“Rob, Can you and the guys take over for a bit I’m taking a break.” I asked one of my employees. He nodded back. For some reason I just had to talk to this woman. I didn’t even know her name.

“Here ya go. It’s on the house. But if you want any more to drink it’ll have to be something tamer than a vodka double!” I laughed as I put the drink down in front of her. I grabbed a stool and placed it across from her as I was still in the serving part of the bar. They could still get around me if need be.

She lifted her head and looked at me with a slight smile. Yep, you still got it Davies. You can still make crying women cheer up a bit.

“So, why Is the drink on the house? Won’t your boss have something to say about that?” she took the drink anyway and waited for an answer.

“Well, I am the boss.” I smiled at her waiting for some sort of reaction. I was waiting for the usual ‘ but you’re too young’ speech. Anything along those lines is what usually spurted out.

“Oh. How cool is that? I would love to be my own boss. But before that happens I’d like to be talking to my family so I’d have at least Some support.” She took a packet of cigarettes out of her bag. “You want one?” I took a smoke from her and lit it. Relishing the burn as it slid down into my lungs and back out again.

“So, uh…”I realised I didn’t know her name. “Spencer.. Spencer Carlin” She held her hand out. I took it and shook it. “ I’m Ashley. Ashley Davies. So Spencer… What happened that has made you down 4 shots of vodka in this short space of time?” She looked and me with a pained expression, I knew she wanted to talk about it. I just didn’t want to push it too much. I didn’t even know the woman.

“ Well today we had a family lunch. As we do every Sunday. Now all us kids are grown and out of the house, it’s a way for all of us to reconnect again.” I looked at her to let her know to continue.