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The drunkard

Davis trailed the desolate street, eyes on alert for in case of danger since the night was already wearing deeper.

The streetlights bathed enough illuminations on the roads and the moon was also present to complement it. A glance up ahead revealed two men walking down his way and Davis froze.

It was way too dangerous in this part of the country, not to mention the hour wasn't on his side. Instinctively, he halted in his tracks and began to mutter a silent prayer.

It’d be hell for him if he was hijacked when he already had so little on him. If he lost the money Evelina generously gave to him, he would be rendered homeless and have to starve.

Madeline – that bitch didn't even allow him to pick as little as his savings that were in the piggybank he hid away in his wardrobe. He actually was saving little bucks as they came his way to make her birthday next month a memorable one since he had been no less than a good-for-nothing for the whole year.

A title that Madeline herself had given him. Their marriage had transformed into a terrible one since he became poor and Madeline, an awful wife.

Yet, he allowed himself to get bullied by her, and her family because he felt indebted to them since he was living in their house and eating their meals too.

He would have to have a rethink later about all the things he allowed himself to suffer without a protest. For now, another trouble was brewing its way his way.

His heart began to thump so loudly that he could vividly hear it in his ears as the men approaching looked like they were crooks.

Now, he was stuck at a crossroads, unsure if the solution was to advance or retreat.

Just as he remained frozen there with his fear rising with each step the two men took, a hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder from the back, and he jumped, startled.

“My friend!” Said a man who appeared to be in his early fifties, reeking of spirits.

Geez!

It was a drunkard and who was he calling his friend? Him?

The man began to pat him in the most enthusiastic way possible. “You just had to run along without waiting for your friend, aye? How could you do that to me, you bloody goofer!” He was ranting and fixing all of his weight on the confused Davis.

Why was he so jinxed that he kept on jumping from one trouble to the other?!

As the old man staggered, he pushed Davis with him. While Davis was awestruck and horrified, he remembered the more pressing issue and turned in the direction of the previous two men but found the road ahead empty.

They had disappeared as though they were never there. It seemed the presence of a second party had nullified their plan to steal from him and they bailed.

Maybe this drunkard's foolishness did have its perks. Hence, Davis couldn't get mad at the man for his barbarity, and instead, gently shifted him aside.

He already had his suitcase as enough load to deal with.

“I'm sorry, sir. I think you got the wrong person.” He stated.

The man was dressed in a mismatched outfit that reflected his intoxicated state. His clothing appeared wrinkled and untidy as if he had paid little attention to his appearance. Davis scrutinized him a lot more and saw that his shirt, unbuttoned and stained, hung loosely from his shoulders, revealing an undershirt that had seen better days.

His trousers were sagging, and their hems were frayed, evidence of frequent neglect.

Davis thought; He needed not to be in the company of someone who appeared even more miserable than he was.

Even his shoes were scuffed and seemed barely suitable for walking, let alone standing steadily.

As though to match his stare, the man brought his own gaze to Davis and began to rapidly blink. A motion that signifies that he was trying to pinpoint the strange face.

“You do not know me, sir.” Davis helped him out instead and began to walk away but was soon stopped yet again by the god-forsaken man.

Dragging him by the shoulder once more, “Hold up, my friend!” He protested and before Davis could react at all, he stuffed a fancy engagement ring in his palm.

Though seemed luxurious, its designs were ancient. Nobody proposes to their woman with these kinds of engagement rings these days, Davis thought.

“Give that to my wife, she forgot it with me!” The man let out, now walking away himself while waving at Davis as he scampered off.

Davis stood bewildered. He knew he was going to hate on alcohol after his experience with this man. How a sane man could be rendered idiotic by some bottles of liquor left him speechless.

He wanted to call back at the man and inform him he didn't know his wife – whoever she was from Adam but he found himself standing there noiselessly.

He gave one more look at the ring and felt something – something anomaly that hugged at all the fiber in his body and at that moment, all he suddenly wanted to do was slip the ring into his finger.

And that, he did. After two trials on his pinky and index finger, the ring finally fit into his thumb.

“WHOA!” He couldn't help but gasp. “How did this small ring fit into my goddamn thumb?” He wondered to himself but agreed that the ring looked sinfully good on his finger.

Hell, what the hell was he doing?

This wasn't even his ring. He shouldn't put on some woman’s engagement ring so, he tried to pull it off. Alas, the ring refused him of that!

It remained glued to Davis’s finger no matter how much vigor he invested in trying to get it off.

“What the fuck?” He muttered under his breath, perplexed.

However, when the night’s breeze blew on him, he remembered he was still out in the open and was prone to another robbery attempt.

The next one might not end at an attempt. He might really get robbed hence, he hurried off with his suitcase and his newly gifted ring.

Come to think of it, the drunkard just saved him from theft and did gift him a mysterious ring too.

.

He soon arrived at the nearest motel and booked a room. The skinny receptionist who seemed to have found salvation in recklessly chewing and blowing gum gave him the room key after wasting a lot of his time.

The motel wasn't one to write home about but it wasn't his home too. Not that he had a choice anyway.

He waltzed up the tired staircase, his head throbbing with every second that passed. He had no idea why he was suddenly feeling lightheaded.

After climbing the stairs, he arrived in the hallway and began to look out for his appointed room number.

“Room 026…” He was repeatedly singing as he walked on until he found it.

However, he didn't just find his room, he found a hotly dressed blonde who had her back turned to him and hands on his doorknob. At first, Davis was confused and checked again if he had gotten the wrong room but the number on the door said boldly…

… ‘ROOM 026’

He wasn't mistaken. But who was this woman and why was she standing like a stray dog in front of his door?

“Excuse me?” He called but got no reply.

“Hey, I'm sorry but that is kinda like my room’s door you are standing in front of…” He was saying as he made to touch her but he had to freeze.

“After this, I will have just five things left to do on my bucket list. But why can't I bring myself to just go in, sleep with this stranger, and commence with the contract marriage?” He heard.

But…

This woman hadn't spoken. She had her back turned to him and stood motionless but he thought he’d heard something.

Of course, he did. “Excuse me?” He shook her and she gasped in shock.

The moment she turned her face to him, Davis swallowed hard, totally enchanted by the beauty that she bore and her sexy frame.

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