Bittersweet

~~ Heading in the Right Direction ~~

She scratched her head and yawned. "Where am I?" she asked.

A woman walking around my bar before opening, barely clothed—only meant one thing. Jake must be passed out in the room upstairs. I'd like to say he could have at least taken her home, but me and Jenna nearly had sex in that room ourselves, so who was I to judge?

"Is Jake upstairs?" I asked the question to be met with a confused stare. Guessing, they didn't swap names.

And speak of the devil, he strutted in yawning, wearing just his boxers. Giving us both an eyeful of his morning woody. "Jesus." I covered my eyes with my hand. "Man, honestly Jake. Clothes. I don't want to be bleaching my eyes this early." I dropped my hand, shaking my head.

He glanced my way with one eye open, before looking at the woman. "I told you not to come downstairs without me... Kelly?"

I had to hand it to him; he had no shame.

"Kim," she answered, seemingly not bothered that he didn't remember her name.

He walked over to her and took her hand. "How about we head back upstairs and leave my friend here to his work?" He winked my way before they both disappeared.

Half an hour later, Jake reappeared—still looking a little dishevelled, but at least dressed as he pulled a bar stool out to sit down. "Grab me a bottle of water Gabe, mouth feels like I've been eating dirt or some shit."

I pulled a bottle, leaving it sitting in front of him. "Where's your friend, Kim?"

He twisted the top and drank like a man who hadn't seen water for days. "Ah, yeah. Just showed her out the back."

"She seemed... nice." What else could I say?

"Yeah, real bendy too." A slow smile spread across his face.

What?  I wasn't gonna ask. "So, are you seeing her again?" I didn't know why I bothered asking, as I already knew the answer.

"You know I don't keep them. Too much trouble." He finished drinking the bottle. "Pass me another, Gabe."

I placed two in front of him.

"Cheers. Everything good with Jenna, you were over there last night?" He gave me the once over. "I'm guessing yes, seeing as you have old Frank playing in the background and a big fucking cheesy grin plastered on your face."

I laughed, "Yeah, we're good. In fact, better than good."

He flicked his chin up. "Good to hear, happy for you both." He tipped the bottle in my direction, pride grinning back as if I'd single handily cured world hunger. "Soooo, I'm gonna grab a coffee. Want one? And then you can share all the gory details."

Like that was gonna happen, but I wouldn't turn down his offer of my favourite beverage. "Coffee sounds good. Usual for me."

He rose from the stool. "Back in ten, I'll leave the door open."

"Sure, Ash is due soon anyway."

Finishing my final stock checks and running the receipts of the tills, natural light flooded in, but I didn't look up. "Let me guess, you forgot cash?" Thinking it was Jake.

"Hey Gabe." A soft voice responded. A voice I recognised.

Looking up, my eyes didn't reach her face; they were stuck on the huge bump.

Jesus-Christ!

Al was pregnant, very pregnant. And by the looks of it, she was due to pop any second. I felt the air leave my lungs as my mouth dried, as if blowtorched and my heart missed a beat.

Shaking myself out of my stupor, I met her eyes. She looked nothing like her usual self—or from what I remembered. It had been months since I last saw her. Being pregnant certainly hadn't given her that whole pregnancy glow they all talked about. She looked washed out. Almost as if she hadn't slept in days... or weeks, and her hair and face were far from their typical pristine appearance.

My eyes drifted back to her bump. There was no way that child was mine. Could it? Nah, but it didn't stop me trying to do the math in my head from when we'd last been together.

She shifted on her feet, rubbing a hand up her arm, almost self-soothing. "Don't look so worried, Gabe. He's not yours." She must have read the look on my face as I finally sucked in some air to feed my brain.

To hear it confirmed allowed my heart to start beating again. "Congratulations, I guess. And it's a boy. Must be exciting." I was trying to make polite conversation; Al had never said one way or the other if she wanted kids.

She shrugged. "I wouldn't say that."

"So... you and the father?"

She shook her head. "No, he's not in the picture. Never was really. Doubt I'll be seeing him again."

Silence descended between us. I hoped Jake wouldn't be long. "Can I get you a drink... water, soda?"

"No, I'm good, but thanks."

Well, this wasn't awkward. I wasn't the father. She didn't want a drink—what the hell did she want?

"Are you here on your own?" she asked as her eyes ran across the bar.

"Jake will be back in a few, just headed out to grab us a coffee."

She nodded, biting her inside cheek. "Do you have time to talk, in private?"

She wanted to talk—about what? I didn't have a clue.

Jake right on cue made an appearance, drinking in Al's appearance. "Fucking hell." His eyes wide. "What the fuck do you want?" Never was one for beating around the bush.

She looked at me, her eyes pleading, and I was sure whatever she wanted to talk about I wouldn't like. Despite that, I would hear her out. "It's okay, Jake, I got this."