Suddenly...Gone

Chapter 10

Daryl looked around the room as he made his way to the bar. It was his first time here, and he was happy that it wasn't a complete dive. It actually looked pretty decent. It wasn't that crowded, but it was also only a Tuesday night. He grabbed a bar stool that gave him plenty of room away from the next guy. The bartender was a bottle blonde that looked to be in her sixties and probably had been tending bar her entire life.

She smiled at him and put a napkin down in front of him. "What can I get you, Sugar?"

"Give me a shot of Jack and whatever you have on tap. I don't care what," he told her.

Sally had been working in bars for years. She could spot someone looking to drink away their troubles in an instant. The guy who just sat down was definitely one of those. She poured the shot and beer and placed it down in front of her new customer. "First time here?" she asked.

"Yep." Daryl took the shot and threw it back. He welcomed the burn from it. "Another."

Sally took the bottle and poured him another. "I'm Sally, sugar, what's your name?"

"Daryl." He wasn't in the mood to talk. He just wanted to drink and wallow in his misery.

"Well you need anything else, you just flag me down. We also have some awesome burgers in case you get hungry," Sally told him. She could tell he didn't want to chat, so she would just keep an eye on him. He was a good-looking guy, a little rough around the edges, but there was an innate sadness about him. She had a soft spot for guys like him.

Daryl drank down the second shot and placed the glass upside down on the bar. He then took a sip of his beer and just stared blankly down in it. He replayed his life in his head as if it was a silent movie that only he saw and wondered if he hadn't stayed with Merle all these years if it would have turned out different...better. Maybe he should just collect his things and move on and start a new life by himself, but that didn't even sound good to him. He hated his life, but he had no idea what to do about it.

"Daryl?"

He turned at the sound of his name and was surprised to see Emma. She stood him up to go to a bar?

"What are you doing here?" they both asked at the same time.

"I'm working."

"Drinkin'."

Since when did Emma work in a bar? She waitressed at the diner. Daryl was completely confused. "Emma, you work at the diner. Since when do you work here?" he asked.

"I've worked here for two years, Daryl. I work both places. You didn't know that?" Emma thought that Daryl knew. What about her note?

"You never told me that you worked here, only at the diner. How would I know?"

"Daryl, the very first night I met you I was dressed to come here. Just like I am now, and I told you I was late for work. I thought you saw the bar's name on my...shirt." Emma realized that she almost said 'on my boobs.' "I left you a note on your door today."

He realized that she was wearing that same tight t-shirt that she was on the first night and the short skirt. He had just never put two and two together. She so did not belong in this bar. "You mentioned a note. I never got one."

"After you left the diner, I realized that it was Tuesday and I work here Tuesdays and Thursdays. I didn't want you to think I stood you up." When Daryl looked down Emma realized that he had indeed thought that. "Oh my God, you did. I am so sorry." Emma heard her name called and she needed to go check on a table. "Damn, I gotta go. I'll be back."