The smoky scene unusually draws your attention. It's not unlike many of the other bars in the city, but for some uncanny reason, you push the door open to go inside....
The air is heavy with cigarette smoke, Cuban cigars and a tinge of something only bars seem to have.Your eyes adjust to the dimly lighted space, searching for somewhere to sit and figure out what brought you here. You find a small table in the corner, eyes wandering over other patrons faces as you place your order and lean back into the shadows. Each face has a story to tell, some saying that they come here regularly...some with friends, some alone and having sorrows to drown, memories to forget, or just to unwind from a long day at work. The jukebox over in the corner begins to play a bluesy tune...the slow piano washing over the room like putting on a pair of blues colored lenses. Your eyes spy the small flame of a lighter across the room. You follow the flame to a small candle in the middle of the table, watching as the lid is flipped back over, the flame immediately disappearing with no trace. Your eyes move along the strong hands holding the lighter, up tanned forearms to a rolled up white dress shirt, along broad shoulders, and directly into guarded deep emerald eyes, holding a hint of amusement. The woman quirks the slightest of smiles, her eyes giving a faraway look before dropping your gaze, returning to the glass in front of her. She takes the bottle, leaning back into the shadows so that her face almost disappears behind the smoky haze enveloping everything. The waitress sets your drink down on the table, startling you out of your reverie. You ask her if the woman in the corner is a regular. She nods and smiles almost knowingly.
"Yes, she seems to be our main attraction. Never says a word to anyone. She just comes in, orders a beer, nurses it for a while...plays a few songs on the juke and leaves..." The older woman chuckles lightly. "I think just about everyone has asked me about her, but I don't even know her name." She shrugs, walking away. Your eyes return to the table, widening slightly in almost panic as you find the woman gone. Your eyes search the room, finally finding the wavy shoulder length brown hair and white dress shirt standing motionless in front of the jukebox. A black leather motorcycle jacket hangs carelessly over one shoulder, the white dress shirt tucked into semi form fitting dark blue jeans that hug the rest of her muscular form, ending in black motorcycle boots...You watch as she reaches a hand out, depositing a quarter into the worn slot, a finger punching in a set of letters and numbers. The room is enveloped in the quiet lull of hushed voices, almost a momentary silence as the jukebox scans its records to find the chosen song...The soft strains of piano once again wash over the room, a low male voice starting in on the slow blues...Your ears catch some of the lyrics, wishing the woman wasn't facing the jukebox so you could see her expression. As if hearing your thoughts, she turns ever so slightly as if time slows, her deep green gaze finds yours, lips coming to form an ever so slight smile as the words to the song begin to slip into your brain... "If you ever - have forever in mind - I'll be here...and easy to find...If your heart isn't ready to lay down with mine...If you ever - have forever...in mind..." Her gaze is strong, her eyes unquestioning, as if reading your every thought, making it seem as if you are the only two in the bar. She blinks slowly, lowering and raising her lids, turning as she hears the song ending, her long strides carrying her quickly towards the door... Leaving you to wonder what exactly her story is.
Three nights.... three long nights of sitting and waiting...watching the door as people slipped in and out...three nights of listening to endless jazz and blues, watching the smoke filled scene unfold in front of you, hoping...praying...for a glimpse of the woman...The waitress sets your drink down on the table, giving you a sympathetic smile, knowing the woman has captured the attention of yet another unknowing individual.
"She does that every once in a while...doesn't come in for a few days...like we're a bad habit she's trying to break. But she always comes back." The waitress leaves you to your thoughts...your thoughts leading you to wonder what lead you into this small slightly run down bar in the first place.... You lower your eyes to the scarred wood of the table top, taking a long draw from the tall glass of cold beer the waitress set in front of you moments ago, admitting the atmosphere isn't so bad, and the drinks are at least decently priced. The square bar in the middle provides a place for the barkeeps to keep an eye on the place and the singles to have a place to gather. The rest of the small room provides small scatterings of wooden tables and chairs, all looking a bit used. A pool table sits in the right hand corner; a low hanging lamp illuminates the worn green top of the table. Most of the light illuminates from the lamps hanging from around the square bar counter, the tables only containing small candles set in glass holders. The door of the tavern opens, and out of habit your eyes drift upwards. You feel the electricity in the room light, feeling the set of marble green eyes that you've waited for sweep the crowd with a careful glance as she walks over to the bar, sliding onto a stool. You try not to gaze openly at the woman, sipping your beer almost casually, your eyes sweeping the room many times. She picks up the bottle of beer the barkeep set in front of her, casually twisting the top off. She slides down from the barstool, walking slowly over to a corner table. "She's limping."She struggles slightly out of her leather jacket, turning to hang it over the back of the chair, tugging at the cuffs of her gray blue dress shirt. Her eyes meet yours for a brief second, her gaze almost numb. "It's now or never." You pick up your half empty glass of liquid, crossing the room and sliding into the empty chair across from the woman. Closer now, you take in all of the details you can, her gaze refocusing on you, showing slight surprise before she lifts her glass. "I was in a fight." She says quietly, her low voice almost causing you to miss her words. You see the remains of what looked to be a black circle around her right eye that has healed nicely, noting a bandage around her wrist and hand. You think of a thousand things to say, your mind and heart racing as you watch this woman in front of you. The main reason why you started coming into this bar.
