Days Of Us

6 -Day The Fifth-

-Day The Fifth-

Thursday, week 2

Ray wasn't sure exactly how it happened but, on Thursday evening after he had finished work, he found himself sitting on the bar stool at Dennis' Bar with Ronnie beside him. Ronnie was downing pints of beer like there was no tomorrow and he was slowly, but surely, becoming drunk. Very drunk. A drunk Ronnie was a very truthful and mouthy Ronnie, something which Ray didn't really need right then.

Lydia stood behind the counter looking down at Ronnie with an expression that resembled some weird mixture of disgust and surprise. "Y'know," Ronnie slurred, blindly gesturing towards Lydia, "my friend here, R-Ray, told me you were preeeetty up close- but he didn't say th- tha' you're bea-u-tiful."

"Up close?" Lydia asked Ray, frowning.

"Oh, Ronnie saw you on the street a few times," Ray answered quickly. Lydia stared at him for a moment too long and Ray quirked an eyebrow up. She looked away hastily.

"Ray's a lovely y- young fella' for you, L- Linda," Ronnie piped up, grinning at Lydia with his discoloured teeth.

"My name is Lydia," she stated, saying it slowly, clearly and somewhat angrily.

"Yes, yes, of course, Cynthia."

"Lydia," she enunciated again, leaning closer to the man.

"It's alright," Ray told her, smiling at her slightly. "I'm pretty sure he's joking."

"Yeah, well it's not very funny," she snapped, walking down to the other counter to serve a group of customers.

"Oh," Ronnie said with a hiccup, "she's feisty."

Earlier, Ronnie had asked him if he had a girlfriend. Ray could have- should have- just said 'no' and that would have been it but, of course, Ray had never been one for thinking before he talked.

"Well..." he had said, stopping to think.

"Who is it?" Ronnie had asked quickly.

"Remember the red-haired girl from the street?" Ray had asked and Ronnie had nodded. "Well I met her, she works in a bar near the centre."

Somehow, Ronnie had convinced Ray to bring him to the bar to see the girl up close for himself. Ray couldn't see any flaws in the plan- he hadn't included the alcohol in the plan, though. Alcohol always seemed to make things more complicated, unless you were the one drinking it but, even then, complicated things always followed.

"Is she coming back," Ronnie attempted to whisper to Ray, although it sounded almost like a shout. Lydia walked over to them, leaning against the wall in front of them again.

"I think she is," Ray replied in the same tone, smiling at Lydia. She looked back at him, not smiling. He really wished that he could see her smiling, he wanted to see if her eyes crinkled at the edges or if they got wider. He wanted to see if her mouth stretched widely, or if her smile was small and cute.

"Can I have o-one beer, please, my love?" Ronnie asked Lydia, lifting up one finger slowly.

"Actually, I think you've had enough tonight. I should get you home," Ray told him, standing up from his stool. It was only after nine o'clock and they had gotten off work late that evening but Ray was pretty sure that Ronnie would pass out if he drank any more. He didn't feel like carrying a conked out fifty-something year old man to the nearest taxi. Ray was lucky that the hospital had been closed for visitors because of some bug that was going around. He would never have got there in time that evening.

Ronnie sat there, looking up at Ray with confusion painted on his face. "Where are ya goin', paaal?" He asked Ray. Ronnie was struggling to keep himself up on the bar stool and Ray was certain that he would probably fall over soon.

"We are going to get you home," Ray told him, throwing Ronnie's arm over his shoulder.

"But I don't feel like g-goin'," Ronnie sulked, his arm falling off Ray's shoulder.

"Ronnie," Ray started, rather desperately, "you have to-"

"Sir," Lydia cut in, her expression strict and her voice sounding authoritative, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Now."

Ronnie looked at her, slightly shocked, and she glared back at him. Ray was sure that Ronnie was about to say something but then he surprised Ray, standing up, albeit shakily.

Ray smiled at Lydia, mouthing a thank you. She glared at him, making Ray wonder if she really was kicking Ronnie out. Whatever she had done, she sure had saved Ray a large amount of hassle. Ray put Ronnie's arm over his shoulder again, walking the man out of the bar.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Vote/ comment please ❤:)