DRUNK BUT SAVED

Callie didn’t notice the time passing.

Before she knew it, she was escorting Aiko into her car and instructing Benjamin, their driver, to take her straight home. Benjamin had been their chauffeur ever since Aiko was a teenager, so Callie trusted him.

Once Aiko was safely on the way home, it was time to make sure the other guests also had a safe way of getting home or a spot where they could sober up before traveling. Callie also took care of any bills that were left unpaid and made sure to tip everyone that worked at the party. She was on her way to tip the bartender that had made her Ice tea when she noticed a lone figure still sitting at the bar.

“James?” she called in surprise.

She was further surprised when the man that turned to her appeared deeply inebriated, nearly falling off the stool. Callie had to rush over and hold her hands up just to make sure he didn’t slump forward, but thankfully, James was able to grab onto the bar. Up close, his beautiful blue eyes were red-rimmed and he smelled worse than the bar that was set up in front of them. “Callie,” he slurred. “You’re still here.”

“So are you,” Callie murmured, gently guiding him back to the stool before turning to the bartender. “What is he still doing here?”

The man behind the bar shrugged as he wiped down the glasses lined up in front of him. “He’s been here the whole time. I tried to cut him off, but he wouldn’t listen.”

“That’s because I’m fine,” James argued with a petulant look on his face, turning to the bartender, who held up his hands in surrender. He gave Callie a look that said you see what I mean?

Callie shook her head. She had thought that she was done babysitting when she sent Aiko home, but apparently, it was still early in the evening. She had yet another person to look after. “Yes, but you’ll be much better once we get some pizza. How does that sound?”

“Pizza is never a bad idea,” James said with a lazy smile on his face.

“That may be the smartest thing you have said all night,” Callie agreed, helping James up from the stool. He felt as solid as he looked, and Callie was thankful he managed to stay mostly upright. She didn’t think she’d be able to hold him up if he decided to slump forward again. However, she didn’t appreciate the smell of alcohol emanating from him.

After what felt like forever, she finally got James into her car. Callie took a breather, feeling as though she’d just done an hour of cardio at the gym. When her labored breathing returned to normal, she slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine. As she backed out of the parking space, she reached for the breath mints she kept in the compartment between the front seats. “Eat as many as you want,” she instructed James, handing him the rattling container.

James carefully took them from her, and she was relieved when she saw him pop three or four pieces into his mouth. They were quiet for a while, with Taylor Swift softly wafting from the speakers between them. Then, James finally spoke up. “She never showed up.”

Callie had already guessed as much, seeing as the bartender told her James never left. “Did something come up? Like an emergency or something?” She still tried to clarify, hoping that her lack of appearance at the party didn’t completely signify the end to all of James’ plans.

But James was already shaking his head before she could finish asking, a solemn look resting on his face. From her peripheral vision, she saw him looking out the window. “I called to ask where she was. We were supposed to meet at the party, stay for a while and then head to our favorite restaurant,” he explained in further detail. Despite his slurred speech, Callie understood all too clearly. “I thought she’d be on the way. Instead, she told me she wasn’t coming and that she was breaking up with me.”

Callie bit her lip, not knowing what to say. Because what do you say to that? What do you say to someone whose life is suddenly going in a completely different direction than what they had imagined? She decided she might as well say what was on her mind. “Well, if you ask me, you dodged a bullet. I haven’t met her, but she doesn’t seem all that decent with the way she went about things.”

“I would’ve gladly taken that bullet, though,” James spoke softly, now sounding completely sober.

Callie wondered if perhaps the pain had erased all the effects of alcohol on him. Even without seeing the torn look on his face, Callie felt somewhat thankful that she’d chosen to protect her heart. She couldn’t imagine giving so much of herself to someone and then losing them the way James just lost his girlfriend. Where do you even start picking up the pieces after that? She figured the least she could do was feed him, talk with him and make sure he got home safe.

Thankfully, they got to Callie’s favorite twenty-four-hour diner - The Filling Station. The place had a retro and vintage feel to it, with huge neon signs, a pool table, a jukebox, and alternating black and white tiles. Red leather seats were available for the customers, and luckily, they found an empty booth.

The diner was mostly empty given the time of night. Callie watched James slide into the seat opposite from her, ready to assist if needed. But he managed just fine on his own, so Callie turned to the waitress and ordered them a large pepperoni pizza and some milkshakes. Nothing like unhealthy food to start mending a broken heart.

“Have you ever had your heart broken?” James suddenly piped up, and the smile that Callie flashed at the waitress immediately fell from her face.

Yes, he was still drunk. Sober people didn’t go about asking those questions - at least, not to people they just met. And James asked it with childlike curiosity, his head tilting to the side as he waited for a response. Callie thought what the hell, he probably wasn’t going to recall much of the conversation if he was that drunk. Might as well humor him.