The Long Way Home

by Phillip Overton

  ****

  Doug opened his eyes and slowly lifted his head to look at the alarm clock beside his bed. He raised his eyebrows, trying to focus on the numbers and immediately felt the temples on his head begin to pound. 8.46 didn’t make his head feel any better so he let it crash back down onto his pillow.

  “Man, what a headache,” he groaned softly into the pillow. ‘How much did I have to drink last night?’ he wondered to himself. Then remembering the events of last night he sat bolt upright in bed. He reached out his hand, feeling the empty space next to him on the double bed. It was cold.

  “Samantha?” He quietly asked the empty room. There was no reply. He shuffled across the bed and looked down at the floor thinking that she may have fallen out of bed. Only the clothes that he wore last night lay strewn and crumpled on the long pile carpet. He climbed out of bed and realised he was stark naked. Quickly snatching his clothes up from on the floor, he dressed and headed out of the bedroom.

  The apartment he shared with his brother was only small, he stepped out of the bedroom into a short hallway that spilled out into the open lounge and dining room, staggered around the corner and turned to face the kitchen that opened off the dining room.

  “Good morning sunshine.” He looked up, surprised to see his brother leaning against the kitchen sink with a cup of coffee in his hands.

  “What are you doing here?” Doug grumbled.

  “Not a real morning person are you Doug?”

  “Sorry, it’s just I thought you had gone back to um…”

  “Vanessa?”

  “Yeah, Vanessa’s house.”

  “I did. It was great, and then I got up early and got a cab home before she woke up.”

  “What for?”

  “Sure we had a fun night, but it’s not like I’m looking for a relationship or anything. I just saved both of us from all that awkward chit-chat the next morning.”

  “Sensitive chap aren’t you Barry.”

  “Just being honest, that’s all. She liked me, I liked her. Bottom line is that we were just two strangers making the most of the night.”

  “I suppose you haven’t seen Samantha this morning?” Doug asked, realising that from what his brother had just said he had already answered his own question.

  “Yeah, I bumped into her this morning as I was coming home. It turned out that she was the taxi drivers’ next job. I’m sorry Doug. It was probably for the best you know. But tell me, did you have a great time last night or what?”

  “I feel so stupid. How did I let myself get talked into something like this?”

  “Relax, it’s okay mate. We’re all grown-ups.”

  “She didn’t leave her phone number or anything?”

  “Why don’t you read the note she left you on the bench.”

  Doug rushed over and picked up the small piece of paper she had scrawled a hurried letter on and read it aloud.

  Dear Doug

  Thanks for a great time last night. I’ll always carry the memory with me. Meeting you was such a pleasant change from any other man I’ve ever met. I left a little something to remember me by on your pillow, take care.

  Love Samantha

  P.S. I hope you didn’t mind, I was a little short for the taxi fare so I borrowed some money from your wallet.

  “So what did she leave on your pillow?” Barry asked.

  “I don’t know, I haven’t looked yet.” Doug said as he grabbed his wallet of the bench and fumbled frantically to open it.

  “At least she left you a note Doug. That rarely happens to me. Of course most times they stay for the morning, either that or if I’m not sure that I like them that much I always suggest that we go back to her house. A note though is always a sign of a top night.”

  Doug plunged his hand inside and pulled out a five dollar note, looking up at his brother he said, “You’d reckon wouldn’t you? I had 25 dollars left in my wallet for the week, and she takes 20 bucks! Where was she getting a taxi to, Sydney?”

  “Relax mate, she probably wasn’t sure of the fare.”

  “Five bucks would have covered it to where ever she was going.”

  “Well maybe she was in a rush and grabbed the wrong note. You know what I mean? Maybe she meant to grab the five dollars. Anyway she did say in her note that she only borrowed it.”

  “Wake up Barry.” Doug exclaimed, his voice now sounding mad. “There’s no phone number, there’s no address, there’s no ‘I’ll see you next week’ and there’s definitely no chance of seeing her again.”

  “What did you expect Doug, to get married again? I mean c’mon, she said she left you something on your pillow, why don’t you go and see what it is and remember the night for what it was meant to be, a bit of fun.”

  “I don’t know how you do this.” Doug said. “I feel like I’m going to be sick.”

  “Well just remember, I’m not cleaning it up! If you’re going to be sick, don’t do it here, go to the bathroom.”

  Doug turned and ran back up the hallway, throwing the door wide open he just managed to lift the toilet seat in time to stick his head inside, grab the toilet bowl with both hands and spew for all he was worth. The cold sweat broke out on his forehead and his legs began to tremble, he hurled again and immediately felt better. The feeling of being sick began to pass and the dull throbbing headache slowly returned in its place. He got to his feet, flushed the toilet and washed his face and hands.

  “Hey Doug,” Barry’s voice came from down the hallway excitedly. “Check it out mate. She left you a lipstick kiss on your pillow!”

  There was no doubting this was the worst hangover of his life.