4: A Fortuity

It wasn’t the first time Margot hailed a taxi. She somehow got used to it in the past whenever Judy invited her to hang out. Two minutes passed, and the taxi stopped in front of an old bar. She paid the driver, thanked him, and got out.

“You’re not kidding, indeed! Let’s go inside. The others are waiting!” Judy exclaimed when she saw Margot coming out of the taxi. “And what’s with that outfit? Are you attending a wedding or what?” She commented, looking at her friend with amusement.

“Today’s my wedding anniversary with Harry,” Margot said with a bitter smile.

“Mmm. Was it marriage problems? How long have you been married again?”

Margot inhaled deeply and sighed. “Three years. It will end soon, though,” she replied. “I’m getting a divorce.”

Judy didn’t ask anything else after that. She guessed Margot wanted to forget whatever happened, so she offered her drinks instead.

“Don’t hold back. It’s not like you’re always drinking. This lot won’t kill you of liver cancer in case you’re worried about your health,” Judy said as she handed a glass of beer to her friend.

Margot stared at the glass before chugging everything in one go. “Hah! Sure, keep them coming. I’ll die from a different type of cancer anyway,” she said and laughed.

Judy was too busy laughing with others at the table. She didn’t hear what Margot said. “Here you go, Mag. Since it’s your first time drinking beer, tonight’s my treat!”

As the beer kept coming, Margot enjoyed its taste. She used to have expensive wines, but the beer seemed to suit her better. Its bitter taste and foamy texture helped her forget all the sadness and heartbreak she suffered in just one day.

“You already had too much. Are you still going to drink this?” A huge hand suddenly snatched the glass from her grasp.

Margot lifted her head to see an unfamiliar man sitting across the table. She couldn’t remember how long he was there, but all she knew was that everybody gathered at the table were Judy’s friends, except for this one man.

“Give me that,” Margot demanded as she tried to get back her glass of beer from the stranger. “Buy your own if you want to drink, too.” She groaned when the man refused to listen to her.

“I’m not supposed to care at all, but I can’t stand watching you take more of this than you can handle,” the man said before drinking Margot’s beer. “Ah! That hit the spot right here,” he continued, pointing at his throat.

Margot rolled her eyes and asked for another glass. She decided to ignore the stranger and continue what came for in the bar.

“I heard what you said earlier… If that is true, I suggest you go home and take a rest. This place isn’t for an ill person like you,” the man said once again, his words getting on Margot’s nerves.

“What do you even know?” Margot retorted. “So what if you heard that I have cancer and I’ll die in a few months? That doesn’t give you the right to tell me what to do. Who are you even?” She was so pissed that she took the man’s bottle in front of him and gulped it down.

“We barely know each other and I came here to enjoy the night. I would appreciate it if you stop meddling with my business,” Margot said as she put back the bottle on the table.

The man shrugged and smiled. “I must have gone overboard, my apologies. My name’s Leo Brown. I just moved here to Newings,” Leo said while taking out a piece of paper from his inside pocket. “Come find me at Newings Hospital if you need any help with counseling,” he added and handed his business card to Margot.

The latter frowned as she took the card. She read what was written on it and sighed. “A Psychiatrist? And here I thought you’re just a busybody, yet your main goal is to sell your service,” she commented, but kept the card, anyway.

“I’m excellent in this field. You will not regret giving me a try. You’ll be my first patient if you agree and I’ll throw in some discount on your bill if you can’t afford it,” Leo said with a charming smile. “We can start your session tomorrow, but since you’ve drunk too much, I believe we should move it the day after tomorrow instead. I can’t have a patient in my office who reeks of alcohol,” he added.

“Whatever. I don’t think I need to have a session. I mean, it’s pointless. I’m going to die and you can’t change it. What, you want me to pay you to convince me that death is easy and I should accept it? No way,” Margot muttered and fished out her phone from her pouch to check the time.

“Oh, look at this. The bastard’s calling me. He must be wondering why I’m not home at this hour,” Margot laughed before leaving her seat.

“Hey, Judy. I’m going now. Thanks for the beer. I enjoyed it,” she told her friend, who was busy entertaining the others with her tales of adventures.

“Wait, Mag! It’s still early to go home,” Judy said with her eyebrows knitted, but when she saw Margot’s state, she agreed. “Do you need me to get you a taxi?”

Shaking her head, Margot replied. “I’m fine. Just stay here and enjoy.”

Margot waved her hand as she stumbled toward the exit. The others waved and bid her goodbye before going back to what they were doing.

The chilly wind of the night gave Margot a sense of comfort. She felt like hugging herself, and so she did. Feeling the warmth of her body, she smiled while staring at the starry sky while trying to keep a steady balance.

Tears pooled in her eyes, remembering the sad things that happened. She was fine a while ago, or so she believed. The beer did great, but she knew it was only temporary. Once she sobered up, reality would strike back, rubbing salt into her wounds.

“It’s cold out here.”

Margot heard a familiar voice speak from behind, followed by a warm coat placed over her shoulders.

“What do you want now? If you still want me to book a session with me, give up. I’m not going to do it. Besides, I’ve decided to keep this matter a secret to everyone else. You can’t tell Judy about it either, or I’ll sue you,” Margot said and waved at the taxi, heading in her direction.

“I’m just a concerned citizen now who worries that you’ll kick the bucket before your time’s up because of your careless behavior. Why wear something like that to a bar, anyway?” Leo commented and shrugged.

“You really can’t shut your mouth, can you?” Margot removed the coat off her shoulder and gave it back to Leo. “Thanks for your sentiments, but I don’t need it,” she said and was about to step into the taxi when she remembered something.

“Hey,” Margot called Leo, who was about to go back inside the back. “I’ve been wondering since earlier today…”

Leo’s face turned bright in anticipation. “Hmm? What is it?”

“If a dying person commits a crime and dies before she gets caught… Does that mean she gets away from it?” Margot asked with a morbid look on her face.

Leo was flabbergasted by the question, but he answered anyway. “Yes. However,” he said, getting Margot’s full attention.

“I suggest you don’t kill whoever it is so easily. Since you have a limited time left and you’re certain you’ll die anyway, why don’t you make use of your time to be happy without including those people who hurt you? It’s the best revenge, they say. But if you’re asking for my opinion, I’d say, kill them softly if that’s what they serve,” Leo continued.

Margot chuckled at the response she got. “Now it’s harder to consider booking a session with you. This is not something you should say to your potential client,” she said and grinned before getting inside the vehicle to leave.

“Killing them softly, huh? Not bad,” she mumbled and began plotting her next move.