The first part of the week was a hustle and bustle of things: projects needing launched, meetings, emails, and paperwork. They were the types of days lacking enough hours in them, and the evenings were spent relaxing, building up to the next.
Wednesday had come, and Charley had decided to spend the night at home. She dropped him off at the end of their day, saying their pouty goodbyes for a night or two, and trying not to linger too long as to not change their minds.
At first the silence and solitude was causing Charley to second guess his decision, but plants, laundry, and cleaning helped pass some time. A little more time was spent reaching out to his friends. McKenzie and Will had hit it off, and had a second date planned. Sabine called that one. Sam was still doing the family man thing, and asked how the job and lovelife was treating him.
As 9pm rolled around, Charley decided he needed to get out of his apartment. Making his way out the door he sauntered down the sidewalk, the light of the sun dimly painting the sky and slowly fading.
"Benny's" was a quiet little pub about a 5 minute walk away. He stepped in and a few patrons littered the joint. Nothing exciting, no crazy parties for midweek, no crowds or college kids getting silly. Mainly a few midlifers lounging with their cheap watery beers.
Charley took a seat at the bar, "Give me a Daydream Ale," he said to the bartender as he approached and gestured at him.
"Good choice."
The tender poured the glass, a tiny bit of head on top, and set it on a coaster in front of him. A screen played the typical bar tv images: reels of fails, feats, and extreme sports. He slowly sipped his beer and pulled out his phone.
"Decided to grab a drink at the pub down the street. Miss you. Life is a lot more boring without you around." He texted Sabine.
He was startled away from his phone time, when a large hand landed upon his shoulder. He looked back.
"I didn't expect to run into you here...." Matthew's spoke.
Taken aback, Charley stuttered, "Uh, h-hey Matthew. No, I didn't expect it either."
"Are you a regular?"
"I use to be more so, but not so much lately. You?"
"Yeah, it's a convenient spot for me. I'm surprised we haven't run into each other here before."
"Yeah, it's actually pretty convenient for me as well. I just haven't been staying much at my apartment."
"I wouldn't be if I were in your shoes either," he chuckled.
The bartender approached.
"I'll have whatever he's having," Matthew said, and the man behind the bar poured another glass.
"So I guess I should ask why you're here now. No problems I hope."
"Oh no, not that. Just needed to catch up on some things. I've been so sparse at home, it needed tending to."
"Completely understand. With my schedule, sometimes it all gets away from me." Matthew plopped down on the stool as he spoke.
"So were you successful?"
"Successful?"
"At catching up on your things?"
"Oh, yeah, I was. It wasn't too much. Just needed a few hours, and the beginning of this week has been non-stop. Deadlines, meetings...ongoing things that demand focus at work. So not overly exciting. How has your week been?"
"Oh, aside from my whole brain exploding, ya know....pretty average. I had Sunday off after I left, which I definitely needed. I ended up taking a nice hike, and then it was back to work for me."
"Trust me, I understand the whole brain exploding thing....and all that. She's pulled a hell of a lot of doozies out on me."
"I'd believe that...given the whole..."
"Yeah.... So do you like waiting tables?" Charley felt uncomfortable discussing those things near the bartender.
"Oh, well, it's good money. I enjoy people, I don't think I'm bad at it, and we get a lot of good tippers. Especially Sabi...Ms Coultier."
"Almost lost it there..." Charley joked.
"I'll have to check myself. But no...it works for me right now. "
"That's cool."
"So what do you do, if you don't mind me asking."
"Well, I was a designer but now I apparently got promoted to design lead. So that's a new thing. Basically I create visuals for ideas passed down from marketing. Except, now...I oversee that whole team. It's an adjustment."
"Sounds intense."
"You have no idea, Sabine is...also my boss."
"Oh....Wow! Holy shit."
"Yeah. Don't get me wrong. I love it, and it's fun...but the actual position is a little more than I expected. I'm growing into it."
Matthew flagged the bartender down. "Get him a shot of his choice and a beer, and I'll have a tequila and another one of these "
The bartender then looked at Charley,
"Give me the same."
The shots arrived first.
"To your new position." Matthew raised his glass.
"To the new position." Their glasses clanked.
Their beers were set in front of them.
"And...to a new..friendship," Matthew raised his glass again.
Charley bumped the beer glass and they both took a swig.
Matthew leaned over and said, "You want to move to that table?" Pointing to the table off to the side.
"Sure."
They grabbed their glasses and walked to the table. As they were sitting down, Charley's phone buzzed. He reached for it.