Road To Revovery

Chapter 19 The Next Bar

Elijah's POV

We drive right down the street because they apparently didn't go too much farther from the bar they had started their night at.. maybe they were on foot or just didn't want to drive far.. who knows.

Either way we pull up to the next bar as we pile out of the car, headed into the bar.. We're not wasting anytime, walking straight to the bar top. We see this bartender doing the same thing as the last bartender.. just cleaning and setting up for the night to come.

"Hello." Avery says getting the man's attention as he glances up then doing a double take. "Hey Avery, long time no see Princess.. What can I do for you?"

This obviously catches her off guard, not expecting that response. She glances over at me with an apologetic look before responding after looking at his name tag. "Hey... Seth.. I was wondering if maybe you were here 4 months ago? The last time I was in here actually.. Apparently I was drinking lots and having a fun time."

She starts fidgeting with her hands probably worried about the answer she will be recieving, since the last bartender's response didn't go as she expected either.

"Yea of course, you were having so much fun.. you got into the bar and were dancing, even flashed everyone around you, before you bought a round of shots for the whole place.. I remember you were talking about how you just wanted to have some fun to turn your day around because you found out about your cheating husband.. If this is him I'll kick his ass for you!" He exclaims as she vigorously shakes her head.

"No I divorced my Ex-husband.. This is my loyal man.. but thank you for the offer.. I was actually wondering if you could help me? Do you know where I went to next? Or what I was doing?" She asks him curiously as he glances at me then back to her suspiciously.. mostly directed at me.

"Yea.. you were making out with this other bartender, I have seen him before because I have been into the bar he works at on occasion so I can give you that information if you want.. but I can't remember what his name was honestly.. but I do know what he looks like if I see him or a picture.. Then 3 people came up to you but one guy talked to you.. getting the bartender guy to leave.. The three of you talked for a little bit then the one main guy helped you outside by carrying you because you couldn't walk.. when I asked him if I could call you a cab to make sure you got home fine, he said no and that he was giving you a ride... That was the last time I saw you until today." He explains as best as he can to us as she nods looking up at me probably not knowing what to do next.

"So do you have cameras inside and out of here that we could maybe look at?" I ask him as he nods at me without hesitation. "Yea as long as you tell me why?" He asks me with so much attitude looking back and forth between us as if he doesn't trust me because he is protective over her.. which is sweet.. I can't be mad about someone besides me, being protective over my lady to make sure she is alright.

"Yea of course, for helping us out right now I definitely can tell you.. Well it's a long story but the short version is that night I got into a car wreck.. That put me into a coma then gave me amnesia, so we are trying to retrace my steps from that night, in hopes I might remember more or at least get some answers about what happened to me and why." She explains to him as his eyes go wide. His gaze pans back and forth between all of our faces, I think trying to make sure this isn't a joke or that we aren't lying to him.. Which is understandable.

"Wow.. That's crazy Avery.. yea of course I would help you.. You have always been nice to me so why not.. Follow me." He states as he waves us to follow him into the back office that's cluttered beyond belief, but he is trying to help us, so we will just try to go with the flow and not worry about the humongous mess around us.

"Ok do you know the exact date? Because I think I know a good time for when you got here." He asks Avery as she gets to his side instantly, telling him everything he needs to know. He types on his computer, once he gets to the right date he starts to fast forward the video and looking through the cameras until he replies as he pauses the video.

"Ok Princess this is that night.. and here are the 3 camera angles we have.. I don't think the 3rd one will concern you much.. but this one is directed at the bar and the other is directed outside.. the 3rd is directed by the bathrooms and exit.. you can tell what the buttons are for fast forwarding and rewinding.. and this is the pause and play buttons... take a look through, and let me know if you need anything.. I have to finish setting up so I'm right out here if you need me."

"Thank you so much Seth this means a lot. We will try not to take long to make sure we are out of your way." Avery states to him as he smiles then patting her back while he passes by.

"Ok so let's all look at this to make sure we have 3 different views of what's happening and we will discuss after everything." I instruct them as they both nod. I watch Avery click the play button, starting our investigation into these videos.

I first notice Avery sitting at the bartop chugging her drinks, taking shots then making out with the bartender. They both look like they are having so much fun and I can't help but hate that sight.. I know that's childish of me to be jealous of something that happened months before we even met, but I just hate seeing a video of my lady making out with another man.. It's just something I would prefer not to see.

But no wonder that man wanted to keep seeing her, it really did look like they had an invigorating time.. I don't know why that seems suprising for me, because I think she is a wonderful woman.. So there is bound to be another man or two who thinks the same.. dammit.

He is buying her drinks and kissing her hand, while dancing with her as they take more shots together. She is laughing with him having a grand ol' time before we see her Ex show up. He sits down behind her but doesn't say anything to her just yet.

Avery is still dancing with that man as we watch him spin her and pull her into him as they kiss more. That isn't too surprising until I see a glimpse of something but it was so quick I don't know if that's what I really saw. I'm questioning my own eyes as I look at the girls and they don't say anything. So I step forward stopping the video then rewinding it to try to get a better look.

"I'm sorry I need to see this again.. just watch." I instruct them as I rewind it to the point of where he spins her, pulling her into him, then kissing as I pause the video again.

"Holy s**t can you believe that.. What is that?" I say as Avery groans out before replying. "It's me having a great time with the bartender from before... I'm sorry."

"No not that Avery.. look." I say pointing at the bartop and it looks as if her Ex is putting something into her drink. It's so quick that's it's hard to even tell until you stop the video like this. I take my phone out, taking a picture of this before starting it again.

We continue to watch him as he walks away from the bar and out of the back doors by the bathrooms.

"That's strange right.. I thought the bartender said he walked her out of the bar but we see him leaving right there.. doesn't make sense. So maybe they were wrong and he had nothing to do with it.." Stevie states to us as we nod agreeing with her observations.

You can tell that Avery is getting loose with her inhibitions and her movements.. while she is dancing with the bartender, practically hanging off of him at this point with the buttons to her shirt mostly open.. he is now kissing down her neck and chest.. but neither one of them look like they mind one bit as Avery exclaims. "Look my Ex came back in the front door.. what does that say... maybe 30 minutes later.. those are my partners following right behind him too.."

We watch the three of them make their way to the bar looking around slightly. You can see that her Ex taps on the guys shoulder as he shrugs his gesture off until he does it again really getting their attention. Avery stands and stares at her Ex saying something to him as he quickly tries to shut her shirt but she bats his hands away as she hangs more off of the bartender then she was before.

Her Ex looks irritated by his stance as he starts to poke the bartenders chest. I think trying to make him leave. The man helps Avery sit down as he hands her a paper then leaning in. I can see him kissing her cheek as he says something into her ear making her smile and nod. We observe the bartender leave the bar as her Ex talks with her more but this time the partners join in saying who knows what.. they look irritated with her as she can barely stay on the stool but still arguing back.

Seth the bartender that's here, makes his way over to them as he says something to Avery but her Ex is shaking his head and taking hold of her arm wrapping it around his shoulders. You can see Avery stumbling trying to walk but can't seem to walk on her own at all.. So her Ex whips her up into his arms, carrying her out of the bar with the partners following close behind.

I switch my gaze to the last camera that shows the view from outside the building. We can see her being carried across the parking lot and out of view of the camera leaving us wondering what happened next.

"What do we do? We can't see what happened to me next." Avery exclaims as Stevie states, "Well what else can we do? We can't see and we don't want to assume what happened because all this can have serious reprocussions.. and it's not like she can remember right now.. So I don't know what else we can do."

"Well how about you go across the street to the gas station.. they might have video footage because they have cameras on the outside." Seth exclaims to us, causing Avery to jump up. "That's a great idea! Thanks Seth for all your help!" She gives him a quick side hug before bolting out of the office and we are forced to run just to stay close by her. Let's see if we can get a different angle of what happened...