A Lonely Sky (3 page)

Julia felt her face flush hot. “Move!” She pushed Bob out of the booth. “If you think this is so funny, then I’ll just walk back myself.” She scooted to the edge of the seat and stood, waiting to see if anyone would join her.

“You know the way back?” Chris asked as he took another sip of beer. Kim simply offered her an apologetic smile.

No one even seemed to care she was leaving! She steadied her voice. “I need directions.”

“And we’ll give them to you.” Bob winked at Kim and Chris. “
After
we finish our drinks.”

“I really don’t remember the way back either, Jules.” Kim said. “It must be the beer. Please wait for us.”

Julia’s jaw tightened and she folded her arms across her chest. The thought of spending one more moment with obnoxious Bob made her skin crawl, but she knew that waiting for her friends would be wiser than ending up lost.

“Fine. But I’m not sitting
here
.” There.
That
would show them she meant business.

She glanced around the tavern. The place now bustled with patrons, and only a few seats at the bar remained empty. Julia dreaded sitting alone but hoped her defiant act proved how desperate she was to leave.

She tried to appear braver than she felt. “Okay then. Fine. I guess I’ll be at the bar when you’re ready.” Feigning stoicism, she willed herself to walk away, hoping all the while her friends would change their minds.

To her frustration, none of the three seemed to care what she did. Swallowing hard, she walked towards an empty seat at the bar. She stared straight ahead as she reached a three-legged stool. As she sat down, she wondered exactly what she thought she proved. After all, she was still in the tavern, still waiting for her friends, but now hopelessly alone.

It was quiet at this section of the bar. To her left sat a tall, handsome man who appeared to be alone. He sipped an amber colored liquid and stared at his tumbler as if in deep thought. On her right, a young couple whispered and smiled at each other, their hands intermingling. No one noticed her. Good. She’d just sit quietly and wait for her friends.

“Guten Abend!” With a loud bang, the wooden doors at the end of the bar swung open. A short, stout, balding man sporting a ruddy complexion, gray mustache and full beard sauntered in. He spied Julia, and placed a cocktail napkin in front of her. He smiled wide, exposing straight white teeth and spoke loud German to her.

So much for her trek into oblivion.

“Ich spreche German nicht.” She answered, back. Ironically, telling someone she didn’t know German was one of the very few phrases she
did
know.

The bartender laughed, his thumbs hooked in his suspenders. “That okay, Fräulein,” he said in a heavy German accent. “I know that. I tease you, yah?”

Julia blushed and hoped the dim lighting did not expose her lack of confidence.

“He asked what you want to drink.” The man on her left spoke in a deep voice and thick, British accent.

“So Fräulein. What you want?” The bartender waited for her order.

She wanted to leave, but she found herself answering in a soft, weak voice. “Water?”

“Water?” The bartender let loose a boisterous laugh causing the other patrons to glance towards the bar. Julia wanted to crawl under it and hide.

“Water? She wants water!” The bartender laughed again as he slammed a frosty mug on the counter and filled it from a nozzle. Then, leaning in close to her, he winked and whispered. “Heimo just tease you, Fräulein. Water, good. You get my draft, no?”

“Drift.” The British man spoke. “It is ‘drift’ old man, not ‘draft’.”

“Okey-dokey!” Heimo laughed as he walked away through the swinging doors. Julia reached for her water.

“You’re American then?” The Englishman turned towards her.

So much for being alone.

She glanced over. He was rather handsome, well dressed in dark jeans and a white Oxford shirt with rolled sleeves. His thick dark hair was neatly combed away from his face, revealing kind, light eyes. He didn’t seem drunk or lecherous, just curious.

“You do speak English?” He waited for her answer.

He didn’t seem to be hitting on her, but if he was, she’d make a beeline to her friends. “I’m American.”

The man smiled. He had thin lips, and his eyes crinkled just slightly at the corners. “What brings you to this sleepy little town?”

Julia studied his face as he spoke. His eyes were heavily browed, yet his well-defined cheekbones gave him an aristocratic look. She placed his age somewhere between his late twenties or early thirties.

“I’m here with my church choir,” she said. “We’re touring and singing in monasteries in Germany and Austria.”

“Ah.” The reply was simple, as if he expected her answer. He reached into the pocket of a tweed brown jacket on which he sat and pulled out cigarettes. Placing one in his mouth, he turned to her again. “Mind if I smoke?”

“No.”

“You?” He offered her the package.

“No thanks.” She politely waved it away.

He replaced the package and lit the cigarette with matches from the bar. “Enjoying your holiday then, are you?”

Julia glanced back at her friends. Kim, Bob and Chris lifted their glasses in another toast, oblivious to her existence.

The man turned and followed her stare. “Your friends?”

Julia reached for her water, taking a sip. “Yeah.”

“Why then, love, are you sitting here?”

Julia looked back at the man. His eyes showed no pity or condensation, just concern.

“They’re drunk.”

“Ah.” The man took a long drag on his cigarette, and watched the exhaled smoke fade into air. “And you don’t wish to join in the frivolity?”

Julia sighed, embarrassed to explain. “We aren’t supposed to be in a tavern, and we have to be up early tomorrow for a tour of the town and to sing at Town Hall.”

Flicking his ashes in an ashtray, he turned and donned a mischievous smile. “Well, love, your secret is safe with me. I won’t tell anyone you were out, getting soused and fooling about.”

“Thanks.” She allowed herself a slight smile.

“All right then,” he continued. “Since you’re stuck with me for company, may I ask your name?”

Julia hesitated. Despite his apparent kindness, she knew to be cautious. Before she could answer, Heimo appeared from the back room, asking if refills were needed. His eyes fell on Julia and he smiled. “I see you met Mr. Movie Star, yah?”

“Movie star?” Julia looked at the Englishman again. He certainly possessed movie star looks.

He drew another drag on his cigarette and winked. “Don’t listen to a word Heimo says, love. I’m no bloody movie star.”

Heimo refilled his drink. “Don’t let him fool you, Fräulein. This is Sam Lyons!”

Julia rolled the name over in her mind, but couldn’t place it. “Are you a European actor or something?”

Sam chuckled low, and extinguished his cigarette. “Don’t listen to the barman.”

The couple on Julia’s right beckoned to Heimo for more drinks. As he tended them, Julia turned to Sam. “Seriously, are you an actor?”

“You could say that.” He looked away, as if embarrassed.

“What do you do?”

“Stage work, mostly. Shakespeare. That sort of thing.”

“Don’t let him be foolin’ you, Fräulein.” Heimo returned, pouring liquor into more glasses. “He’s to be on the television.”

“You
are
?” Julia found herself impressed with this handsome stranger. He lived her dream.

Sam rolled his eyes, but laughed. “Actually, I’ve done television before, bit parts here and there.”

Heimo talked over his shoulder as he headed to the couple on Julia’s right. “He’ll get his break soon. He’s goin’ to be in a movie. Ask him!”

“What movie?” Julia tried to conceal her excitement.

“Look.” Sam lit another cigarette. “I’m only up for a part. It’s a mini-series for the BBC. I don’t have the part yet and I think it’s bad luck to talk about it before I have it.” He turned to her again, his eyes kind and apologetic. “I’m not trying to give you the brush off, Miss, but I’m just superstitious that way.”

“Believe me. I completely understand. I wanted to study acting, but-”

“You poor, poor child.” Sam winked. “I suggest you have a drink and start drowning your sorrows early. It’s a miserable life so far. I’m ten years into it and still bloody broke.”

Disappointment flooded Julia. The last thing she wanted to hear was how difficult the life was. She looked away unable to respond.

Sam seemed to sense her quiet. “I don’t mean to discourage you.”

She looked down at her water. “That’s okay. I hear it all the time from my father.” She rose to leave. This evening became worse by the minute. “I should see if my friends want to go.”

His hand on her arm stopped her. “I’ve upset you.”

Julia forced a smile. If Sam only knew how sad she really felt, he’d see what a great actress she already was. “No, it’s not you. It’s just been a long day and I need some sleep. It was nice-”

Bob staggered up to the bar, slurring his words. “We’re gonna have just one more.”

“You’re pretty drunk as it is,” Julia said.

Bob nudged himself between Julia and Sam and shoved three steins towards Heimo. “One more round, my good man!”

Julia glanced at the booth. Kim and Chris huddled together, deep in conversation and each other. She sat back down, and stared at the floor. She’d rather be anywhere than in this tavern.

Bob scooped up the drinks. “Later.” He stumbled back to the table.

“Look,” Sam spoke. “I could walk you back to your hotel. Where are you staying?”

“Thank you, but I’ll just wait for my friends.” She didn’t intend her words to sound as sharp as they did. Sam looked down at his drink.

Heimo walked over. “Fräulein, Sam is a good man, and will cause no harm to you if he walks you home.”

“It’s the least I can do,” Sam said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I promise you, Fräulein,” Heimo said. “Me and Sam are not in, how do you say,
cahoots
? Yah,
cahoots
. We are not in cahoots to steal your fresh American passport.”

Julia smiled at the funny little bartender and felt reassurance in his twinkling eyes. She turned towards Sam, and sized him up again. She liked what she saw.

“I’m staying at Friedliches Haus. Do you know where it is?”

“Of course.” Sam smiled. “I’m not staying too far from there. I’d be happy to see you safely back.”

“Let me tell my friends I’m going.”

Sam stubbed out his cigarette and picked up his jacket.

Julia walked over to the booth. “I’m leaving.”

She finally won their attention.

“You are?” Kim said, as if this were the first time Julia mentioned it. “I’ll go, too.”

Julia breathed a sigh of relief, but Bob interjected. “Oh, come on, Kimmie. Just stay ‘till I finish my drink.” He picked up his beer and chugged about half. “It’ll only be a few more minutes.”

“Just wait, Jules, we’re almost done. As soon as Bob finishes, we’ll go,” Chris said.

Julia clenched her jaw. How many times would they promise to leave? The evening only grew later.

“Ready?” Sam walked up beside her, and she suddenly felt very small next to Sam’s tall frame. She barely came up to his chest. Surely he could protect her from whatever evils the Rothenburg streets might harbor? She felt comforted by the thought until she realized that he could easily overpower her as well.

Her friends appeared dumbstruck by Sam’s offer to walk her back. The look on their faces made her giggle. She felt a sort of redemption in their shock. Perhaps calling their bluff would be all it took to get them to leave?

“That’s okay, Chris,” Julia said. “You guys stay. I met Sam at the bar and he’s going to walk me back.”

“Okay then.” Bob reached for his beer. “Maybe we can get another round.”

Kim jumped out of the booth and pulled Julia away from Sam. “Are you crazy?” she whispered. “You can’t walk back with a stranger!”

“Then come with me!”

“I can’t leave
now
. Chris isn’t ready to go and I think he’s working up the nerve to ask me out.”

“Fine. Then I’m leaving with Sam.”

Kim paused and glanced from Chris to Julia. “Are you sure?”

“I’ll be okay.” She tried to hide her disappointment. “The bartender says Sam’s a good guy. But if you happen to find my body on the way home-”

“Stop that. I just want to stay with Chris, okay?”

“Okay,” Julia said, not feeling okay at all. “Be careful and I’ll see you later.”

The girls returned to the booth. Julia felt sorry for leaving Sam in the company of the two soused boys. He smiled at her, seemingly grateful for her return.

“I guess I’m ready,” she said.

Sam guided her towards the door and into the night.