Blood: The Third Course

Chapter Fifty - The Epilogue

Thomas pulled open the heavy door, taking a deep breath of the smells that came spilling out from the bar. There was a fresh fruit undercurrent to the heavy scents of alcohol and perfume, all escaping into the blast of frozen air that had rushed in through the open door. He stepped inside, pulling the door closed behind him, and sidestepped his way past a pair of businessmen in smart suits. Even for a cold and wet Wednesday evening, the place was packed to bursting.

Running his hand through his hair, Thomas shook off the last of the chill and the rain, making his way to the bar. He slipped in at the end, giving a pleasant smile to the woman at the stool beside him. Her gaze dropped immediately to his clothes, or more appropriately to the lanyard hung around his neck, and then back up, her smile brightening.

Before Thomas could say anything to the woman, however, a body threw a shadow over him from the other side of the bar.

"Dr. Trent!"

Thomas grinned and shook his head, turning to Spencer.

"Hey!"

"Hey yourself," Spencer said. "I thought you were working tonight."

"No, night off."

"And you didn't bring me presents?"

Thomas chuckled and raised an eyebrow. Standing up straight, Spencer rubbed his hands against the front of his dark jeans, glancing along the bar.

"What'll it be?"

"Just a beer, thanks."

Spencer looked scandalised. He shook his head in disgust, but instead of arguing with Thomas about his choice, he leaned over the bar to the woman beside him.

"Can you please talk some sense into him?" he asked, a flirting undertone to his voice. Actually, it wasn't really an undertone, but more an overtone. Or just a blatant tone as he grinned at her.

"Me?" she asked.

"Yes," Spencer said, nodding sagely as he reached over the bar and laid a hand over Thomas'. "You see, he doesn't listen to me. Keeps claiming Doctor's orders on everything."

The woman glanced between Spencer and Thomas, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. From the way she looked at Spencer touching him, Thomas could practically see the way the cogs in the woman's head turned.

"He comes to the best cocktail bar in Calgary and orders a beer? There is no hope for him."

Her gaze shot to Thomas and back to Spencer.

"Is he..."

"My brother in law," Spencer said, nodding. "Well, about as close to it as you can get without the paperwork, right Tom?"

"Really?" the woman asked, smiling at him again.

Thomas grimaced and nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "And I definitely prefer my brother."

Spencer stood up straight, covering his heart and making an expression like Thomas had mortally wounded him. Throwing his other hand up to press the knuckles against his forehead, he continued his pained expression.

"You see how he treats me?" he lamented. "Some doctor."

"I'm an intern," Thomas reminded him.

Spencer waved him off briefly before returning his hand to his heart.

"Same difference. He is cruel to me, he drinks beer when he knows I live for cocktails."

Thomas wanted to remind him that he wasn't living at all, but in the presence of a human, he kept that particular thought to himself.