Promises

It is a dusty night. Dry and dark Ernest sits waiting, sipping on his second beer. On the weekend this place is packed and the music is like swordfish trombones, but its Thursday and the mood is kind of blue. He knows that Lucy will be late; she always was and tonight would be no exception.
The waitress came up and asked if he needed anything, “No thanks.”
“You’re lookin’ mighty quiet sittin’ there all alone.” Lucy walked in wearing a John Coltrane t-shirt that slightly showed off her mid-drift. She had a way of heating up a room that Ernest could not help but watch when she walked in. She was like electric sugar, everyone paid attention.
“What took you so long?”
“I needed cigarettes.”
“I feel like a preacher wearing a gun.” Ernest said while staring at her.
“Are you sure that we made the right choice?”
“Why? Are you starting to regret it?....I know that it had to be hard for you, but in the bigger picture it was the right decision. Could you imagine what they would say if it came out about us? Everything that I’ve sacrificed, everything that I’ve worked so hard for it wouldn’t mean anything now. Do you still believe? I need you to still believe.”
“What am I supposed to do with this? With us?”
“Forget it. Put it all behind you. This did not happen.”
Lucy looked hard at him, and Earnest looked at her with the same intensity that won him so many votes. He has a way of convincing people that they are very important to him and what he is saying is extremely important to them.
The waitress came up and asked Lucy if she wanted anything to drink.
“I’ll have a club soda and cranberry juice.”
Lucy sipped on her drink and listened to the sounds around her. People were playing pool and Lucinda Williams was on the jukebox. The neon lights moaned quietly in the bay window as the moon wept, dripping onto the stars. A couple was arguing in a booth on the other side of the room. The greasy cooks in the kitchen were laughing loud at something someone said. The waitress was on the phone pleading with the babysitter.
“Just thirty more minuets and I promise that I’ll be there. I really need you to stick around. Please, I can’t leave right now,” the waitress said while twisting the chord between her fingers. Lucy watched her and wondered how she felt; wondered if, deep inside, the waitress sometimes wished she didn’t have any kids. The waitress looked to be in her mid-thirties, with a body that once drowned in sexuality, but now was dry with worries, bills, and schedules.
Earnest was still not sure. “How much was everything?” He said shifting in his seat.
“Don’t worry about it, the whole thing feels weird, especially the idea of taking money from you. I wanna forget that place.”
“Please, I insist. Let me help, this will all be behind us once we leave, but let me give you some money.”
“Tell you what, if you want to make this better, walk out of here holding my hand. Get in the car and we can drive to a new city, start a new life. We could be a family.”
“Lucy, I already have a family. Plus my work, what would happen? I can’t just leave it behind. It’s more important than you and more important than me.”
“I know, I just thought that it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Promise me one thing.”
“All right .”
“Promise me that you don’t hate me.”
“I could never hate you.”
Lucy finishes her drink and walks out the door. Earnest stands up and after she passed through the door orders one more drink. He sits in the booth and half smiles. He knew that everything is going to be all right now. One blemish in an outstanding career; now that it has been wrapped up nobody will ever know. He can continue to set up protests, organize churches, pass bills that make it harder and harder for doctors to perform the procedure. He will make a difference in the most important fight of his generation.
Lucy drives home in her 98’ Ford. She is heading home eager for sleep, to put this night behind her. Tomorrow will be a long day, she has already decided she is going to go to the store and start looking for deals on cribs, bottles, and clothes. She has decided that she is going to do this alone and Earnest can go to hell. She doesn’t care if anyone finds out; she will never be ashamed of her baby.