It was Harry's turn to tend bar at the fire house and this was just as well. Ginnie had been busy with Victoria these days, leaving him to fend for himself. This was just as well,too.

Harry turned up the lights and grabbed a handful of coasters to set by the beer tap. The guys would be along as soon as they finished supper. It was dart night, after all, which meant it would be a late one for all of them.

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a handful of quarters and went out to the juke bos whereupon he punched buttons he had long ago memorized just as he had committed to his head the lyrics of his favorite songs.

Shake it off, he told himself of the melancholy he felt. You did the right thing by her and now you owe her nothing. Not a blessed thing.

"Yo, Harry."

"Hey, Fritzie." Harry headed behind the bar, grabbed an eight-ounce pilsner glass and tapped Fritzie a glass of Yuengling. "The first is on me, pal."

"You parting with a quarter, Harry? What's the world coming to?"

Harry tapped himself a glass. "Cheers," he said, lifting his beer. "To my best man."

"Cheers," Fritzie echoed. "Ya gotta admit yours was one helluva wedding. Maybe that's why you and Virginia are still together. Yiz had a blessed wedding."

Skid, Lippy and Bones walked in. That was just as well. Harry didn't want to talk about the past.

The future, that's were he was heading.


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