Why Do I Get...

Jake knew he couldn't go into his room,

With a bloody face this soon.

Too hard to explain it away,

And he didn't want to tell Josie anymore lies today.

He didn't want to run into anyone at all,

Going to the stables, seemed the right call.

It was likely Bella and Ron would have turned in for the night.

And right now, he was quite the sight.

At the stables, he could clean up,

Around his eye had started to swell,

And from it, he couldn't see well.

But Jake could take a hit. After all, he'd gotten used to it.

Jake made his way out the back door of the hotel.

He passed an old man on the stairwell.

He looked at Jake with disgust on his face.

Sallie had been right about the folks of this place, thinking he was just a no-good drunk always looking for a fight. Maybe tonight, he'd prove them all right.

His head still hurt, his balance off too, as Jake made his way past the school, but what caught his eye was the saloon.

He could really use a drink. Perhaps it would help him think. Just one to numb the pain his head, then he'd clean up, and get to bed.

Petra was counting on him.

He couldn't be late or leave her in the lurch again.

He got a few side-eyed looks as he entered the room.

But dirty, bloody men were not an uncommon sight in the saloon.

Jacob took a stool by the bar and put some money down, waited for the bartender to come around.

"Whiskey. Make it a double if you'd please."

"I don't want any trouble tonight. If it's trouble you're after mister, take your business elsewhere alright?"

"I don't want no trouble. I just came here to drink."

The barkeep eyed him a bit longer until he sat the glass down with a clink.

"That's what they all say."

But the barkeep served Jake anyway. One double shot of whiskey quickly turned into two. Jake couldn't stop thinking about that snake and Rue! Then his mind went to other places he didn't want it to.

His time spent with Sallie all those years ago. How many more drinks to go, until he could forget, at least for a moment? Another shot down with a frown, thinking over all the mistakes he'd made raising Josie, and then all the ones regarding Brandy.

He wasn't fit to raise Josie right and she wasn't safe with Sallie in BG. He needed to send her back to the circus with Bea.

Jake drank until the last dime in his pocket was spent until he couldn't think straight or barely sit, on the stool.

The barkeep told him to hit the door, no money, no drinks anymore.

Jake stumbled to his feet, the world started to sway.

Somehow he made his way, back into the direction of the hotel.

He couldn't walk so well.

He fell a few times along the way,

The dizziness just wouldn't go away.

When did the main drag in BG, get so lopsided pondered he?

He grabbed onto whatever he could to get back up to his room. On the way up, he missed a step or two. He laughed until he realized he couldn't find his room key.

Besides, the numbers on the doors were all hard to read. They blurred and all looked the same.

He knocked on a door, "Josie Pie let me in!"

But it wasn't his sister's face who greeted him.

But an angry man, "This ain't your room, you drunk son of a gun. You're going to wake everyone!"

"My apologies sir. They seemed to have moved my room."

The man slammed the door in Jake's face roughly. On the next door Jake could make out a three. He knocked but got no reply so another he did try. This one came a woman's voice through the door.

"Go away or I'll wake my husband," she warned him.

"Apologizes ma'am then. I got turned around is all. My room must be further down the hall."

Another door opened behind him and Jake heard another woman hiss, "Jacob Craven, what's the meaning of this?"

Jake spun around and instantly regretted it. He stumbled sideways, his back hit the wall.

Mary Sue came out into the hall. In a dressing gown, complete with a frown, she watched Jake fall down.

"Jesus Jacob, just how much did you have to drink tonight? And another fight?"

Jake propped his back against the wall, not ready yet to stand at all.

"You should see the other man," he said with a grin.

Mary Sue sighed at him.

"You should get that looked at properly. And get to bed, before you wake up the whole hotel instead."

"I lost my room. Josie is asleep. I don't have my key."

Mary Sue crossed her arms, "I'm sure your fiancé will look after you for the night. Her room is the last one on the right."

Jake shook his head, "I'd prefer to sleep with the goats instead."

"You got yourself into this mess, Jacob Craven. I don't feel sorry for you. You can't stay here, go back to your room. Clean that cut and ice it too. Sleep off the booze."

Jake tried to pull himself to his feet. No easy feat. He felt so dizzy, as he tried to pull himself up the wall.

"Can you even stand at all? How'd you even make it back here Jake?"

Mary Sue came to him and his arm she did take. She helped pull him to his stand, muttering under her breath about "this man."

She slid an arm around his back and started dragging him towards his room door. Jake was so off-balance he swore.

"You need to see a doctor. You could've seriously hurt your head."

"No, I just need a needle and thread. I'll stitch myself up like before."

"Don't be ridiculous Jake, you'd likely poke your eye out by mistake! You need some tending too. I'll wake Sallie for you."

Jake stopped moving his feet. He didn't want to be around that witch right now. Not until he had his wits more about him somehow.

"Don't wake her up Mary Sue. I'll sleep in the stables tonight. I don't need another fight."

Mary Sue strained under his weight and at him, she was starting to get irate.

"You're so drunk you can't even walk straight Jake! You'll never make it to the stables, it's a wonder how you made it this far in the first place. You don't want me to wake Josie or your fiancé? What do you expect me to do, take you back to my own room?"

"Well now that you mention it, Mary Sue. But just for a few hours. I promise not to put the moves on you. But no one can see me enter your room."

Mary Sue looked at him angrily, "Wouldn't want to hurt your reputation now, would we? But tell me, Jake who are you worried about catching me and you, Sallie or Rue?"

Jake reached out and for support leaned against the wall.

"Mary Sue, it's not like that at all. Sallie can be crazy jealous and I don't want her after you too. You see what happens when you make her angry don't you," he said with a laugh.

Mary Sue frowned, "What are you talking about Jake? You saying she did this to your face?"

"No. It was Josie's cat ran out from under the bed and then I fell down the stairs. Are we almost there?"

"You said you got in a fight. And cats aren't allowed in the hotel..." Mary Sue furrowed her brow, "well come on then. You can come in. But just until you sober up some Jake. You have to be out before sunrise. Why do I get the feeling this is a mistake?"

"I'll be the perfect gentleman, Mary Sue. Thank you."

Mary Sue opened her room door. Jake would slip out before anyone else was up he swore...