The Showman

New Years

Sun woke up early in the morning. She has a biological alarm clock, so even if she doesn't has to work she will still be up at 7. She was a bit tired but not in a post New Year's hungover, since she doesn't drink. Her house was a total mess. She groaned and started to clean all the bottles rest of food and stuff. After a few minutes, Sun went out for her morning run. Yeah, not even New Year's will stop her for running.

Only a few steps were made until she came across Paul, the painter, artist or whatever he was laying on the rocks. She felt scared. Sun went on to him to see if he was dead, but he was still breathing. "What the fuck!" she said to herself.

He's pissed as fuck. Totally passed, there are bottles around him and his eyes are swollen like if he cried an entire river.

She looked around to see if there's someone with him. He never mention about being with someone else.

"Maybe he partied hard on New Year's Eve, but there friends would have helped him...He was alone last night.... He never mentioned someone" Sun thought. "What should I do? Should I take him to his hotel? But I don't know where he is staying... I cannot leave him alone here... Police is gonna arrest him or he can even fall from here and get hurt... shit" She thought out loud.

She tried to load him up, but she didn't have strength enough to. Sun tried to wake him up, so she could at least drag him trough to his hotel.

After some minutes trying, Bono finally awoke. He mumbled something she couldn't understand. His eyes were swollen and red. Bono whispered something once more but this time with his eyes open. Sun approached him in order to listen what he wanted to say. Bono whispered and mumbled something barely understanding. Sun grabbed his face with both hands and looked at him right in his eyes

"I can't hear you. Are you ok? What happened?"

Bono's eyes rolled and finally found Sun's face to stare at. He looked at her right in her eyes, just like a few hours before and said "Ali, Ali that you?"

Sun was totally confused. She gave him some water she had for her run and washed his face.

"Drink some. You're going to be Ok. Let's stand up and I'll take you to your room" she said feeling pity for him now.

Bono braced her hand and with his other one he caressed Sun's face while saying "Ali I'm sorry. I miss you and need you. Please come back love. You shouldn't be there by yourself. I should have been there"
Sun was completely in shock. She didn't understand a thing of what he was saying. She didn't know what to do.

"Ok think come on, come on... I need to take him to his room. Should I pretend I'm that woman so he listens to me, or I say nothing and just drag him away?" she thought

"It should have been me not you babe" Bono said and burst into tears while still holding her hand and caressing Sun's face.

"Holy shit" said Sun, "This is serious" she said out loud, realizing now that the sadness of his eyes had a name.

"Come on Paul. Let's stand so I could take you home"

Bono stared at her. "Paul?" he said, "Now you call me Paul? Ali, don't you remember me? It's Bono! Your husband, remember?"

Sun couldn't believe it. "Oh shit. If this is a joke God, please let me know now" said Sun looking at the sky like waiting for an answer.

"OK Bono, Paul , or whatever your name is, for Christ sake wake the fuck up" said as she gently slap his face to wake him up. Bono finally shut up and started moving. Sun grabbed him by his waist and took his other arm through her shoulder.

First steps were hard, but still she could walk him to the hotel she thought he was staying.

"It has to be this one. Is the only one in the neighborhood and is close to where he always go in the park." She thought.

They arrived to the hall and approached the front desk.

"I found him outside, his name is Paul and probably he is staying here" she said to the guy in the desk

"He's staying in the presidential room. Just like the drunk rock star he is" the man replied annoyed as he handled the key.

"Ok. Thanks" she answered as she grabbed the key.

"What the hell! Why am I doing this. Oh lord" Sun said out loud while she was on the elevator holding the drunk painter still. "Rockstar, Paintor, Ali, Presidential room...Who's this guy?..." said to herself

She entered the room and placed him on the bed. Sun walked around the room trying to understand who this man was. Everything was tidy. There were only luggage on the floor; the rest of the room seemed to be unused. He didn't even unpack...Weird.

She opened one of the suitcases and checked his stuff. Sun turned as she heard some mumble from the painter. But his eyes were closed, so he might be dreaming.

She kept on looking thru his stuff. There were just clothes and some painting tools. Then opened another suitcase. There were more clothes and a little box. Sun opened the box to find pictures of him. She took a look at them to found out in all of the pictures there was always the same woman "Ali" she thought out loud. On some of them she was alone and others she was with him. She put the box back into de suitcase and kept on looking for something more. "Ok. So he paints, he had a wife, girlfriend or whatever and they broke... Now rockstar...." That was the only thing missing of the puzzle.

There was one suitcase left to see. She heard a noise back and turned.

The man was lifting and now sitting on the bed. He looked at her.

"Hey! Running girl. What are you doing here and with my stuff?!" he said with a hangover look on his face

"Hey. I found you lying on the rocks all pissed...Sorry to help" She said a little bit angry for his reaction

"I'm sorry. I'm a peace of shit. Please forgive me for being rude" He said as he lowered his face "Thank you for helping me get here. And sorry for what you saw. I'm behaving like an asshole lately" he said with guilt on his face.

"It's ok. I understand" she said, without understanding one part jet

"I apologize if I said something that I don't remember now" Bono said with disappointment on his face

"It's ok. Really...You said something, but nothing rude or misplaced" "It's just I don't know who you are..."

"I know. And I'm sorry you have to see me that way. Really. What did I say to you?" he looked at her waiting for a not to bad response

"Just a name or something I guess. You were mumbling after all so..."

"Ali?" Bono asked, and Sun could see the pain in his eyes again

"Maybe" She said as she approached him and sat on the floor. She was not afraid of him. He seemed to be a good guy just having a bad time.

"Oh my god. I'm so embarrassed now. I'm sorry" he said while graving his face with both hands

"Hey. It's ok" she clenched his shoulder "I understand. You are having a shitty personal moment. It's ok. We all do every once in a while. But don't drink live a savage. I know you Irish do, just try to control yourself" Bono let a tiny smirk out on the Irish part. He felt better at that moment

"You are right" Bono said as he looked at her hand in his shoulder and then stared at her "You are a good person. I probably ruined your morning run. Didn't I?"

"Well... It was a long night yesterday, and I will always have tomorrow to go for a run" she said letting go a little giggle.