25 We all have problems

After a long hiss of frustration, tiredly she raised her head up to see a familiar face smiling down at her. He had a black eye and lips little swollen. Few seconds after, it was clear to her that it is the young man that fought and defeated the bully. She forced a smile at him, already wondering what he is doing beside her.

"My friend over there" he pointed at one corner of the club; she looked but found no one of interest. He continued "Told me you are looking for mister right"

Despite just re-experiencing what transpired between her and Tony – The heartbreaker, she snorted a laugh. He kept staring at her, expecting her to respond, not to keep the club champion waiting, wearily she asked

"Is that your best pick-up line? Common, try and surprise me?"

Accepting the challenge with a weak smile, he said "Please, empty your pocket… I think you stole my heart"

Smiling she replied "That was new, am hearing it for the first time" she hesitated and his face light up; then she added, "But there is no pocket in my gown…"

He tittered, not giving up, he said: "You tripped me and I fell for you". On purpose, he placed one foot in front of the other and began falling towards her but she refused to extend a helping hand, aware he was acting. Unexpectedly, he landed on the floor "But you didn't even care enough to catch me"

Judith broke into a burst of long and hard laughter. He hitting the floor resulted in a stare around the club. Already shy, she hastily asked him to get back on his feet. He refused, saying she should agree his heart was with her.

"Yes, I stole your heart," she said still smiling timidly.

"Where is it?"

"It is in my purse! Can you stand up? It is getting embarrassing"

"Alright" he slowly got back on his feet and stretched his right hand "I'm Peter Solomon"

"Judith!" she took his hand. "So should I address you as Peter or Solomon?" she asked still holding hands.

"Solomon is perfect," he said flashing a charming smile and letting go of her hand "That beautiful smile is what I'm searching for" he sat down beside her.

"I don't get, you wanted me to smile? Why?"

"I stood here close to a minute trying to get your attention but you seemed lost and troubled, staring blankly at the full glass in front of you".

She sighed "Oh!" she said stroking her hair slowly, lost in thought.

"Yeah, so I decided to make this pretty lady smile no matter the cost"

"That's very thoughtful"

"What can I say, you stole my heart," he said giving her a wink. His smile was disarming and infectious.

Her heart did a quick little flip, which she completely ignored, but she couldn't stop a smile from curving across her face. Ignoring his wink, she asked

"So how are you back here?"

"How do you mean?" he asked pretending to be confused.

"I saw the bouncers throw you out. How are you back inside?"

"Oh! I'm a shareholder"

With raised eyebrows, she said "Really…"

"No. I just visit very often…"

"And that, of course, makes you a shareholder," she said trying not to laugh but when she caught his face, he was laughing and that forced her to laugh. Done laughing out loud, she said

"It feels good to laugh this way. It has been a while" trying to catch her breath. She then caught him staring with a cute smile across his face.

"You will do it more often if only you knew how beautiful it makes you"

"Do what exactly?" she asked in between a smile, pretending not to know.

"Smile… or better still laugh"

"Hmmm, so you are not just a good boxer and dancer, you are also a smooth talker"

"I will take that as a compliment" he responded and asked the barman to get his favorite.

"It is a compliment," she said taking a sip and squeezed her face afterward.

"So tell me, what would possibly make a pretty and smart lady sit alone in a club, staring emptily at her glass of drink?"

"Nothing" she replied him as her smile died off her face.

"Are you sure? Cause you seemed troubled?"

"I don't wanna talk about it"

"Alright, but have you taken it up to God in prayers?" he asked with a faked seriousness.

The smile returned and she wondered how he does it, making her laugh often, even in her current predicament.

"You are not seriously asking me whether I prayed about it?" she asked with her head slightly bent to one side and eyebrows raised.

"That's what most people do"

"Most people? You are not one of them?"

"No" he shook his head; "I don't believe praying to a big guy upstairs will make my problems magically go away"

Judith nodded at his response with a lingering smile at one side of her lips.

"So why haven't you talked to Him about it?" he asked.

"I stopped having an imaginary friend a long time ago"

"Wow!" he howled in excitement with both hands over his mouth. "That's straight up cold, never saw it coming"

"Having an imaginary friend as a child is cute but as an adult, it is something totally different…"

He emptied his glass, beckoned on the barman to refill his glass. While the barman filled his glass, he told him "I just met a woman after my heart".

Judith giggled, took a sip from her, squeezing her face afterward and Peter continued

"Well, whatever your problem is. Sitting alone at a bar and wallowing in your sorrows won't make it go away and neither does praying to an imaginary friend". He took a mouthful from the just refilled drink.

"So counselor, what do you recommend?"

"I say, go to a club, get drunk, dance like King David till you forget your troubles, then sleep and you will wake the next morning a new you" he took out a handkerchief and wiped his black eye with it.

"Truly?" she asked thrown aback by this suggestion. "Is that how you tackle your problems?"

"Yes. In fact, that's why am here this night. To get over my troubles too"

"I guess we all have problems then…"

"You know what? Let's share our problems and who has the most challenging, gets to ask for something that the other must do. What do you think?"

"Am cool with it but we begin with you!" she said giving him a slight push with the index finger.

"Alright," he said slowly, thinking about how he is going to share this problem for the first time with someone. He settled into the stool, took a mouthful and began

"Day before yesterday, I returned from the burial ceremony of my one and only younger brother David. Since the day I was told of his death, grief and regret have been eating me up; I can't sleep at night. Few months before his death, his shop got burnt, he requested money from me, but I turned him down. Asking him to go be a man, find his own path in life and become independent. I can't continue to provide for him" he stopped talking and bowed his head in remorse.

Judith could tell the young man was hurt deep down just like her but has been suppressing it. His all-smiling and happy personality were gone, pain evident in his voice as he suddenly grew cold.

"Sorry dear," she said, tapping his shoulders softly to comfort him. "The loss of a sibling is really painful. I can imagine what you are going through. Lost my younger sister to an illness when I was sixteen"

"David was shot twice in the chest by unknown gunmen. Probably since I refused him money, he went into business with the wrong crowd. He can be very desperate. If only I had given him the money, maybe, just maybe he would still be alive" he emptied the glass again and ordered for a refill.

"That's really sad. So nobody saw anything? What is the police saying?" Judith inquired letting her curiosity get hold of her.

"Neighbors said they saw a strange lady leaving his apartment that very night in a hurry, but the police said the crime doesn't look like what one lady would commit. The window of his bedroom was broken from outside. They said it must be the same gang of robbers terrorizing the area".

"Really sorry and try not to beat yourself over it; it wasn't your fault he died". Peter nodded sorrowfully in agreement.

"Is this where I get to tell you the Lord giveth and…"

Interrupting her, he said softly "Don't worry, I know".