It had been nearly six months since his trip to New Orleans and that fateful night with Lana. He simply couldn’t explain it but he couldn’t get her out of his mind. What hurt the most was the way she left. After she broke the news to him that she was married, she simply walked out of his life. She didn’t even attempt to explain things. It was like the night and their time together meant nothing to her. David was still devastated by that. He never thought that he would be a “One- Night Stand”.

After she left, David stayed in his suite and drank until he passed out. David isn’t much of a drinker but that night was different. The longer he stayed there thinking about Lana, the more he wanted to go look for her, but she obviously wanted nothing to do with him or else she wouldn’t have left the way she did. After nearly a half of fifth of Crown Royal, David was out like a light. The next morning came sooner than he had wanted. Even though he was still in some what of a drunken stupor, he was awake after only a few hours.

Shortly after he woke up that morning, he found himself sitting in his truck across the street from the coffee shop. He spent hours sitting there debating whether or not he should go in and confront Lana. After several hours, he decided it was probably best that he just left and chalked it up to experience. By the time David checked out of the Quarter House it was late afternoon.

While leaving town, David couldn’t help but notice the large amount of police cars passing up traffic with their blue strobe lights flashing in rapid sequences and their sirens loudly pleading for traffic to move aside. There had to be at least eight police cars and three ambulances. Even though this wasn’t anything unusual, David had a gut wrenching feeling as the emergency caravan passed up traffic. His first thought was Lana. He couldn’t get the image of this out of his mind; that sweet smile, those loving eyes, and that glorious personality. David had the strangest feeling that something was wrong; but simply blew it off. To this day he remembers feeling lower than he had ever felt as he turned on the radio and heard Poison’s “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn” then Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares To You”. After the way his day was going, David turned off the radio and drove the rest of the trip home in silence.

Even now, nearly six months later, not a minute goes by without him thinking about her. Trying hard not to be obsessive about it, David has been trying to go on with his daily routines like before but she continues to enter his mind. It was truly driving him crazy. It was clearly apparent to his family, friends, and employees that he hasn’t been himself these last six months. They had no idea what it was other than the fact that he just wasn’t the same David that they knew and loved.

As he entered the kitchen area of his main restaurant in Lafayette’s Historic District, David could see a few of the employees scattering from the far corner. They knew that because he had changed, they were probably going to be in trouble for not doing their jobs. In the past he would have joked and kidded around with them but now he has a very short fuse. He has no patience for anything anymore.

As David approached the small table where the employees were gathering, he saw what it was that they were doing. They were reading the comic strips from a news paper. Looking around, he saw the kitchen manager and the front manager walking through the main doors leading into the kitchen. David simply pointed to his office in the back and they both followed.

Once inside, David immediately began scolding them both for not properly supervising their staff. After it was over, the front manager left but the kitchen manager stayed behind.

The Kitchen Manager was David’s brother, Christopher, and he felt that he could say anything to David that needed to be said.

Christopher wasted no time, “David, what the hell is wrong with you? These people here bust their asses to make your restaurants a success and you don’t even give a shit anymore. What the fuck is going on with you?”

David instantly responded to his brother, “Chris, if I wanted you to know; then I would have pulled you in here and started telling you… but since that didn’t happen, then maybe you should take the hint and get back to work.”

“You’re a fucking prick you know that. You used to take pride in everything you do Dave. Hell, now days you might shave once a week and I can’t remember the last time I saw your grass cut at your house. Dave, the damned place looks abandoned for Christ sake.”

Standing up from his seated position behind his desk, David quickly shot back at his brother, “It would appear as though you have a fucking choice to make Chris, you can either get back to work like I’m paying you to do or you can get the fuck out”

It didn’t take Chris long to make his decision, “Fuck off Davey Boy”. With that, he threw his apron at David and left.

Sitting back down behind his desk, David knew that he may have just pushed things too far. Looking over at the newspaper that the employees were crowded around, David picked it up and flung it across the room. He knew that he was tired of feeling this way he just didn’t know what he could do about it. Maybe he needed help.

Standing up from behind the desk, David began walking towards the front door of his office. As he started stepping over the newspaper that he had just thrown, he looked down and his heart dropped. He couldn’t believe what he was looking at.

There was a picture of Lana on the front page being escorted by two Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Deputies. David couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He didn’t waste time leaning over and picking up the paper. His knees felt week as he studied the headline, “LOCAL WOMAN INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER”.

David quickly began reading the article about how she was an abused wife who claimed self defense after she shot her husband nearly six months ago. It also said how she was being defended by an indigent defender. David was speechless.

He immediately called his attorney. The Baton Rouge based attorney that David used for his financial affairs was the best in the state. Although not a criminal lawyer, he had to know who the best criminal attorney in Louisiana was. On his instructions, a meeting was set up for three PM in Baton Rouge with the best around. That gave David five hours to get there but it was actually just over an hour’s drive.

After making his phone call, he picked up the newspaper then left the restaurant and made his way towards his truck. Standing next to his truck was Christopher. As David made it closer, Christopher spoke, “Davey boy, first thing first, I’m not here to beg for my job…