A Taste of Freedom

Darcy took a drink from his water bottle as Mario received his pint of beer. They had agreed to meet in a pub local to Sleepy Valley. Darcy wasn’t comfortable being in a pub, but this is where Mario had wanted to meet. He wondered if Mario had chosen this location to test his sobriety or just because he was an alcoholic and he wanted steady access to alcohol.

“So…” Mario started. “I understand you’re marrying my Monroe.”

Darcy nodded slightly as he answered. “That’s right.”

Mario’s brows furrowed with displeasure. “You didn’t ask me for her hand.”

Darcy wanted to laugh at the situation, but he kept a serious face as he spoke. “With all due respect, based on our previous interactions, I didn’t think you would approve. I’d rather ask you for your forgiveness than your permission.”

Mario leaned back on his chair as his face reflected amusement. “Smart man.” His eyes fell on his beer as he continued. “Look, I have some concerns. I was there when Monroe woke up in the hospital. She said you had been in rehab.”

Darcy took another sip from his water, he knew where this was going. “Right…and what are your concerns?”

Mario thinned his lips as they disappeared beneath his mustache. “I don’t want my only daughter marrying an addict. Especially not an addict who is twenty-five years her senior. But Monroe has always done what she likes. She is strong-headed and willful. I can’t stop her. So I ask you, please don’t marry her.”

Darcy was not surprised. He had known from the beginning that Mario’s intention had always been to separate him from Monroe. In a way, Darcy understood. He was much older than Monroe, and he had a negative past involving drugs and alcohol. But Darcy loved Monroe, he only wanted her to be happy and healthy and despite what everybody seemed to think, his interest in Monroe was not due to some sort of midlife crisis. Darcy had been waiting for Monroe his whole life, and now that he had her, he was not going to lose her. Not even to appease her father.

Darcy searched for the right words and after a moment he spoke. “I understand your concern, but I’m sober. Before being in rehab, I had been sober for nearly thirty years. I’m not planning on falling off the wagon again.”

Mario grasped the handle of his pint glass, bringing the beer to his lips. “Alcohol has a way of sticking. I don’t want Monroe to end up with someone like…like—”

“Like you?” Darcy interrupted.

Mario’s eyes dropped, as shame took over his face. “I…I know that when she was with Dave, she drank a lot. I never said anything, but I knew. It was my fault. At home, it’s all she ever saw, all she ever knew. But she doesn’t have to be like me. She can still get out and if you stay with her…she might never get out.”

Darcy was a bit surprised to hear Mario knew about Monroe’s problems with alcohol. He thought back to when he was getting to know Monroe, she wasn’t exactly hiding her alcohol usage. Even before she had confessed she was an alcoholic to Darcy, he had suspected Monroe might have had problems with it. It seems despite Monroe’s best efforts; she could not hide the ugly truth from her father. A fisherman always spots another fisherman from afar.

Darcy leaned in emphatically. “She has gotten out. She’s been sober for over a year. She’s struggling at the moment with everything that happened with Dave, but I’m taking care of her. Supporting her as best as I can.”

Mario narrowed his eyes in confusion. “What do you mean ‘everything that happened with Dave’?”

Darcy swallowed hard. It seems Monroe had not told her father what Dave had done to her. Darcy began sweating nervously, it really wasn’t his place to tell Mario what happened with Dave, but it was too late. The cat was out of the bag. “Um…the attempted murder. Has she not told you?”

Mario slammed his hand on the table, rattling everything on it. “The WHAT?! Why wouldn’t she tell me?! What happened?! You must tell me!”

Darcy’s grip on his water bottle tightened, crinkling under pressure. “Um, well the event traumatized her. She doesn’t really want to talk about it. So that’s likely why she didn’t tell you. As for what happened, Dave came into our place of work and tried to kill Monroe and himself. I managed to stop him, and he was arrested. He’s facing up to ten years in prison for attempted murder.”

Mario’s eyes were hard with anger. “That little weasel. If he wasn’t in prison already, I’d kill him.”

Darcy couldn’t disagree. He had beaten Dave into a bloody pulp after the attempt. Darcy’s eyebrows creased with concern as he addressed Mario again. “Sir, I must insist that you do not approach Monroe about any of this. She’s a little fragile right now. She will talk to you when she’s ready.”

Mario nodded, staring at Darcy with a pensive expression, as if he was trying to figure Darcy out. “You…really care about her, don’t you?”

Darcy clasped his hands together over the table as he spoke. “More than anything.”

Mario frowned, but his eyes weren’t as hard as before. “I still don’t like you and I don’t agree with this wedding.”

“You don’t have to like me but for Monroe’s sake I suggest you learn to tolerate me because I am going to marry her.” Darcy said trying to keep his voice even.

“It’s looking like that will be my only option.” Mario said defeated.

“I promise to always take good care of her. I will always treat her how she deserves.”

Mario could no longer hold his gaze. He averted his eyes as he brought the beer to his lips once more. “You better. I’ve decided to tolerate you. Don’t ever hurt my girl or you will regret it.”

This was Mario’s way of accepting him. Darcy gave him a small smile. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

***

Darcy parked his car on their driveway, making his way to their front door. He couldn’t wait to give Monroe the good news. She would be happy to know her dad has decided to tolerate their relationship. It was a big step in the right direction. When he walked through the door he didn’t see Monroe. She was usually sitting on the couch chain-smoking. “Monroe?” He called out, but there was no response. He walked up the stairs and into their bedroom. “Mon?” There was no one there.

Darcy made his way downstairs, deciding to wait for Monroe in the living room. It was a little late and Monroe usually came home right after work. He glanced at his phone, it was 8:51 pm. Monroe got out of work at 7:00 pm usually. He hoped she had gone to see Mike; she had been very withdrawn for months and hadn’t spoken to any of her friends. When she wasn’t working, she would just lounge around the living room by herself. She was practically a shut in at this point.

Darcy put on a movie and waited for Monroe to come home. He had a hard time concentrating on the movie, but he tried not to worry too much. When the movie reached the end, Darcy looked at his phone, it was now 10:26 pm. This was definitely abnormal. Monroe should be here by now. “It’s getting late.” He said to himself. He decided to call her, it rang, and it rang. She didn’t answer. He called again. No answer.

He stood up and began pacing around the living room, texting her as he did.

Darcy: Monroe, where are you? It’s getting late and I’m starting to worry.

He waited for a reply, but it never came. He was officially beginning to freak out. “Where are you?”

***

Monroe sat on a grungy stool inside of Bar Liverpool, she was about eight shots in as she cried silently.

This was once their bar. The site where a multitude of horrible things had happened to her. Maybe it was the alcohol but everywhere she looked she saw him. Dave.

She took another shot as she thought about her situation. Her eyesight was tunneled and blurry at this point, and her inhibitions had lowered enough to allow herself to actively think about Dave.

Ever since I was a child, I have been lost. My life seemed like an endless uphill climb. But no matter how many times I fell, no matter how beat up I was, I would always get back up again. No matter how much it hurt. I was not fortunate enough to have been born with purpose, but I still managed to find meaning. But then I met him. I met him and it almost seemed like he took pleasure in diminishing my accomplishments. Making me feel small. He cast a long shadow, and I was trapped beneath it.

She watched as her tears fell into her shot glass, mixing with the remnants of the alcohol.

But…then I met Darcy. He changed my life. He helped me gain direction, and I finally wasn’t lost anymore. I was happy. I was sober. I had a job I loved and best of all, I had a man I loved deeply. A man who respected me and treated me better than anyone had in my life. But he couldn’t let go. He couldn’t forget. He invaded my life, my psyche, my heart and infected me with panic and terror. The happiness that had barely found me suddenly disappeared. I was lost again. Lost at sea.

She looked at her phone which was vibrating. Someone was calling her, but she did not have the mental capacity to answer. She continued pondering as she cried, ordering another shot.

I had fallen and this time I didn’t know how to get back up again. So, I stayed down. Darcy couldn’t help me. Though he tries. So, what do I do? What does someone who is lost, someone who cannot keep getting up do? Do I give up? I feel like I already did.

Monroe turned to the empty seat beside her, she saw Dave, but she did not flinch. She did not cower, and he did not speak. She turned off her phone as she continued staring at the mirage. “A—are you happy now?” She slurred through her cries.

Dave simply lifted a hand and placed it on her head. She could almost feel his touch.

***

Darcy walked around the streets of Liverpool. He had looked all over the city trying to find Monroe. It was almost 1:00 am now. There was only one place left to check. A part of him knew he would find her here, but he didn’t want to admit it. He wanted to walk in there and not find her inside. He wanted to go home and find her soundly sleeping in their bed.

He stood outside of Bar Liverpool, his hand reached for the door handle, but he froze. He could see his breath in the air as he inhaled and exhaled sharply. He opened the door, and he immediately felt his heart drop. Monroe was here. She was sitting at the bar, and it seemed like she was talking to someone, but there was no one there. Darcy slowly approached her, not wanting to spook her.

“You’ve ensured I can never forget you.” She said with slurred words.

Darcy didn’t have to guess, he knew she was probably hallucinating Dave. With the amount of shot glasses surrounding her, it was a miracle she wasn’t dead. He glared at the bartender, she should have been cut off by now, but they kept serving her. It made him angry, but he had to focus. Monroe needed his help and support right now.

“I don’t understand. Why…why did you do that to me? Why?” Darcy watched her from behind for a moment. He didn’t know how to approach her.

Monroe looked over at the mirage of Dave. He spoke finally, for the first time in the entire night. “Because I love you.”

Monroe shook her head as tears continued falling down her face. “No! No that isn’t love! Tell me why!” She yelled out. Darcy had seen enough, he spoke up, trying to get Monroe’s attention. “Monroe.”

Monroe did not acknowledge him. She continued shaking her head as Dave spoke again. “You’re my girl.”

Darcy called for her again, sitting on the stool beside her, where her attention had been directed. She didn’t react to Darcy’s presence; it was as if she was still seeing someone else. Darcy reached for Monroe’s face, holding her gently.

Monroe’s eyes widened with terror at Dave as he spoke again. “Your life is mine and mine alone.” This time she could actually feel his hand on her skin, and it made her panic. She stumbled out of the stool, nearly falling backwards, but Dave reached out to her, grabbing her from the waist, steadying her. “No!” She screamed out.

Darcy was holding her as she struggled against him. Monroe did not realize it was Darcy who was holding her, all she saw was Dave. “Monroe! Mon? Please listen to me, he’s not here. Dave isn’t here. It’s only me. You have to calm down.”

Monroe heard the words but could not process them. His words…didn’t sound like they came from Dave. She rubbed her eyes, wiping away tears as she did. After a moment her eyes adjusted, and she finally saw him. Dave wasn’t here; it was Darcy who had her in his arms. Darcy had tears in his eyes she noted.

Darcy knew it was bad. But he hadn’t realized the situation had become quite so dire. Monroe had relapsed. She looked at him with sad eyes as she called out to him. “Darcy?”

“Shh, it’s okay love. He’s not here.” Darcy tried.

“He…is everywhere.” She managed to say through hiccups.

After a moment Monroe’s eyes glazed over and rolled into the back of her head, collapsing in Darcy’s arms.

Darcy held her against his chest, trying to wake her. But it was no use, she was unconscious. He carried her over his shoulder, as he paid the tab and walked out of the bar. He made his way to their car and sat her in the passenger seat. He brushed her hair off her face after a moment. His heart hurt. “Don’t worry Mon. I’ll take you home.”