A Lonely Sky Read Free Page B

still half full, Julia again attempted to bring the party to a close. No pussyfooting around this time, she decided. “We need to get back.”
    To her chagrin, Bob placed his arm around her and pulled her close. He reeked of sour beer and deodorant gone dead. “Oh no, you don’t, Jules. Not when there’s alcohol left!”
    “We’ll go after we finish these,” Kim said, in an obvious attempt to soothe Julia.
    But Julia was past the point of believing beer soaked promises.
    She shoved Bob away from her. “I stayed longer than I wanted, Kim. I think we should go .”
    “Oh, Mommy. Do we have to?” Bob whined.
    Julia felt her face flush hot. “Move!” She pushed Bob out of the booth. “If you think this is so funny, then I’ll just walk back myself.” She scooted to the edge of the seat and stood, waiting to see if anyone would join her.
    “You know the way back?” Chris asked as he took another sip of beer. Kim simply offered her an apologetic smile.
    No one even seemed to care she was leaving! She steadied her voice. “I need directions.”
    “And we’ll give them to you.” Bob winked at Kim and Chris. “ After we finish our drinks.”
    “I really don’t remember the way back either, Jules.” Kim said. “It must be the beer. Please wait for us.”
    Julia’s jaw tightened and she folded her arms across her chest. The thought of spending one more moment with obnoxious Bob made her skin crawl, but she knew that waiting for her friends would be wiser than ending up lost.
    “Fine. But I’m not sitting here .” There. That would show them she meant business.
    She glanced around the tavern. The place now bustled with patrons, and only a few seats at the bar remained empty. Julia dreaded sitting alone but hoped her defiant act proved how desperate she was to leave.
    She tried to appear braver than she felt. “Okay then. Fine. I guess I’ll be at the bar when you’re ready.” Feigning stoicism, she willed herself to walk away, hoping all the while her friends would change their minds.
    To her frustration, none of the three seemed to care what she did. Swallowing hard, she walked towards an empty seat at the bar. She stared straight ahead as she reached a three-legged stool. As she sat down, she wondered exactly what she thought she proved. After all, she was still in the tavern, still waiting for her friends, but now hopelessly alone.
    It was quiet at this section of the bar. To her left sat a tall, handsome man who appeared to be alone. He sipped an amber colored liquid and stared at his tumbler as if in deep thought. On her right, a young couple whispered and smiled at each other, their hands intermingling. No one noticed her. Good. She’d just sit quietly and wait for her friends.
    “Guten Abend!” With a loud bang, the wooden doors at the end of the bar swung open. A short, stout, balding man sporting a ruddy complexion, gray mustache and full beard sauntered in. He spied Julia, and placed a cocktail napkin in front of her. He smiled wide, exposing straight white teeth and spoke loud German to her.
    So much for her trek into oblivion.
    “Ich spreche German nicht.” She answered, back. Ironically, telling someone she didn’t know German was one of the very few phrases she did know.
    The bartender laughed, his thumbs hooked in his suspenders. “That okay, Fräulein,” he said in a heavy German accent. “I know that. I tease you, yah?”
    Julia blushed and hoped the dim lighting did not expose her lack of confidence.
    “He asked what you want to drink.” The man on her left spoke in a deep voice and thick, British accent.
    “So Fräulein. What you want?” The bartender waited for her order.
    She wanted to leave, but she found herself answering in a soft, weak voice. “Water?”
    “Water?” The bartender let loose a boisterous laugh causing the other patrons to glance towards the bar. Julia wanted to crawl under it and hide.
    “Water? She wants water!” The bartender laughed again as he