Chereads / The Moon Sailors / Prologue: When the world changes.

Prologue: When the world changes.

"Can I have another?" Sadie asked, lifting her empty whisky glass above her head.

"Certainly, one moment." The bartender replied from the other end of the bar as the doors to the bar opened. Sadie didn't pay the newcomer any attention until he sat down next to next to her.

"Can I help you?" She asked, looking over at him. He wasn't ugly, but he wasn't the most handsome man in the world with his messy brown hair and pale complexion.

"Only if I can buy you a drink." The stranger replied, smiling a lopsided smile.

"You could buy me my next drink." She offered, showing her empty glass.

"Sounds like a plan to me." He replied, motioning for the bartender.

"What can I get you?" She asked him, taking Sadie's glass.

"A whiskey for her, and a cosmopolitan for me."

"Coming right up." The bartender replied cheerily, pouring more whiskey for her. The stranger pulled himself onto a stool next to her.

"So, what causes such a beautiful woman like you to come day drinking?" He asked, putting his elbows up on the bar.

"Can't a woman enjoy a drink alone?" She asked.

"Not dressed like they are about to go into a board meeting."

"I wish that I was going into a board meeting." She replied sadly. "I got fired from my job."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because I cannot have a job and be mother to three identical triplets. They constantly get sick, which means that I constantly have to take days off, which for a television journalist is not productive to getting work done."

"You were a journalist? That sounds like an interesting profession."

"It was." Sadie said as she turned towards her companion. "And what would a handsome man like you be doing in a bar like this?"

"I needed a break from my own set of triplets."

"You have triplets too?" She asked, surprised. "Identical or fraternal?"

"I do." He replied, taking a sip of his drink. "Fraternal triplet girls."

"Mine are boys." Sadie said, picking up her glass again.

They stayed there, talking for hours, learning as much as her alcohol muddled brain could retain. When the check came, neither wanted to go home to their children just yet.

"Let's go and get a hotel room." Her new friend Jonathan (She had since learned his name and that he and his daughters were from New York) suggested, and she agreed. "Can we have the checks please?" He asked, taking out his credit card. A very fancy credit card, she noted. American Express. Black. He must have a good job, she thought, as he payed the bill.

They left, and found a nearby hotel. It wasn't as fancy as his card, but Sadie (in her liquored up state) really couldn't care less. They checked in, made their way up to the room and before the door was closed they were stripping off each others clothes.

The sun beat down on the pair of entangled lovers as they woke up the next day.

"Good morning." Sadie said as she rolled to face Jonathan.

"Good morning to you too. Did you have a good sleep?"

"Much better than I have been recently." She replied, snuggling into his chest. "It's amazing how much sleep you can get when you aren't being awoken by three rambunctious ten-year-old's."

"Isn't it just?"

"I suppose you have work today?" She asked, looking at the time. 7.45 am. Not bad for a sleep-in.

"Yeah, I do." Jonathan replied, groaning. "And unfortunately I cannot call in sick. I have a deposition for a big criminal trial, as well as signing the divorce papers."

"That sounds fun." Sadie replied, rolling out of bed. "I have the mammoth task of figuring out how I can get paid."

"You know, my office has an opening for a receptionist. Yeah, the pay is not great, but the hours are flexible, with a large amount of the work being able to be done at home." Jonathan said, getting his wallet. "If you were interested, here is my card." He handed her a business card.

"Thank you, I will consider it." She took the card and looked at it as Jonathan got dressed. "Is it possible we could do this again some time? Getting drunk and getting a hotel together, I mean?"

"How about this weekend?"