In Time

11:05 PM

Prompt: "You've been going to the same bar every night for the past five years. In fact, you're such a regular that when you enter the, the other patrons yell your name and the bartender already has your drink waiting for you. But then one Friday you arrive and no one seems to recognize you, not even the bartender. What's going on?"

http://www.writersdigest.com/prompts/everybody-knows-name

Although the bar seemed to be unaltered since last night, and the night's for the last three year's I've dropped in, everyone seemed to cast a questioning glance toward me. Trying to brush off the awkwardness that must've been in my head, I sit down in my usual seat and jokingly say, " Heya barkeep, fetch me a drink." Maverik turns to me and others watch as he leans in close and asks, " Son, you betta watch your damn mouth." Without breaking eye contact I raise my arms to signal I'll back off. For the rest of the night, I longingly stare at others drinks as everyone ignores me except for the odd glare. As I turn to leave a book catches my eye, it's a book I've seen a million times. I even helped publish it, but instead of Barney V. Beck it now bears my name, River  T. Drea. I pick it up and exam it and see all the same content- except gayer romance, and book cover. The dedication is what gives me pause. Instead of " To my dear friend River and my wife Lizzy, the best women in my life" it now states " To my loving wife Robyn and our daughter Phoenix". Immediately I start speed walking to my car and reach to pull out my keys. As I press the unlock button a clean looking dark blue Cadillac lights up and I look around. Slowly I approach the car and I notice a picture on the dash, of me and my "wife" Robyn. I sit in the driver's seat with my head on the steering wheel retracing my steps and what I know to be true. 

I am River T. Drea. I am single at 28, with a job in menial labor. After work, I drive in my orange old pickup truck to the bar five blocks from my house. 

But the picture looks so real, Robyn looks a bit older than last I can remember seeing her, back in high school. I pull my phone out and realize it's an iPhone instead of the Android I remember but try to ignore it as I touch my finger to the home button. Sure enough, the lock screen picture of some snowy landscape leaves showing apps and a home screen of a little girl in Robyn's arms. I try to breathe as I look through contacts with names and nicknames I don't recognize until I hit Wifey Robyn. It barely rings before a tired voice answers, " Hey honey, when you get home from your research can you grab a gallon of milk- wait make it two, you know how fast we go through. How was it?" Swallowing, I answer as calmly as I can, " Yeah, it's a- It's good. Hey I got lost a bit on the way, can you give me directions back?" First, she teases me about getting lost, then asks my location and I start driving back. As I'm driving on the highway, apparently I don't live anywhere near here, I get a call from Asshole #5? and answer using Bluetooth. " I swear Robby your next book better be like Stephen King level or I'm having Robyn and your mother kick your ass for missing the deadline-" I clutch hard at the steering wheel and shakily ask " my mother?". He confusedly says," Yeah? You know, the one who raised ya, the one who adopted your ass?" 

I breathe through my mouth as I ask about my biological mother. He answers, " Don't think about her, your life is the way it is because you got away". The way he speaks and the fact that he's one of the few to know the true extent of my mother's abuses- even in this weird reality gives away who he is. " Barney? Should I see her, my real mother, the one who raised me?". He laughs and says " Man what are you on, she lives right near you. She hasn't left you alone in case you needed her... Where would you be without her?"

And then I know exactly how my life would be without her, and I can't help but smile while I think about meeting her. Briefly, I think about how I got here but decide to live right now, in case it's all a dream.