taps."
Polly accepted that as well. "I'm Polly Purebred, I'm a news reporter. I don't have friends anymore."
"Bad night?" asked Taptap kindly.
"Bad past three years. You know, funnily enough, my friend who died's last name is also Clark."
"I hear it used to be quite the popular East-ish Coast last name."
"In the 20s, maybe," Polly muttered, taking another drink.
"Well," shrugged Taps, "I don't imagine Purebred is that common either."
Polly smiled, shrugging back. Then the silence returned, looser this time. He truly looked like Shoeshine in his best form. He looked clean and poised. Shoeshine hadn't looked like that for months. He was wearing a freshly-pressed blue suit and a fedora of the same color. He also had a red tie and white-rimmed sunglasses clipped to his lapel.
"What do you mean East-ish Coast?" Polly asked, taking her last drink.
"I was born in West Virginia. Moved to Manhattan when I was eighteen."
Polly deeply inhaled, refusing tears again. "My Clark was also born in West Virginia."
"Small world."
He certainly didn't seem like any threat. Maybe that was the tactic. She certainly started to trust him, by any means.
The night went on and they kept talking. Before Polly knew it, she was being kissed. Sooner than that her hands were being held and she was leading Taps to her apartment, of her own accord, nonetheless. More kisses. Clothes coming off. More and more kisses. And Polly loved it.
After a while of sitting in her bathroom trying to collect herself in a bathrobe, she opened the door and leaned against the frame, tiredly looking at Taptap. He hadn't looked like he'd moved.
"Polly," he said, softly, "I don't want you to take this the wrong way, because I thought that was absolutely amazing but I uh," he sighed, "...I think I'm gay."
"Yeah, well," Polly shrugged, also sighing, "so do I."
"Can we just… forget this ever happened?" asked Taptap quietly after a few minutes of silence.
"You know, Taptap, I'd absolutely love to, but, unfortunately I don't think either of us will be able to."
"...what do you mean?"
She sighed again, crossing her arms and clenching her fists around them.
"Condom broke. I'm pregnant."
Taptap stared at her, mortified. "Oh my god- I'm… I'm so sorry, I didn't notice- I didn't…." inhaling, he collected himself, "...are you keeping it?"
Polly didn't answer for a while. Would she even be able to get rid of it if she tried? She didn't need any anxiety over getting rid of it if she did, but she also certainly didn't need the emotional commitment that came with having a child. Would she be able to afford keeping it? Would she be able to afford getting rid of it? Closing her eyes, she sighed.
"...yeah."
"Will I be allowed to see it?"
"You can be the legal father. Something happens to me you see it. Only if something happens to me. And you'll certainly be paying the child support."
"Yeah, I deserve that. Again Polly I'm so sorry. I-I… I didn't notice it broke if I did I would've pulled out faster- I didn't mean to-"
"Get out of my apartment, Taptap."