I had been here in the tavern since three in the afternoon, nursing drinks all the way until nine at night. Not drinking much, but drinking for a long time. By the end, my mind was nk, my body was numb.


    The owner, Apollo Castro, knew me well, so even though I was alone, I didn’t have to worry about getting too drunk and ending up in trouble.


    “When are you leaving? Is someoneing to pick you up?” Apollo asked.


    He looked to be in his fifties, about the same age as my father would be if he were still alive.


    “Now,” I replied, though I didn’t really want to go.


    But I had work tomorrow, and I needed to get some rest.


    Tonight felt like the final goodbye to Alvin and everything that had been between us.


    I pushed myself-up from the chair, but Apollo stepped in front of me. “I don’t feel right letting you go like this. Let me have someone take you.”


    Apollo was always thoughtful. His tavern had been tucked away in an alley for years, but it did great business, mostly regrs and old friends.


    I came here often because, years ago, when I was a student, I’de to this bar after seeing Alvin dancing with a girl who liked him. I’d been jealous and upset, so I came here to drown my feelings in alcohol.


    I drank too much that night and ended up falling asleep until the early hours of the morning, the tavern empty except for <ol><li></li></ol>


    When I woke up, scared and anxious, Apollo had made me a bowl of pasta. He told me that whenever I needed to drink, I shoulde to him, but not to go anywhere else, just in case I ran into bad people.


    Since then, whenever I felt down, I’de here, and Apollo would never stop me from drinking. No matter how far I went, he always made sure I was safe.


    I also knew about Apollo’s daughter-how, at sixteen or seventeen, after a breakup, she drank away her sadness and was assaulted. Her mind was never the same after that, and she eventually jumped off a building.


    Apollo opened this tavern to take in girls who were heartbroken and needed a safe space to drink and heal.


    “Alright,” I said, not wanting to worry him.


    “Stay put. Don’t leave by yourself,” Apollo warned as he turned to take care of things.


    Just then, I heard a familiar voice.


    I turned and saw Philip walking toward me.


    I smiled. “Apollo, no need to send me now.”


    Philip knew about this ce too. He’d been here before, and I’d run into him several times.


    Today, by chance, here we were again.


    There are no real coincidences. Many “coincidences” are orchestrated, and I knew that all too well.


    “Take care of the bill,” I said, grabbing Apollo’s arm.


    “No need. Next time,” Apollo insisted.


    I didn’t argue. I would double the payment next time.


    F ? ? ? ?? ?


    But Philip had already pulled out his phone and transferred 600 dors to Apollo.


    Before Apollo could say anything, Philip spoke first, “Keep the extra for her next round of drinks.”


    Next time? Was he treating me like some kind of drunk?


    Then again, if he thought I was drunk, that worked out.


    Philip stepped closer to me and helped me up. Together, we made our way outside. The cool night air hit me, and for a brief moment, it cleared the fog in my head.


    “Taxi, or bike?” Philip asked.


    I froze, the memory blurry.


    Back when we were younger, I didn’t have a driver’s license yet, and I always rode a bike when Philip picked me up after I’d been drinking.


    It seemed like it had been so long since Ist rode one.


    “Bike,” I pointed to a nearby one.


    I wanted to ride, but he stopped me. “You’ve been drinking. You can’t ride.”