A Different Time, A Different Place

The First Time

Paris, 2019, two years earlier

„Well", Sean exclaimed with a slap on his thighs, „time to hit the hey."

„Good call, brother", Bex nodded and followed him in getting up, „I think I'll head as well."

„What?", Lana pouted, „No!! You can't leave yet, I just got another drink?"

„Don't worry, I ain't going anywhere", Colin replied, „I still got half my Guinness."

„There, see?", said Bex, „Colin will keep you company. Alright then, we'll see you guys in the morning?"

Lana nodded and gave her sister a kiss. „Good night! Sleep well."

„You too!", said Sean while hugging his friend good night, then he gave Colin a pat on the back, „And you take good care of her, alright? I'm afraid she's already had one too many..."

„Aye aye, sir!", he placed his fingers against his temple in an honorary gesture.

After their friends had left, Lana kicked off her shoes with a sigh and got more comfortable on the sprawling couch of the hotel bar, placing her feet on her former colleague's lap.

„Oh gosh, my shoes are killing me..."

„By the looks of them, I'm not surprised... Cheers!", he took a sip of his beer.

„What's wrong with you anyway?"

„Be more specific?"

„Why are you drinking Guinness when you're in Paris? You need to try the wine, it's life changing!"

„Let's just say, I haven't been home in a while, and this is my little piece of home away from home."

„Irish through and through, I see...", she sighed, then she started giggling, more and more uncontrollably, apparently at something incredibly hilarious that was happening just inside her head.

Eventually, Colin couldn't help himself, but had to laugh with her. She was definitely completely out of it already. „What's wrong? What's so funny?"

„I was just thinking", she chuckled, her speech already a little slurry, „It's really a shame that your name isn't Stuart..."

„And... dare I even ask, why is that?"

„Cause then you'd be an Irish Stu...", she threw her head back and laughed.

„Alright, well...", he shook his head, smirking, but not more than that, „maybe you shouldn't finish this entire glass, however life changing it may be."

He leaned forward, took her wine glass out of her hand and placed it back on the table, more or less out of reach for her.

„Ey, that's not fair, you're not my mom! Gimme back my glass!"

„Uh-uh!"

„Come on!"

„Make me!"

„Oh... you REALLY wanna go there? Listen, buddy... I've reached the end of a pretty shitty year, or... years, even! The least I deserve is one more fucking drink!"

He looked down briefly and exhaled, then he reached for it and gave her back her glass.

„You're right... I'm sorry, I didn't think of it. How... I mean, how does it feel?"

„To finally be divorced? Well...", she took a sip of wine, „Fred and I broke up a long time ago, but a divorce is a marathon, I'm telling you... For months and months your wounds are being ripped open again and again and again, until you're finally left alone to heal, abandoned, naked and completely empty inside."