Constellation

After the Melee'

Thirty minutes later...with minimal damage to the bar and only slightly more damage to their faces, a majority of the men in my life were standing against the wall with their hands zip tied.

I was sipping on a Jack and Coke and eating a bowl of peanuts, just throwing the shells on the floor because at this point, did it matter?

Willy must have been called during the showdown because he arrived just before the Sheriff's Department did. He surveyed the damage and then moseyed on over to me. At that point, I was still in some sort of shock over the whole thing and all I could do was stand there blinking rapidly and choking on my explanation of what the hell happened. I for sure thought he was just going to fire me on the spot because, why wouldn't he - this all happened because of me.

He put a hand on my shoulder...this is it I thought. I am going to lose my job, lose my apartment because what else is out there in Beacon...I was already scraping the bottom of the barrel, no offence to Willy. I will wind up living with Rusty and Pearl, listening to him suck her toes all night long. Kill me now.

Instead, Willy just looked me dead straight in the eyes and said, "You need some new friends," and walked back towards his office. Just as the door was swinging closed behind him, he shouted, "Clean up those shells!"

Since all of the troublemakers were regular customers, Willy was not going to press charges and it seemed no one else was either.

"Pressing charges is for pussies," declared Rusty, a chorus of exclaimed agreement followed.

Of course he was all brave now. Wait until Pearl got her hands on him. Fuck. Wait until she got her hands on me. As if sensing a disturbance in the force, Rusty turned to make eye contact with me as Pearl came into the bar like a freight train.

"Seriously...what the fuck is going on," she yelled from the middle of the bar. Not good, she was cursing. I slowly started to walk backwards towards the nearest exit, not making any sudden moves.

Rusty caught my movements and with a slow evil grin called out, "Where are you going, Delia?"

At the same time, both Pearl and I said, "Snitches get stitches." This drew a laugh from the surrounding men.

Since no charges were being pressed this evening, all the guys chipped in and produced a pile of cash for Willy for his trouble. All seemed right with the world as the guys were all freed from the zip ties and rounds of drinks were being bought as they helped clean up the mess. Where was my pile of cash for my trouble? Oh right, I was the trouble.

Rusty somehow talked Pearl into staying for a little bit since the kids were already tucked in at the Waltons, including my little love-bug. She was better off there tonight anyway...I was in a foul mood.

My Baby-Daddy, Satan, was looking at me out of the eye that wasn't swollen shut. I stuck my tongue out at him and he smiled turning back to talk to Harry. Nothing like a fight to make men friends. What a bunch of idiots. I shook my head disgusted at the way this whole day turned out. There was no way I was going to be getting out of here early tonight.

"So please tell me what the hell really happened," said Pearl demanding my attention. I sighed heavily. There was no way I was going to be able to evade telling her the truth...might at as well just get it out.

"Harry and I were having a moment," I paused looking at Pearl figuring she would have something to say but she remained quiet.

"Anyway, we were in the process of ...I don't know...making up...I don't even know what the fuck to call it and Drew walked in." No comment by Pearl so I continued.

"Satan was being his usual jolly old-self and made a comment about me and before I could process what was happening, Harry jumped on top of him and started beating the ever-living shit out of him." I paused again. She looked over her shoulder observing them talking and laughing with each other and turned back to me.