Falling From Disgrace (2 page)

Chapter 2

A
drianna’s days weren’t always as rough as the previous Saturday’s.  She usually got through without suffering any breakdowns, as long as she was able to keep the physical pain at bay with the Vicodin.  Speaking of her pills, she had noticed yesterday morning that her supply was running low and so she made an appointment with her doctor for that afternoon.  It was the usual stuff; he checked her out, asked a few questions and then gave her a script for another hundred and twenty pills.  It had not yet been a full month since her last visit but she had told him this last month had been particularly painful because she had pulled a muscle at the gym.  He bought it.  Adrianna didn’t go to the gym.

She didn’t work or go to school either.  The accident four years ago that left her with crushed vertebrae in her back and neck had supplied her with enough money to live off of comfortably for the foreseeable future, and she was going to ensure it lasted by living cheaply.   And so at twenty-six, Adrianna lived a mostly isolated life, taking Vicodin to get her through the week, and sometimes mixing in gin and sex on the weekends.  It was boring, depressing, and getting old, but it was all she knew.

After taking two years to fully recover from the accident, Adrianna never resumed her degree in pediatrics and moved to Chicago, a few hours away from her parents who still lived in the small, suburban Illinois town she grew up in.  They didn’t like her decision to move away, but she had been twenty-four, had money, and was ready to live on her own; away from her parents, away from her friends, and away from the pathetic glances that would be thrown her way whenever she went out in her small town. 

Adrianna was returning from the pharmacy on a Friday when she heard noises coming from the apartment across the hall.  Surprised that her neighbor Heather would be home at three in the afternoon, she stowed her meds in her purse and then let herself into Heather’s apartment.  Heather was a thirty-six-year-old single mother with a little boy named Trevor.   

She was Adrianna’s closest friend, which is to say she knew Adrianna was twenty-six, had been in an accident, lived alone, and didn’t have a boyfriend.  Adrianna didn’t like to share much about herself with anyone but when she moved in across the hall, Heather and Trevor came over with an apple pie to welcome her to the building.  In the two years since she’d moved in they became friendly.

Heather was in her living room rubbing a blue, fluffy thing attached to a long white stick across her wall.

“What are you doing?” Adrianna asked with an amused expression.

“Hey, toots!” Heather greeted looking over her shoulder.  “I’m dusting.”

“Your walls?”

“Walls get dusty,” Heather answered, sweeping her duster a few more times and then turning her attention to Adrianna.  She was a petite little thing, with light brown, curly hair and a decent amount of freckles on her face.  Her outfit of cutoff shorts and baggy t-shirt told Adrianna she was in cleaning mode, which was a rare occasion for Heather.  Being a single mother with two jobs, Heather hardly had time for serious housekeeping.  Adrianna tried to help her out by doing her laundry for her every once in awhile. 

“What are you doing home so early?”  Adrianna asked, taking a seat at the kitchen table while Heather pulled a few sodas out of her fridge for them.  She snapped the top of her can open and took a few sips before being seated.

“I called in sick at the bank,” she explained.  “I have off from the restaurant tonight and I just wanted a day to myself.  Trevor is with his dad this weekend so I am free until my shift tomorrow night.”

Adrianna’s can of cola tilted in salute as she said, “Good for you.”

They made small talk and then Adrianna’s back started to protest from being in the same position for too long.  She leaned forward in her seat and stretched, wincing.

“Your back?” Heather asked sympathetically.

“I’ll be fine,” Adrianna assured her, breathing through the spasm.

“I feel so bad for you, being in pain like that all the time.  I’m such a wuss; if I were you I’d be popping pain pills like candy.”                                                        

Adrianna choked back a laugh.  Heather had no idea that what she just said was spot on.  But just like everyone else in Adrianna’s life, Heather didn’t know that she did indeed pop Vicodin like candy.  She hid her habit well.

The ache in her back lessened but all Adrianna could think about now was taking another pill and so she excused herself to leave.

“Hey, before you go, you feel like going out tonight?” Heather asked.  “Ya know, since I actually have some free time?”

“Sure,” Adrianna told her, thinking she could use a distraction that evening of the male persuasion.  “What do you have in mind?”

“There’s a new bar that opened up downtown called Loki’s.  Wanna try it out?”

“Sounds good.”

Across the hall in her own apartment, two more pills helped Adrianna rest up in preparation for their evening out. 

H
eather was obviously excited about getting out for the first time in a while.  Her tiny figure was wrapped in a tight, red, strapless mini dress and her hair had been blown out straight.  She had overdone it a little with the makeup but Adrianna didn’t tell her that.  Instead, she looked at her own outfit of dark blue jeans, grey, flowing tank top, and black heels and told Heather she thought about changing. 

“Nonsense,” Heather said, pulling Adrianna towards the elevators by her arm.  “You look great.  I just have to try harder because I’m older and a mom.”

Adrianna didn’t argue with her because frankly, she really didn’t feel like changing nor did she own an outfit that would compare with Heather’s. 

It was Friday and so Loki’s was crowded with all kinds of people, old and young. Heather and Adrianna couldn’t find a table but they were lucky enough to get two seats together at the bar.  They sat and ordered their drinks.

Adrianna sipped her gin and tonic and took a look at the crowd around her while Heather struck up a conversation with a man sitting to her left.  Men and women were littered about the place, some talking animatedly to each other, others quietly taking in their surroundings as Adrianna was.  She scanned the room looking for someone she would consider taking home that night.  There was a group of boys who looked like they were part of a fraternity, each of them clad in khaki and polo shirts.  No.  Some men in business suits loitered here and there but none of them held any appeal and were probably married.  No matter if she was looking for a one night stand or not, Adrianna had no interest in helping a man cheat on his wife.

Continuing her hunt, it amazed Adrianna how engrossed people were in their cell phones when they went out.  No matter where she went, she always noticed a majority of the patrons would be staring down at the little piece of technology in their hands rather than interact with the people around them.  Why bother going out if you were just going to keep your eyes glued to your phone?  What was so important that it couldn’t wait until you got home?  Not at all interested in keeping constant contact with
anyone
in her life, Adrianna did not partake in any type of social media, and the only reason she had a cell phone was because she didn’t have a landline in her apartment. 

Ironically, Heather’s phone began to shrill and she cursed when she saw it was her ex-husband’s number flashing on the screen.  She excused herself from Adrianna and her new male friend so she could take the call outside.

“Can I get you another?” a deep voice asked, and when Adrianna turned towards the source, she was taken aback by how close his face was to hers.  He was standing behind the bar, leaning across it and staring at her with large, striking blue eyes.  This wasn’t the same man who had taken her original order, and yet he was already holding the bottle of Tanqueray, keeping his mesmerizing eyes directly on Adrianna’s.

“Please,” Adrianna answered, and then felt her pulse quicken as she took in the rest of him. 

Now this was a man she would not mind taking home to her bed tonight.  His hair was very dark and tapered, cut very short at the neckline and then gradually grew in length towards the top of his head.  His skin had a slight olive tone that blended very well with the darkness of his hair.  His eyes were deep set, yet still large and Adrianna looked closely to see if he wore colored lenses.  No one she had ever encountered with hair and skin like his had eyes that color.  They were clear cerulean.  His nose was slightly crooked, which gave him just enough edge so that he didn’t look too perfect, and his square jaw, upper lip and chin were covered with stubble.  Lips that looked soft and pink turned up in a grin as a strong hand garnished her drink with a lime and then placed it on a napkin in front of Adrianna. 

She smiled in thanks, tipped her drink towards him in a silent toast, and then took a sip just as Heather returned from outside.  She did not look happy.

“I have to go!” she fumed, digging into her purse to fish out a ten dollar bill to cover the one drink she hadn’t even finished. 

“Why?” Adrianna cried, not nearly ready to leave before seeing if the hot bartender was interested in even flirting with her. 

“Trevor is throwing up and my useless ex doesn’t know what to do.  I can’t believe this, the one free night I have in I don’t know how long and it’s cut short!  I’m sorry, Ade.  You’ll be alright getting home?”

“Yeah, sure, don’t worry about me.  Go help your son.”

Heather gave Adrianna a quick hug before scurrying out of there as fast as she could in heels.  The man Heather had been talking to looked disappointed but then hopeful when he eyed Adrianna sitting there.  She shot him a “don’t even think about it” look and then turned her back towards him, feeling dejected.  She had made the effort to go ou
t that evening, was interested in the bartender, but didn’t want to sit in a crowded bar alone.  Her mood turned foul and she downed the rest of her drink and then slammed the tumbler on the bar.

“Easy there, sweetheart,” the blue-eyed bartender admonished.  “You break it you buy it.”

Embarrassment washed over her features and Adrianna murmured, “Sorry.”

Blue-Eyes laughed and moved so that he was standing directly in front of her again. “I was only half teasing, don’t get upset.”

Adrianna straightened her shoulders a bit and sniffed.  “I’m not upset, I’m annoyed.  My friend had to leave to take care of her puking toddler.”

“A beautiful girl like you won’t be without company for long,” he told her and then nodded towards something over Adrianna’s shoulder.

She turned in her seat to find two of the frat boys looking appreciatively at her.  With a roll of her eyes she turned back towards the bar and huffed, “Not interested.”

When she began pulling out her wallet to settle her tab, the bartender said to her, “Oh, don’t leave yet.  Keep me company.”

“How do you know I’d be good company?”

“You just look like someone who might have something interesting to say.  Come on, one more drink, on the house, and if you aren’t having a good time, you can leave.”

Adrianna thought on it for a moment and then placed her wallet back into her purse.  “Alright.”

When her third drink was placed in front of her, she pulled out a cigarette and without missing a beat her bartender reached into his back pocket to produce a lighter.  She leaned in, cigarette in her mouth, and then brought her hand to his to steady the flame.  She didn’t really need to do that but she wanted an excuse to touch him.

“So what’s your name?” he asked as she exhaled a long stream of smoke.

“Adrianna.”

“Adrianna?  That’s a mouthful.  You go by something shorter, like Anna maybe?”

“Some people call me Ade.”

“Nice to meet you, Ade,” he said, sticking out his hand.  “I’m Jack.”

Adrianna switched her cigarette from her right hand to her left and then shook his, liking the way his fingers felt wrapped around hers.  She wondered how skilled his fingers were.