Pete's Pub

Sarah was too tired to fight. She choose a simple hamburger from the menu, and dozed on the bar stool until Pete brought it out. He shook her to wake her up, and led her by the hand through the back of the bar to a door that opened to a flight of stairs leading up. With the hamburger in one hand and her hand in the other, Pete slowly led her up the stairs. At the top was another door, and this one opened into his apartment.

There was a small table for two just inside the door. Pete put the hamburger down and guided Sarah to the chair. He went to the back as she slowly chewed, each bite reviving her a little more. She looked around at his apartment. It wasn't large by any means, but she could see how he could live very comfortably here. She noticed a window in the living area that was letting in bright light. Since it was night outside, this confused her a bit, so she got up and walked over to it, and saw that it looked down upon the pub. She could see Brian sitting in his usual stool and several customers at the various tables.

Pete came back out into the living area. "Do you like it? I had it put in on purpose – not because I wanted to spy or anything, but it's nice to be able to keep an eye on the pub while I'm up here. One time when we had some suspicious activity going on, I allowed the police to come up here and do a stake out. They didn't see what they wanted to, but it was nice to know they could use it if they needed. Would you like to see the rest of the apartment?"

Across from the table was a small kitchenette, with a very small gas range, refrigerator and microwave. The sink was on the back wall with a cabinet over it. Next he led her down the hallway where there was a door on either side and a door at the end. The door on the left was the second bedroom where she would be sleeping. She peeked in and saw that it was small but adequate, with a closet and dresser as he said. The door on the right side was his bedroom – somewhat larger, with an en suite bathroom included. At the end of the hall was the main bathroom, the one that she would be using. It contained a tub/shower combination and a small vanity next to the toilet.

Pete turned and said, "That's the tour. There's not much to look at, but since I spend most of my waking time in the pub, there's more than enough room up here for me. And you'll find that there's plenty of room for you as well. You really need to sleep tonight, but I hope you'll stay on at least for the two weeks. You'll see that you'll have much more energy at work if you come and get even a few regular hours of sleep."

Sarah was too tired to argue tonight. She finished the burger and handed him the plate. He led her back to her bedroom and pulled the blankets back for her. She sat on the side of the bed and removed her shoes. Pete said, "I'll be downstairs if you need anything. Right now you need your privacy. Have a good night's sleep, my friend Sarah." He leaned down to kiss her on the cheek before heading out, closing her bedroom door behind him.

Sarah took off her skirt and blouse and climbed in the bed in just her bra and panties. She smiled as she relived his kiss on her cheek. It was that memory she took with her as she dropped into a deep sleep.

******

Sarah awoke to a light tapping sound. She sat up, not sure where she was for a moment. There was a window on the wall next to the bed she was in, and it was letting in the first light of a new morning. The tapping continued and a deep voice called out her name. It was hearing the voice that brought her back to reality. She was in the spare bedroom in Pete's apartment, and he was knocking on the door to wake her up.

She cleared her throat and answered, "What is it, Pete?"

Through the door, he called out, "It's 6:00 a.m. and I figured you would want to be to the office early. I have cooked some breakfast for you – get dressed and come on out."

Sarah smiled. Pete was intent on taking care of her. "Okay, Pete – thanks. I'll be out shortly."

She discovered a lamp on the table beside the bed and turned it on. She found her skirt and blouse and slipped them on, realizing that if she went to work this way, it would be the third day in a row for this outfit. She decided to forgo her shoes for now. Walking gingerly across the cool wood floor, she opened the door and looked out into the kitchenette of the apartment, where Pete stood at the tiny stove, frying pan in hand containing what looked to be a ham and cheese omelet.

He deftly scooped the omelet out of the pan with a spatula, guiding it to a plate he had sitting on the counter. Opening a drawer next to the stove, he grabbed a fork and placed in on the plate next to the omelet, and then handed it to Sarah.

As she cut into her first bite, Pete spoke again. "I have salt and pepper next to you. There's salsa and hot sauce in the refrigerator as well. Can I get something for you?"

She looked up at Pete and said, "Haven't you done enough? This omelet smells magnificent! I don't need anything to cover up the flavor."

Pete smiled as he turned back toward the kitchenette, where he began to wash the cookware and utensils used to make Sarah's omelet. He quickly dried them and put them away, returning the kitchenette to the spotless condition she had first seen it in last night. Next, he came over to the little table and sat in the empty chair next to Sarah.

She could tell he wanted to say something by the way he was fidgeting, but she didn't want to pry, so she tried to ignore his movements. As soon as she finished the last bite of her omelet, he couldn't keep quiet anymore.

"So did you sleep well last night?"

She put her fork down as she said, "Yes, all night, like a baby. Thank you for your gracious hospitality, for the stay last night and the breakfast today."

He kept on with his questions. "Did you hear me come in last night?"

She shook her head. "I didn't hear you, and I didn't hear any sounds from the pub. All was quiet."

This was what Pete wanted to hear. "Then listen, Sarah, because I have a plan. As well as you slept last night, you should count this apartment as your second home while you work on this big project. It just makes sense! If you'll let me, we'll go over to your apartment in my car so you can pick up some clothes and personal items, like shampoo or anything else you might need during your stay. What do you say?"

Sarah paused, not sure what to say, and then realized the questions she had in her mind needed to come out. "Why are you doing this, Pete? I am so appreciative of your hospitality. I admit I haven't slept like that in years – it was as if you knew what I needed, and then you made it happen. The breakfast was amazing, your kindness is second to none, and it's obvious that you are always a very happy person. So why me – why is all of this directed at me? We hardly know each other!"

The concern on Pete's face shone through as he answered, "Because, my friend, I saw your kind come and go often during my nearly 20 years at BH&H, and a lot of those washed out, because in their drive to climb their way to the top, they forgot to be a person outside of the firm. Even though I've only known you for a couple of days, I can tell that you could be one of those persons, and I don't want it to happen to you."

"I appreciate that, Pete – I really do. But that still doesn't really answer the 'why.'

Pete sat down in the empty chair next to Sarah and put his hand on top of hers. "When you came into the pub for the first time the other night, I could see that you were tired, frustrated and basically lost because you weren't in control of your situation. When that train pulled away without you, you were being held captive in an unfamiliar place until the next one arrived. And yet even with that coldness inside, I was able to get you to warm up and smile, and when that Sarah came out, it was like the difference between night and day! I understand the driven Sarah is who you've been for a long time, but in the process, you've neglected your happy side.

"I don't want you waking up in 15 more years and finding out your spouse has cheated on you because of a lack of affection, and your kids are wary of you because you never had time to see them as kids. I lost a lot, Sarah, and I can't blame being a lawyer on all of it. But I know once I quit and followed my dream to build this place, I haven't felt like that lost and lonely lawyer since. It's been a complete transformation, and it saved my life!

"So the least I can do for you is make your load a little less heavy. While you're struggling to conquer the world, I'll help you down here in this little corner. Believe me, I won't hardly notice you in this spare room because when you're awake, I'll mostly be in the pub. But if it makes your journey a little easier, it's my honor to help you."

By the time he was finished with his answer, Sarah was nearly in tears. Other than her mother, she couldn't remember a time when someone had reached out to her in such a caring way. Any hesitation she had about staying in his extra bedroom quickly vanished. His heartfelt offer to help her avoid what he had seen bring down other young lawyers proved to her that he was genuine in his kindness and happiness.

She grabbed Pete's hand that was on top of hers and said, "Okay, Pete – you've made a convincing argument to the jury, and they've come back in your favor. Let's go get some of my things."

They both stood up together, and as Pete turned to grab his keys and jacket, Sarah intercepted him and wrapped her arms around him in a big hug. An obviously surprised Pete dropped his jacket and hugged back. They stood there together, locked in a warm embrace, until Sarah broke it and stepped back. Raising her hand and cupping his face, she looked at Pete and whispered, "Thank you for being my friend. It's nice to know someone is on your side for a change." As she turned to go get her own coat, she kissed him on the cheek, and then walked to her bedroom.

Pete stood there in a bit of a stunned state. He tried to convince himself that it was just a gesture of thanks when she put her hand on his face and kissed him. But as he watched her come out of her room with a smile on her face, he couldn't help but smile back. If he had to admit it, he enjoyed the hug. Other than some of his favorite customers while in the pub, it had been a long time since he had made such close contact with a woman. He was trying to let this pass as just one friend to another, but as they walked down the stairs to his car, he also realized that Sarah was a nice looking woman, although at least 20 years younger than him.

For the first time in a long time, Pete realized he wasn't in control of his thoughts. One of the things he had learned as a lawyer was that those who were most successful could concentrate on only the work that was in front of them. Driving out distractions from one's mind was critical if you were going to devote all of your faculties to the case at hand. It was knowledge that was critical to successful survival.

So why could he not follow that advice in this situation? This was just a customer he was willing to help because he had been through the same experiences she was facing, and he just wanted to make her life a little easier. If the situation was that simple, there should be no concern in Pete's mind right now. A verbal contract had been reached; both parties accepted the terms; now it was time for the contracted scenario to begin, and that should be the end of it.

But Pete wasn't getting away from it that easily. Helping out a young friend was one thing. Experiencing conflicting emotions following a hug and kiss was something completely different. He may have never offered his room to Sarah if he was suddenly going to have questions about their relationship. Perhaps he was reading something into the situation that simply wasn't there. It was just a hug and a kiss, after all – an exchange between two friends, one who had the resources to help, and one who needed the help.

That's what it was, Pete thought to himself as he drove across town to Sarah's apartment. They had established this agreement that was mutually acceptable to both parties. When he thought of it like that, it sounded like a professional partnership, and everyone knows you never mix business with pleasure. And except for the tugging feeling way down deep in the hidden recesses of his heart, he felt completely comfortable with this new partnership.

******

The first week of the special project took its toll on Sarah, both intellectually and physically. She continued with the long hours at the office – many spent on the phone with representatives of both companies – as well as long work sessions with her team members. They met with Robert Ward each morning at 8:00, and for the most part, those meetings were affirmations of the quality of work the team was producing. Mr. Ward's guidance was invaluable to Sarah. She felt that with each positive review meeting, he was becoming more assured that Sarah was the right person to lead the team he had created.

Sarah had brought five of her professional outfits to Pete's apartment, as well as some casual clothes for the time she wasn't at work. During that first week, she had used the apartment nearly every day at some point. She wasn't keeping regular hours, so a couple of times she went there for an afternoon nap. Pete was doing things like leaving food for her in the refrigerator in the little kitchenette, and leaving encouraging notes laying around the apartment for her to see and read. She was amazed at how he could get her to smile even when he wasn't around!

If she had been worried that the two of them would be in each other's way in the tiny apartment, she soon found out that nothing could be further from the truth. Their schedules were not similar at all. On the nights she didn't work straight through, Sarah would leave the office sometime after 10:00 p.m. She would walk through the pub to get to the apartment stairs, and usually Pete had a sandwich and tea waiting for her. Pete usually didn't get upstairs until after 2:00 a.m., and Sarah was always sleeping by that time. She'd get up and head to the office before he awoke late morning to start his day in the pub.

By Sunday, Sarah could tell she needed a break, and she figured her team probably did as well. So she had them come and work until 2:00 that afternoon, and then told them to forget about the project until 8:00 the next morning. She really wanted to stay and do some more work without them, but then she remembered what Pete had said about having a life outside of the law firm. So after the team had left, she packed up her things and headed to the pub.

She was surprised to see a good Sunday afternoon crowd there, until she realized there was a car race on the screens to which people seemed drawn. Her usual spot at the end of the bar was open, so she headed straight there. Pete was nowhere to be found, but the blond girl that had been working earlier in the week was there, as well as a couple of other servers attending to the race crowd.

The girl came over to Sarah and looked at her with a puzzling expression at first, but quickly softened up into a smile. "You were in here the other night, weren't you? I saw you then but didn't get a chance to come over and meet you. My name's Nora – welcome back!"

She reached out to shake Sarah's hand. "Hi, Nora – I'm Sarah. I just discovered this place earlier this week, but I feel as if I've been coming here all my life!"

Nora smiled. "Good – that's what we love to hear! I'll be sure to tell Dad you said that."

It was Sarah's turn to express a quizzical look. "Dad? Is Pete your father?"

Nora laughed and replied, "Yes, I'm afraid he is! Could you not tell that the other night? People tell me we look exactly alike, especially now that his hair is a lighter shade with all of the gray in it!"

Sarah looked more closely, and realized she could see the resemblance as well. Pete hadn't said anything specific about his kids, only that he nearly lost his family when he lost his wife in part to the hours he was putting in at BH&H. Meeting Nora for the first time created a desire within Sarah to know more about Pete and his family. But she felt like she'd rather hear it from Pete himself, so she decided not to press Nora about it.

Nora said, "Can I get you something this afternoon?"

Sarah replied, "An unsweetened ice tea, please."

"Very good – I'll be right back." Nora turned to get the tea, while Sarah watched her. She was very pretty, Sarah thought to herself. She thought Nora might be a little younger than her, although guessing people's ages wasn't something Sarah had ever taken the time to do. Nora was shorter than Sarah by a couple of inches, but then Sarah was used to always being one of the tallest girls in any situation, so Nora's height wasn't a surprise to her at all.

Nora delivered the tea, and Sarah thanked her and got off the stool. Her plan was to go up to the apartment to change into some comfortable clothes, and then relax for the rest of the evening. She turned back to Nora and said, "I'm going to take this tea upstairs to enjoy it. I'll bring the mug down later."

She could tell Nora was surprised to hear she was going up to the apartment, and realized maybe Pete had not told her about their arrangement. Suddenly finding herself in a bit of an awkward predicament, she quickly tried to explain it to Nora. "I'm sorry, I thought you knew that your dad is letting me use the spare bedroom in the apartment while I'm working on a big project at work. So far it's been great because are schedules are so opposite of each other that we never see each other in the apartment. It's allowed me to keep working on my project with an energy I would not have otherwise if I had to ride the train home."

Nora gave Sarah a half-smile at best, and Sarah could tell she wasn't alright with this news. But she tried to be as nice as she could when she said, "Well, Dad's always been a nice guy, so I shouldn't be surprised he came up with this idea. He's up there now, so you'll get a chance to see him until he comes down to relieve me at 6:00."

Sarah smiled, and as she turned to the back hall, she said, "Thanks, Nora – it was great to finally meet you!" She tried to sound as nice as she possibly could.

Nora returned the smile – again, probably half of what it was before, and said, "It's nice to meet you too, Sarah. I guess we'll be seeing lots more of you around here."

As Sarah walked down the hallway to the stairs, she felt confusion, among other emotions in which she wasn't familiar. She could understand why Nora might be surprised at finding out she was staying in the spare bedroom in her dad's apartment, but her confusion stemmed from the sudden change in attitude she felt once the news was delivered. Until then, she felt Nora was just as warm and caring as her dad. But their last words together held none of those sentiments.

Sarah arrived at the top of the stairs and slowly opened the door. Pete was sitting on the couch, and he smiled when he saw Sarah come in. But his smile quickly faded when he saw the look on Sarah's face. He got up and came over to her as soon as the apartment door was closed.

"Hello, Sarah – is something wrong?"

Sarah looked at him, and though she really didn't want to explain, she felt he deserved to know. "Yeah, I officially met Nora today, and while she was very friendly at first, her attitude changed when she found out I was staying in your spare bedroom for a couple of weeks. I don't think she knew that before I told her."

Now Pete was frowning as he came over to hug Sarah. "I'm sorry, Sarah, that was my fault. I didn't tell her because I didn't think she needed to know. Obviously that was a mistake. I'll talk to her later and tell her what's going on. It was unfair of her to react that way, but I'm not surprised. Ever since her mother and I got a divorce, both her and her brother Daniel like to try and find reasons to be disappointed in me."