A year later

“Hey man, welcome to Blackbird Hamlet, shall we get some beers and check out the hottest women in the town?,” Red faced, overweight, Ted Summers shook Phillip Morris’s hand outside of the town of Brew Crew beer pub that hosted man of the residents in the evening of the weekends.

“Thanks, glad we can meet so soon,” Phillip’s back vibrated as Ted slapped hard his back in response.

Phillip shuddered when he felt the slime of the sweat cradled in Ted’s hand sit on his back and when Ted was more focused on a small group of women inside, he wiped it on the back of his pants. Something told him, that while Ted seemed more about socializing, he apparently was the best in the area for child custody cases. And as this Friday night, Phillip found this odd business meeting was somehow common for this area, he desperately needed Ted’s expertise, and he wasn’t going to fuss.

The two men walked inside and sat down in the corner where they could hear each other, as the loud chatter of the people at the bars and in the booths gave Phillip a reassurance that he made a good choice in moving his daughter to Blackbird Hamlet, rather than a busy city like nearby Toronto.

 “Everyone, this is Phillip Morris, he is a contract lawyer and just moved here last week. How about beers for us, John,” Ted quickly relayed a lot of names of the people sitting in the stools and tables, that Phillip caught a quarter of the names. Phillip held out his hand to each man, and when Ted introduced him to Lydia, the long-time waitress, Lydia looked him in the eye, and smiled widely.

“Yous liking Blackbird Hamlet?”

“I’d say, definitely small town feel,” Phillip responded.

 Lydia smiled widely, her nicotine stained teeth showing.

“That’s us.”

 A tall, red head man, Phillip assumed was John, nodded and grunted, filled two pints with beers and set them on the bar. As Ted talked with John about the hockey playoffs that they had voted in a hockey pool Phillip glanced around the Irish pub. As Phillip didn’t care for hockey, his mind wandered rather than participated. He noticed a trio of women in the back corner, a few old men at the bar, and a fire blazing in the middle of the place. The place was made out of wood and had many NHL flags hanging from the ceiling.

Ted handed Phillip a beer glass and took a gulp of his own after he paid for them. Phillip set it down, and put it back on the bar.

“I actually don’t drink so water would be good,” Phillip had found it hard these days to come up with an excuse when offered alcohol because many people found it hard to believe he didn’t touch it. Ted was one of them apparently when his eyes grew big.

“Seriously, you don’t drink? What kind of a man doesn’t drink beer?” Ted gulped down his pint as he stared at Phillip as if he had more than one head. Drops of alcohol dripped onto Ted’s shirt and beard, and Ted used his arm to wipe it away. Phillip tried not to cringe.

“I am one of those people that just don’t drink,” Phillip explained. John the bartender heard the exchanged and handed him a coke as he handed Ted a paper towel. Ted changed the topic to the available hot women in the town.

Phillip’s blackberry buzzed with the e-mail notification and as he knew it was either his mother or Veronica. Unfortunately, Veronica decided to continue her thoughts on having Lisa live with her again so she can be a mother, and Phillip almost wished he could have a drink.

Buzz. Another e-mail from Veronica, and this time Phillip’s ties to her was not going to end.

“Phillip, I am having my lawyer e-mail you about the court date, but if you allow Lisa to come here, I will drop it,” The e-mail was now turning nasty, and Phillip really needed Ted to help him.

“..And so, she once accepted a date from me and I’m still thinking she will change her mind about not being into me,” Phillip was so confused about who Ted was talking about but, his thoughts were on getting rid of a woman who was linked forever by his child that he didn’t care. Unfortunately, short of killing her and having the opposite reaction, Phillip needed to learn on how to use boundaries with the woman. And caring about which women in his new town was hot was not on his agenda.

“So Ted, as I have a four- year old daughter at home, can we discuss our original reason to why we are here?” Phillip interrupted Ted’s rambling. When a waitress brought beers, Ted begun talking loudly, and so Phillip needed to gain some information fast. Very fast before Ted could count how many fingers he had.

“Yeah okay. But check out those women over there, and you have to tell me you don’t think that red head is the hottest women in Blackbird Hamlet,” When Phillip cleared his throat loudly, Ted pulled out papers a minute later and started to explaining about the fitness of a parent in a custody case was determined by the judge. And that Veronica will have to show evidence how her parenting skills are stronger than his. Which was good news, because she didn’t have any, Phillip thought with a relief. He still couldn’t believe how much anger still carried in him from that night.

Ted obviously must have had a history with this woman. When Ted gestured to the group of ladies in the corner, Phillip had to admit they all were pretty. The dark brown hair lady was as conniving as a mosquito, he assumed from her body language, even if she looked sober. But he was more surprised when the red head Ted seemed obsessed with, got up and started walking to them. There were some hot women in this town. And they definitely did let him know they were single since he had moved here. Too bad the woman was hot but Veronica, his ex-wife had been hot too, and because of that, he knew hot, sexy, confident women were better ignored and trouble.

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“So, Alan is still bringing flowers to my office even when I asked him not to since I broke off the wedding. He is refusing the sign the divorce papers because he won’t stop saying I am just going through the stages of grief. It’s driving me crazy because he deserves better.” Molly slide down in her regular Friday night spot at the brown booth, and threw down a card and letters Alan had given her professing her love.

            “He’s just afraid of facing the truth, because in honestly, he did love and probably still believes all he needs to change to get you back,” Alice, a new addition in the past six months to blackbird Hamlet quickly said as she took a sip of a Heaven High, the local brewed beer and checked out the things Alan wrote Molly brought. “Look at me as a child growing up with my parents; I still haven’t learned that changing yourself to get love doesn’t work.”

“Or, you should try to hook up with a new guy to show Alan you aren’t going to change. I just watched a Lifetime movie about that,” Marisa played with the foam on her beer using her finger as she spoke. Marisa was clearly a bit intoxicated.

Molly snorted. “How would that happen? I grew up with every single man here under the age of forty, seeing from their little wee wees to their teenage awkwardness.”

Alice sniggered when Molly used the word wee wees, but as a newcomer the past year, Molly knew in time Alice would see how dating anyone in Blackbird Hamlet was like dating a cousin. Then again, that would also help explain how easily she fell out of love with Alan. Growing up with him, and having him as her only boyfriend, the magic had just disappeared and as much as she knew admitting their marriage had been a mistake, she felt twinges of regret at hurting Alan. When she had admitted to him after their wedding that she changed her mind and there wasn’t any sparks, Alan thought she was in a crises and told her he’d give her time to digest the wedding then he’ll add in more romance. Molly knew that was not it, but tried to tell Alan, but he thought she was still sad about her parents.

“Oh Moll, if you can’t find anyone in Blackbird Hamlet, maybe you should look for someone online, or travel to Toronto more often, but not live there as I need you here,” Marisa suggested and gave her a tight hug.

“Well, I don’t know about online dating, but what if someone moves here, looking to escape the city and we fall in love with each other? Then travelling will be redundant,” Molly asked.

“How many people move here, looking for change and love? Not many, as I bet we can name all of the residents here. People come here to maybe retire, or to put down roots with their small families,” Marisa snorted. She signaled the return of Lydia to bring them more Alexander Keiths.

 “Excuse me, that was me once upon a time, but Molly should go travel and see the world if that’s what she wants,” Alice retorted. She took a sip of her lemon water. She was acting a bit odd tonight though Molly couldn’t put her finger on why. Molly figured she will figure it out after. Alice tended to show her emotions on her face very easily, so everyone knew what she was thinking because whether she raised her eyebrows, wrinkled her nose, and played with her hair, Alice was an open book. Marisa was also an open book, frank, and didn’t hold back with her emotions.

Her surrogate mother, Lydia, an older European woman everyone loved and once was a scandal as a resident long ago, overhearing the women as she poured them more pints, grinned at the online dating suggestion.

“I tried online dating, and there was a man who suggested I join him and his dozen girlfriends to scam people.”  She rasped in her smoker’s voice. Lydia collected the empty pitchers and continued serving some of the other regulars.

“See, I am not trying online dating,” Molly shuddered. She knew that she needed ideas to get her divorce papers signed. Having been raised in Blackbird Hamlet, she enjoyed everything about her life, except she was still married and tied to Alan. And now a part of her wanted to take the plunge and go travel in honor of her parents, but it was a bit scary and Alan let her know he wouldn’t agree to it as her husband as he felt she would get hurt. That was the moment Molly felt absolute desperation.

 “Just try the online dating, who knows, maybe you’ll chat with someone who you like and Alan will see that you are committing adultery. Maybe make a list to try new things, or just do something every day you don’t usually do if you’re looking for a thrill and he’ll be wondering where you went,” Marisa suggested.

“What’s it going to take to get the man to sign some papers?” Molly blew out a bunch of air. She felt like a prisoner.

“Instead of complaining, you have to figure out one way of relaying the message to him where it doesn’t give him hope in the marriage. Saying it’s you, not him, is one of the lamest lines people give.” Marisa tended to read too many self-help books, and how she had time with a café and a child, Molly had no clue.

She was a bit frustrated but knew her friends were right. Try something new, people told her. She did that regularly. She changed her hair style every day. Sure, it was either, up, down, or braided, but she changed it. And she started drinking beer instead of wine. But she still could not convince Alan that she was experience new things, as a new view on life.

“Why don’t you pretend to Alan you are dating someone and it’s getting serious from someone in the city?” Alice wrinkled her nose.

As she spoke, Molly felt the eyes on her and saw that in the corner of the bar, a man sitting wrapped in a conversation with Ted Summers, the family lawyer in Blackbird Hamlet was super-hot and she didn’t recognize him. His long, thin body was covered in a grey suit and a blue tie and he didn’t seem to smile at all during his conversation. With his black glasses and curly black hair, he was looking sexy for a serious man. She could feel her breasts pucker not from the cold but from the maleness vibrating from the chair.

“Or, she could start dating someone and show Alan that she’s move on,” Marisa wryly glanced at the stranger as the three of them checked him out.

 “Why don’t I go over there and propose that plan to him, as he probably wouldn’t know who Alan is?” Molly joked. A part of her thought it might work, but she would have to figure out the logistics. Maybe pretending would work too.

Marisa, a little but tipsy, and Alice sober laughed loudly at the suggestion but Molly tried not to stare at the man, who didn’t notice her, was sprawled out in the booth, legs stretched out, tapping on the floor, looking a bit tense. Every few minutes, he’d take off his black glasses, rub his eyes, and keep talking and look at his watch.

“Oh, Molly, not with Ted! You know he is a slimy jerk,” Alice cried when she looked up at them. Marisa and Molly were confused at how random Alice was and they stared at her. Alice played with her phone, and when Molly couldn’t stop staring at her confused to where Alice’s mind was, she shrugged her shoulders.

“What? I thought you were talking about Ted as you don’t know the guy over there.”

“I’m not talking about suggesting it with Ted there. He’d suggest I pretend he is my new boyfriend in exchange of finally getting to sleep with me. I wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole. That one he is with, that stranger, now I’d compromise” Molly said. A part of her wanted to grab Alice’s phone to figure out the oddness of her behaviour, but she knew she’d figure it out using subtlety.  

“You should ask him for a kiss,” Marisa obviously speaking through the alcohol as she turned her head to the men once Alice changed her focus. Molly was thinking tonight’s bitch and sip was a totally different focus that she imagined.

“I’m not going to do that!” Molly gasped. She glanced nervously at the stranger. Ted saw her watching finally and winked at her. A shudder went through her body, as Ted tended to flirt with any single woman in Blackbird Hamlet.

“Why don’t you just ask him if he wants a beer,” Alice said. Alice looked at her IPhone and typed something.

“Nah, I will be the boring one you guys say I am. I can’t figure out how to come up with a less lame idea,” Molly said.

“Group hug time! Molly, you aren’t boring, you are fun…and funny,” Marisa took another swig of her beer. Alice and Molly exchanged glances over Marisa’s head as the three of them did their traditional no bashing hug over the round table. Marisa lately had been drinking more than usual during their get-togethers.

“But if you don’t want to do it, that’s fine. We love you the way you are,” Alice said. Her constant tapping on her phone drove her nuts. Tomorrow, Molly planned on focusing on her. Because Alice tended to be a private person, Molly and Marisa tended to let the information flow from her.

“I still like that idea of finding someone to help you convince Alan to sign those divorce paper,” Alice said. “Like pretending you are in love with the guy, and parade him around as your soul mate.”

“Me too, especially with that newcomer over there,” Marisa had a mischievous grin on her face that encouraged Molly to be desperate for a solution.

 “Okay, okay, watch me I will attempt to introduce myself, but I can’t ask someone to deceit Alan with me, I might just have to act like I’m into the guy,” Molly untangled herself from her friends and got up. Marisa and Alice both urged her on as they admitted it was a good plan.

 She took a deep breath as she walked closer. As she did, she could hear snatches of the conversation about childcare, custody, and legal jargon. She assumed he must be a lawyer from out of town. People clustered around in booths and tables turned her eyes on her as she walked toward the table, but Molly ignored the stares and comments. Perfect, her first step to the gossip and hopefully a chance for Alan to be convinced.

“No I don’t think I’d date any of them sitting over there. The one coming to us isn’t my type and I want to stay single for now,” The man turned to her with a guilty look when she approached the table. Ted just grinned at her. He probably thought she was going to give him attention, Molly thought as Ted craved attention from any woman as he had some baggage growing up without a mother.

The comment Phillip made to Ted zipped at her already chipped heart, but she swallowed the hurt away and smiled sweetly.

“Molly Ryan is one of the hottest women in our area, man you’d be a fool to turn down that ass.” Ted’s hand touched her butt, but Molly pulled it off.

“Exactly, Ted’s right but that’s because there’s a reason he is single and he wants what he can’t have. You don’t know what you’re missing.” Molly smiled as she spoke and put her hands on her hips. “Hey, welcome to Blackbird Hamlet. I’m Molly Ryan. Let me buy you a drink. You look like you need one. What do you drink?” She stood tall, and she did a little shake of her head, like Marisa regularly did with her brother. And to every man when she needed them to say yes.

“Hi Molly, This is Phillip Morris. We are a bit busy here, so bring up a beer for me,” Ted grinned as he looked her up and down slowly, and then rested on her chest Molly tried to ignore the creepiness Ted caused her. He was trying to date her since she separated from Alan, but his habit of picking his nose, turned her off a bit. And the fact, that he burped constantly made her think he was still the same annoying boy who pinched and punched her as children.

Molly frowned at him and turned to Phillip.

“No thanks, I am good. I have to leave soon anyways,” Phillip said, stood up and shuffled the papers he was handling and placed them in a briefcase. He barely glanced at her for a minute as he said that.

“If he won’t drink, you can buy me one. I’ll have a Keith’s Red,” Ted called again.

“Okay, just thought you needed one,” Molly’s face burned red. ”Ted, you can buy your own beer.” Phillip looked confused at Ted’s and Molly’s interaction. Marisa and Alice were whispering to themselves in the corner so Molly just turned around and walked back to her spot. She sat down and took a gulp of her beer to swallow her humiliation. While it sucked that everyone saw the rejection, it appeared Karma was a bitch.

“Look at that!” Alice grinned with admiration. Marisa squeezed her hand.

“Oh it was no big deal. I just asked him if he wanted a beer,” Molly shrugged her shoulders and took out her money to pay their bill. As her brother worked at the bar, she usually gave more to cover the tip as she knew that John was saving up for new renovations at the bar until he and Marisa could bring in profit from the cafe. John, who busy at the bar, as there was a hockey game on, and couldn’t come by their table as it was pretty busy with residents around the bar, heard and winked at her previous behavior. She knew she would hear from it later.

“It’s a start. Once you get to know him, as he’s new and doesn’t know Alan, you could use him to make Alan jealous.” Marisa said.

“I’m not going to use anyone!” Molly said.

“Why not? It doesn’t even have to go far, just a few love looks and kisses, maybe a roll in the hay if he’s hot?” Alice said.

“Yeah, maybe that guy over there could even end your sex drought,” Marisa said.

“I think you guys are crazy, good ideas, and he is hot, but I couldn’t do that. Maybe I’ll just introduce myself as I think he is the new lawyer hired,” Molly said.

Once the bill had been paid, she saw Phillip step out of the bar without Ted and pull car keys out of his black jacket. A funny feeling in her stomach, made her glance at her friends, and make another attempt to step out of her comfort zone.

“Hey guys, I will catch you later, k?” Molly said.

 “What are you doing? Going to really introduce yourself? How will you get home?” Alice asked. She glanced at the man, and raised her eyebrows. Widened eyes, and an open mouth, gave Molly some more courage. And time to prove her friends wrong.

“I will figure it out just get home safe, k? I’ll text you later,” Molly said. Alice nodded her head, and agreed she’d take Marisa home if Molly shared the details later. Her best friends drove away with Marisa waving out of the window.

Molly sauntered up to the man who had was texting his phone and standing by his Honda while she had said goodbye to her friends.

“Let me introduce myself as I didn’t get a chance before Ted could. I’m Molly Ryan,” She shook out her hand to him. He jumped a bit as he had glanced at his phone, at her voice.

“Hello. I’m Phillip Morris. Nice to meet you Molly,” He shook her hand and stood there for a few minutes. His face relaxed a bit and he smiled.

Molly took a deep breathe licked her dry lips, and touched her hair.

“I heard you weren’t interested in my ass. So why don’t we kiss?”

“What?” Phillip’s head spun from her hair to her eyes.

“I want a kiss,” Molly said.           

“Uh, I see,” Phillip obviously didn’t know what to say in response. He looked at her again and checked his phone.

“Oh, never mind, I thought I could do this but I can’t,” Molly turned away and took a step, trying not to cry. This was harder than she thought.

A minute later, Phillip grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him, enough that she could smell his aftershave.

“Wait, where is this coming from? From asking me if I want a beer to, to asking to kiss me, I wasn’t born tomorrow,” Phillip asked. He stared in her eyes, until Molly squirmed.

“I, uhh need to someone to help me get my divorce as my husband thinks if he’s persuasive enough I will change my mind. And I was testing to see if you kiss well,” She said.

“Listen, it’s been a long day, but I don’t think you should ask random strangers if you can kiss them and use them to help get a divorce,” Phillip said. Then he continued, “But, I may be crazy too, but let’s give it a try.”

“What?” Molly thought she heard wrong.

“Let’s try the kiss as you probably offer your kisses too all of the men,” Phillip grinned at Molly’s wide eyes.

“Oh, I was just joking and no I don’t kiss just anyone,” Molly said. She shoved her hands deep in her pockets and dug her black Uggs in the pavement. She tried to tell herself that the comment Phillip had said to Ted didn’t mean anything and that is why he didn’t seem too thrilled.

“I don’t think you were, so let’s do it, and then I have to head home,” Phillip’s voice suddenly got deeper and attractive. He took a step forward and dropped his briefcase.

“Uh, I was really not serious, it was stupid,” Molly wanted to step back, but the fear continued to freeze her body.

“Come kiss me, what, does my breathe stink or am I too ugly?” Phillip teased.

“No, okay, I will quickly do it,” Molly stood on her tippy toes and quickly pecked Phillip on his lips. Then she fled.

As she opened the door of the bar, the familiar voice spoke.

“That was nothing,” Phillips’s lanky long body appeared behind her.

“What do you mean it was nothing?” Molly turned around and found her chest touching Phillip.

“You could do better,” Phillip murmured and pulled her hips against hers as his lips covered hers.

During the two minutes, that felt more like five, Molly’s felt the tips and grooves of Phillip’s lips as their tongues played hockey, and his heat radiated, warming her. She pushed him apart with her palms, and gasped trying to get air. Never had she felt that with another man. Now, she was unsure what the next protocol was.

Phillip chuckled deeply.

“Now, that is what I meant,” His phone buzzed. Phillip picked up his phone and read it. Phillip frowned and adjusted his glasses.

“I guess I did live in a bubble,” Molly quietly said.

“I have to head home, but that certainly was the best moment of my day,” Phillip picked up his briefcase and with the keys, got into his car.

“Wait, what about my plan?” Molly said, still unsure what to think but a tiny twinge of disappointment formed in her stomach.  But being spontaneous was kind of fun, and she wondered what her next thing would be.

“I doubt I can help you with that. Besides I have my own stuff to deal with,” Phillip said. “I have to go, but thanks for the kiss.”

When Phillip drove off without a wave, she realized she had no ride home, and that she’d have to bum a ride from her brother John who worked until midnight. And that meant hanging around for three more hours. And that was an epic fail.

She threw open the screen door, to loud whistles from those still at the bar who saw the whole scene.