Drunk

Please i did a mistake.. This is the Chapter before the previous one *surprised* am really sorry for the mistake.

We entered the main room downstairs and looked around for Lance. I soon spotted him sitting at the bar talking to the bartender. After a second, it was apparent to both Beth and I , he was hitting on her. We approached him from behind so he had no idea we had come down from upstairs. Beth walked up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and when he saw us, we got his usual annoyed look. Beth told him we were ready to leave after he finished his last drink. In typical Lance fashion, he responded.

"Who said this was my last drink.", he snapped at her.

"I think you have had enough, lets go ok. I want to be home before it gets too late."

"Well I don't much give a fuck what you think, I'm not ready to go.", he responded.

I knew this might happen. Lance never knew when to quit. To be honest, I was really quite surprised he had never wrapped himself around a tree or had a serious accident while drunk. I don't think he ever had a DWI either, if he did I never heard about it. Beth turned and looked at me, I simply shrugged my shoulders. She turned back to Lance and continued to try to convince him it was time to go. I looked at my watch and noticed it was 11:40 p.m., twenty minutes until the new year rang in. I thought to myself what a way to ring in another year, dealing with a drunk. I looked over my shoulder and saw a small table that no one was seated at. I moved over to it, pulled out a chair and sat down.

Beth continued arguing with Lance and the more they talked the louder he became. She reached down and took his arm and tried to urge him off the bar stool. He made a swinging motion with his arm to get it away from her, coming very close to hitting her in the face. I was tired of this and him. I got up and walked over to them.

"Look Beth, lets not do this here. We are guests of Riley's and it is the Grand Opening, lets not make a scene.", I told her calmly.

She agreed and backed off Lance a few steps. He got up and started to move toward her. I quickly stepped between them. He stopped abruptly and looked up at me. I am considerably bigger then Lance in both height and weight. I had continued both cardio and weight training long after my college football days were over. Considering my age, I was in much better shape than most of the younger guys who trained at my health club. I am close to 6'3" tall, weighed about 240 lbs. but have a thirty inch waist.

"What's your problem ?", he barked at me.

I simply stated in a very calm matter of fact voice that I agreed with Beth, maybe it was time to go. I offered to follow them home and make sure everyone got home safe and sound. This family did not need any further tragedy.

"Well, since I don't give a fuck about her opinion." , he said , pointing at Beth, "What makes you think I give a fuck about yours."

"Personally what you give a fuck about is the least of my worries.", I calmly replied, "If you want to kill yourself, great, but I don't want anything to happen to Beth."

"Take a fucking hike asshole.", he replied and put his finger in my face.

Beth reached over and grabbed my shoulder. She pleaded with us not to do this. She just wanted to go home. But if it was going to cause all these problems, she agreed to stay with Lance. He sneered at me , turned around and sat back at the bar. I knew as long as Lance was getting free drinks, he would not leave. Besides, he was too far gone now to drive anyway. I calmly moved next to him and asked if it would be ok to drive Beth home, that way he could stay. He looked over at her and made a wave of his hand in our direction.

"I don't care if you leave. I can have a better time by myself., " he

laughed.

"Please be careful on the way home.", Beth pleaded, as he turned his back on us.

I took her arm and gently guided her towards the door. I saw Riley in the center of the room and walked over to thank him again. He told me he was really glad I could make it and to come back anytime. He winked and asked us if we enjoyed the private entertainment. Beth blushed and looked down. We shook hands and I told him we would talk soon.

We left the club and walked down the block to the lot where my car was parked. I gave the Valet my stub and he hurried off to get my vehicle. Beth never said a word while we waited. Soon he returned and stepped out of my car. I tipped him and he hurried to the other side and opened the door for Beth. She climbed in and we pulled off the lot and headed home.

We were driving only for a few minutes, when Beth looked at the clock on the dash.

"It's 11:58.", she said, "Almost midnight. I don't know how many more year's I can keep doing this."

I drove a few minutes more and approached the on-ramp to the Mississippi River Bridge which connects both the East and West Banks of the river. The signal light turned red at the bottom of the ramp and I came to a complete stop.

"It's 12:03.", Beth said, "We missed the New Year. Oh well, no use in it being a total loss."

With that, she reached over and put one hand behind my neck. She moved her lips to mine and kissed me. Soft at first, then pressing into my mouth with more urgency. I felt the end of her tongue on my lips.

I opened my lips and mine met hers. I reached around and pulled her close to me. God, this was so good. Suddenly, a car horn broke the silence. I pulled away and looked up. The light had turned green and the driver behind me had noticed I was occupied. I waved my apology back and drove up the ramp.

We pulled up to the gate in our subdivision about thirty five minutes later. I entered my code, watched the gate pull back and drove in. I was a few blocks from her house when she turned and looked at me.

"I don't want to go home Jeff. I can't deal with Jeff tonight. I am so tired of this. I wish I could go home with you.", she said softly.

"I don't think that would be a good idea Beth. What the hell would Lance say when he got home and you were not there. ?", I replied.

"Your right, I know, but I just don't want to go into that house. Would you bring me to my Mom and Dad's ?" she asked.

"You think they up this late ? Its almost one in the morning.", I asked.

Beth picked up her cell phone and called her parents. They were asleep but answered relatively quickly. It was her Dad on the phone. She briefly told him what had happened and asked if she could come stay with them tonight. They agreed and Beth told them, she would be there shortly. I pulled up in front of her home a minute or so later. I asked if she wanted me to drive her but she reconsidered saying she would take her car. She thanked me and got out. Reluctantly, I drove off and watched her through my mirror walk up the drive.

I went to sleep that night wondering what the hell Lance would do when he got home and Beth was gone. Beth was going to catch hell tomorrow. The last thing I remembered before falling asleep was I hope Beth arrived at her parents safely.

New Year's Day came and went, I heard nothing from Beth. The following Monday morning arrived quickly and I left for work. As I passed the front of Beth and Lance's home, I noticed his car was there, hers was not. Beth never left for work this early. Was she still at her Mom's ?

The entire next week was strange. I finally saw Beth's car home on Thursday evening when I returned home. I figured to my self, she had made Lance sweat a bit before coming back home. I had not heard a word from her in almost a week. Soon another weekend had passed, it was late Sunday night when I got into bed. All I could think about was Beth and how my private little world all alone had suddenly become so complicated. I simply had to get her out of mind once and for all.

A few days later at work, I received a call from my mother in law. She asked me if I could stop by on my way home, she wanted to talk to me. I agreed and a few hours later we were seated in her kitchen. My father in law was in the back yard working. She asked if I had spoken to Beth lately? I told her no, not for about two weeks. She told me that Beth and Lance were having problems and that Beth was thinking of getting a separation. She went on to tell me about New Year's Eve night and the next few days Beth had stayed with her. She asked me if I would keep an eye out around their house and let her know if I saw anything out of place. I agreed and left shortly after.

That Sunday I was watching the football game when the doorbell rang. I got up and went to the door, surprised to see who standing there.

"Can I talk to you for minute ?", Lance asked.

I let Lance in and we walked back to sofa and sat down. I could tell this was awkward for him, he was not his usual self. He told me that he had decided to leave Beth. He went on to say that things had been cold and distant between them for years now. I was glad to hear him say that the problems went back that far. It somewhat made me feel better that I had not been the sole cause of the split up. I asked him if they had both thought this out and this was what they both wanted. He told me that this had been coming for some time now. He admitted that most of this was his fault, especially the drinking. He told me he was miserable and drank to ease the pain. He also said that he had found someone else and it was depressing not to be with her. Funny, I thought, I can relate to that. It was unusual to see Lance like this. He was normal, no arrogance. I actually felt bad for him. I told him that anything either of them needed, all they had to do was ask. He got up, shook my hand and apologized to me for his behavior the past few years. He thanked me and asked me to keep an eye on the house and Beth. I smiled, thinking you don't have to ask me that twice. He thanked me once again and left quickly. I sat there the rest of that day debating on whether to call Beth. I decided against it, it was too soon. Then I began thinking, what if Beth's advances to me had been out of the same depression that Lance had been feeling ? Maybe now that she was out of her marriage, she would have a change of heart. Perhaps now, Beth would want to start a new life. I decided right then and there that I would let Beth make the next move, I would not pressure her one bit.

Days passed into weeks with no contact. The only news I received was from my in laws. Lance had gotten an apartment in town, Beth was working a lot trying to keep her mind off things. They seemed relieved that they had split up. They thought it was a long time coming.