MAYBE THIS TIME | JENLISA

16

Lisa wanted nothing more than to check in with Jennie, but Correia had dragged on this dinner for an hour longer than was necessary, two hours if you asked Lisa, and she was feeling bitter. Lisa had stopped serving her alcohol over dinner when she'd felt she was getting a little too friendly with Jennie, but Angela had missed the cue and switched the captain to something harder than house wine. This was the first time Lisa had seen the captain lose her composure.

When she stumbled while attempting to get out of her chair, Lisa stepped in.

"All right, Captain"—Lisa gripped her elbow to steady her—"I think it's time we call it a night."

Correia attempted to shrug off her hand but succeeded only in falling forward, nearly knocking over the dark amber liquid in the glass on the table. "I'm fine," she slurred, clearly not fine.

"Be that as it may, my shift is over." Lisa tugged her arm again, and when the captain resisted a second time, Lisa tried a little tough love. She leaned closer and lowered her voice as she said, "And aside from the overtime I don't want to be working, you're also making a scene. So get up."

Correia blinked and her eyes seemed to focus as she nodded. Lisa used her strength to help yank the captain out of her chair and did her damnedest to take the majority of her weight so she wouldn't sway.

Most of the room had cleared, but a few senior male officers remained. And though they seemed to be engrossed in some sort of conversation, she'd bet they'd noticed Correia start to unravel. She had to get the captain out of there immediately.

Lisa looked over at Angela and Angela pointed to the bar checklist and gave her a thumbs-up, indicating that she would close the bar on her own. Lisa was grateful she'd stepped up toward the end when it had become apparent that something had to be done with Correia. She felt confident that Angela would be discreet as well, but that was Correia's problem, not hers.

Correia was silent during the short walk down the hall toward her private quarters. Lisa was grateful the lounge was on the same floor, because Correia was taller than her by at least three inches, and though Correia was fit, she was deadweight right now, and Lisa was sweating trying to keep her up.

When they approached Correia's door, the captain spoke for the first time. "Sally's mad at me."

"Sally? As in Staff Captain Sally?" Lisa grunted in exertion as Correia reached for the door and lurched to the side. "Chill, Cap. Let me do it."

Correia said nothing, her eyes glazed as Lisa rested her against the wall.

"Where's your key, Captain?"

Correia reached into her pants pocket and held it out to no one, since her aim was about five inches from where Lisa's hand was.

Lisa grabbed the card and unlocked the room, heaving Correia in with her as she went.

The room was dark, save for the light of the moon shining through the open balcony door. Lisa fumbled for a light switch, stepping on what sounded like paper as she went. She found a light near the bathroom door and flicked it on, using the wall to help her get Correia to the waiting unmade bed.

Correia dropped like a sack on the edge of the bed and flopped backward, making no attempt to safely maneuver herself into any position. Lisa pulled off her shoes and helped get her legs on the bed before she pulled the covers over her. She went into the bathroom and ran some water from the tap in a glass she found on the bar, then put the water and a bottle of ibuprofen next to the bed.

"She's mad. And I think she's going to leave me," Correia mumbled from beside her.

"Who's mad, Cap?" Lisa nudged the papers strewn about the room by the open door and marched over to close it, in an attempt to limit the hurricane of printer paper.