Merlot

Siobhan is not the least bit self-conscious as her sweetheart blouse plummets and reveals a jaw-dropping tease to the already transfixed audience. After all, the wardrobe malfunction was planned. Siobhan casually adjusts herself and continues to belt out a soulful rendition of 'Ball and Chain' that would bring even Janis Joplin to tears. As the music pauses, Siobahn croons the a cappella coda as an emotionally wrecked spirit that has had the heavens stripped from her. The music crashes back in and then outros. She drops her mic. Karaoke night at The Bauhaus has never seen any performance like this and the spellbound audience applauds, whistles, and whoops with exuberance.

Siobhan hops off the stage and makes her way to her table where her date, Nicholas is clapping and shaking his head in disbelief. He pulls out her chair and dusts it off in a mock gesture of royalty and bows to her as she approaches amid all the high fives and pats on the back.

For a Wednesday night, it's a packed house. The Bauhaus is a swank lounge bar tucked away in Cleveland's warehouse district. Typically, a club like this would only be imagined in cities like New York, L. A., Chicago, or maybe Miami. Its stylish crisp modern lines and the monochromatic grey color palette provide a stark contrast to the hollowed-out vibrant red Steinway that sits center stage serving as a jukebox and karaoke machine. Giant-sized monitors flank both sides of the stage. When they aren't showcasing the performers on stage, they usually display vintage concert footage in black and white. Recessed lighting trims the grey patina walls and casually fades from white to rose to the violet hue of a black light then back to white. The bar itself is situated far across from the stage and has a segmented mirror backdrop rimmed with the same pulsating LEDs.

The staff is busy, pouring drinks, serving tables, and cleaning. The Bauhaus, which also serves as an art gallery on Sundays and Mondays, was picketed for a long while for their hiring practices. All hired staff have to be rail-thin, be between a certain height requirement and, their skin needs to be as an absolute contrast as possible. Caucasians pale and ghostly wear black, African Americans a dark sable wear white. The Bauhaus got around the complaints and subsequent lawsuits by arguing artistic license. The staff is considered living art and compensated as such. The only exception is Louie the part-time bouncer. He's a six-foot-four, three hundred twenty-plus pound tattoed face Samoan teddy bear with mallets for hands and a quirky deep giggle. The Bauhaus is as surreal as it is posh. A perfect place for a first date.

"I thought I had you. I didn't think you had it in you," Nicholas exclaimed while pouring the remainder of the decanted Australian Merlot. Siobhan swirls her glass and watches the legs slide before nosing the rim of her glass. The notes of dark fruit tantalize before giving way to vanilla and mocha. She takes a sip and tongues the roof of her mouth pinning the flavors.

After swallowing, "I would like to say, that's two dares in one." Siobhan coyly smiles at her date and makes sure that her steep-cut gold pastel top is securely hiding the top edges of her areolas. No need for a second show. At least not at the moment. She then spreads a morsel of fig jam on her toast point. "It seems to me that we are equally talented and bereft of any shame when it comes to this game of truth or dare."

"Agreed," Nicholas nods. "I know one thing for sure, nobody here expected you to sound the way you did. Karaoke is usually a mixed bag of borderline genuine talent or nails on a chalkboard. You blew this place away!" He takes a deep sip of his wine before continuing. "I've never heard a version of 'Ball and Chain' quite like that. Was that coming from an emotional place I should know about?"

"That sounds like you are asking for a truth. I believe it's my turn in our game." Siobhan raises her glass to toast. "As far as the song goes, I'm fairly certain you've never heard of Big Mama Thorton. My mother played her records over and over when I was a child. I just copied her style and sprinkled in a touch of Janis considering the crowd." Siobhan takes a bite of her appetizer rolling her eyes and huffing a sigh of satisfaction. "I'm so glad we finally did this."

"Me too!'"

"I never knew this place existed. Since when are firefighters so voguish?"

Nicholas chuckles into his glass. "This place used to be an Italian restaurant. It caught fire about three years ago. Burned practically to the studs. I was on call that night and saved a group of ladies stuck in the restroom." He puts his bicep up for display. Siobhan smirks with approval. Nicholas continues, "It's one of those things where I kind of just kept up with what was happening with the place. Took me totally by surprise when the city didn't have it demolished. But hey, look at it now."

"You mean to tell me I scored a single, handsome, chic firefighting hero from a dating app?" Siobhan snatches her head around and even looks under their table. "I'm being catfished or punked, aren't I," she blurts? "There is no way a man like you needs a dating app or let alone still be single." She examines his sturdy hands searching for the lightened skin where a ring would be. "To be honest, I felt your profile was a little t0o good to be true. But I went against my intuition and went for it."

There is a barely noticeable flicker of the lights as the next singer starts to perform a chalkboard rendition of R.E.M.'s 'It's the End of the World.'

"I normally don't do this on a first date, but I have an insatiable urge to want to kiss you." Siobhan's bronze cheeks flush red with childish embarrassment. She finishes her Merlot in two massive gulps with hopes to calm her nerves.

Nicholas takes her hand and kisses her palm. Beneath the scent of florals from her Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb perfume is an imperceptible undercurrent of acrid char. Nicholas ignores it and rests Siobhan's palm on his five o'clock whiskered cheek and gives her the batting baby blues. "Of all the truths and dares we've played online and now finally in person, to the point of you flashing strangers...now is the time you want to get shy on me?"

Considering this, Siobhan bites her lower lip. "You're right..." She slides her hand from his cheek to the nape of his neck and draws him closer. Siobhan parts her lips and kisses Nicholas deeply. The kiss reminds Nicholas of the myriad of colors the sun paints as it sets over Lake Erie. Enthralled, he presses further in, wanting to drown into her.

-Pop-

Their trance is broken by the sound of an uncorked bottle. An obsidian mannequin of a waitress begins to pour Merlot into their decanter. Siobhan laughs at the timing and Nicholas joins in her delight.

"Siobhan, I know that that was just a kiss but I've never experienced such...such," he struggles for words. Siobhan gently pinches his chin.

"Truth..."

"What?"

"It's my turn. Truth."

Nicholas slumps back into his chair mildly disappointed that his mojo was interrupted. "Truth...what do you want to know?"

Siobhan pours them both Merlot and cozies herself closer to him. The faint scent of scorched oak becomes slightly more pronounced. She looks into his baby blues and brushes his hair from his brow. "With all the time we've spent talking online and getting to know one another, I never bothered to ask you why you became a firefighter. I mean, it is an amazing job and you've certainly heard the expression that a woman loves a man in uniform. But, what is it about running into burning and possibly collapsing homes and buildings make you say yeah...that's the job for me?"

The question hangs for an uncomfortable moment. The moment is disrupted by the next karaoke singer performing an almost adequate rendition of Elvis Costello's 'Waiting for the End of the World.' Siobhan raises a curious eyebrow awaiting Nicholas's answer.

"I guess after a couple of years of city college and still not having any real direction, I decided to do something that would benefit the community." Nicholas takes a sip of his Merlot satisfied with his answer. "Is it getting a little warm in here, or is it just me?" He tugs at his collar.

"The truth, Nicholas," Siobhan demands.

"That is the truth. I don't know what you're getting at..." Nicholas unbuttons the top of his shirt and fans his body.

𝆕Waiting for the end of the World𝆕

𝆕Waiting for the end of the World𝆕

𝆕Waiting for the end of the World𝆕

"Nicholas, please stop and think. What is the real reason you became a fireman? The simple truth." Siobhan slides him a glass of water. He guzzles it down but remains parched. Out of the corner of his eye, Nicholas sees that a small flame begins to form from within the Steinway. Soon after, flames start to rise and spread from the recessed lights along the walls. Nicholas jumps out of his chair to spring into action. Siobhan grasps his shoulder with a strength she should not have from such delicate hands and sits him back down.

"Fire," Nicholas yells!

"The truth, Nicholas. All I want is to hear the truth"

"I don't know what you want from me! I've already told you why I became a firefighter. For moments like these. Fire!"

The patrons and staff pay him no attention. Louie, sitting on his stool by the entrance checking I.D.s, catches fire but takes no notice. Instead, his husky giggle carries through the corridor. The karaoke singer continues his refrain of waiting for the end of the world into a flaming microphone. When Nicholas looks towards the bar, the reflection from the mirrors shows that all of The Bauhaus is engulfed in a damning inferno. He returns his attention to Siobhan and is aghast. Her beautiful caramel skin has boiled and smoldered. The most sensuous lips he has ever kissed, blistering and peeling from the hellish heat.

"I know the truth, Nicholas. I know." She rubs his five o'clock shadow smearing his face with traces of skin and ash. "I'm going to tell you why you became a firefighter. Sad to think that even now, you can't be honest." Siobhan noses her glass of Merlot and sips.

"As a child, you chose a dare. A dare that involved you playing with matches. A dare that involved you lighting those matches to a pile of leaves. A dare that you happily accepted even though you saw those leaves piled up against my home." Siobhan gnashes her teeth holding back anger. "The truth is Nicholas, you burned me and my family alive!" As her tears fall, they evaporate into steam. "But that's not the worst of it, Nicholas. You had the audacity to run home and hide in your room. Not get help...not at least try to put the fire out with the garden hose sitting right there connected to the spigot in the drive. You hid in your room and got on your scabby little knees and prayed to God that you never get caught. Guilt is why you became a fireman, Nicholas. You're guilty and I finally caught you."

As the fire consumes The Bauhaus, Nicholas stares into the mirrors once again and realizes that he's not in a posh lounge bar. He never was. He never has been. He realizes he's forever trapped inside that burning Italian restaurant with no way out. No way out for him or the ladies in the restroom.