I
It was nighttime at the corner of Wakefield Dr. and Wonder Lane, where there stood a bar by the name of Lucky’s Tavern.  This dark, musty old bar that reeked of cigarettes and booze was at the center of the town and was constantly buzzing with people.  The tavern was moderately full for a saturday night, with people in booths and young people clustered around the bar.  Seated at the center of the bar was a businessman.  Under normal circumstances, this 28 year old entrepreneur would have been the center of attention to most women who walked in the room, but in his current state he seemed unapproachable.  He had a thick beard which had not been shaved in weeks, his tie was undone and hung loosely around his neck, and he had large dark bags under his eyes.  He sat alone rubbing his wedding ring and meticulously checking his watch.  He finished his whisky and signaled to the bartender that he would like another, all without saying a word.
Lucky’s had become a second home for the businessman.  This was his place of solitude where he could sit by himself and escape.  His worries nowadays seemed to grow exponentially.  As the bartender returned with another drink, the young man fretted over the hospital bills he has yet to pay.  He sat there staring at the whiskey and rubbing his wedding ring, wondering if he dare continue to drink.  He proceeded to take another sip, then felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.  The text read “Mr. Johnson you were supposed to be home over an hour ago and I really need to leave to go do homework.  Do you really think it’s smart to leave a newborn baby alone with a babysitter?  Without her mother, she really needs her father right now! Please come home!!!”  The businessman disregarded the text message, placed his phone facedown on the countertop, took a large gulp of his drink, and went back to rubbing his ring
II
Mr. Johnson looked down the bar to his right, his eyes landing on a beautiful young woman.  She was 25 years old, very tan, had long blonde hair that reached the center of her back, eyes as blue as the ocean, and nails painted blood red.  She sat alone at the end of the bar, and even though men tried to approach her, she rejected them over and over again.  Before he could realize that he was starring, the blonde vixen turned his way, met his gaze, and smiled her perfect white teeth at him.
The businessman looked down at his whiskey, rubbed his wedding ring, checked his watch, and finished his drink.  He stole another glance at the woman at the end of the bar, and even though it was only for a second, he was still able to capture all her beauty in just a short moment.  He contemplated for a moment what would happen if he went to talk to her, and his final thought was “What could go wrong?”
III
The young entrepreneur stood himself up, dusted himself off, and ran his hands through his hair.  But before he walked over to the beautiful woman, he looked down at his wedding ring, rubbed it one last time, and put it in his back pocket.  He sat down next to her, and leaned over the counter top with his hands clasped shut.  She stared at him with a puzzled look, smiled at him and said, “Excuse me sir, can I help you?”
He looked at her, and even through his thick unshaven beard, his smile was enough to make the girl blush.  He looked into her eyes, stuck out his hand, and spoke with confidence, “My name’s Harry and whatever you’re drinkin is on me.”
She replied with a smile, “I’m Jess”.
Being the only guy who did not approach her with a cheesy pickup line, she accepted the offer, and took his hand.  The night progressed and was full of laughs, smiles, and flirting.  Both of them went home feeling extremely satisfied with how the night had gone.  Harry walked into his bedroom and began to undress for bed.  But as he took off his pants he remembered the ring in his back pocket.  He got the ring, held it tight and held it up to the light.  He then opened his nightstand drawer and placed the ring inside.  This was the last time Harry touched the ring. 
A few days later Harry found himself alone at Lucky’s again, but after the encounter with Jess he found himself seeking companionship, so he gave her a call.  Within 20 minutes she was by his side at Lucky’s, where they spent another night of flirting.  This happened a few more times, random calls to Jess, asking her to come to Lucky’s when eventually she refused.  She said over the phone, “How about you go home, shave, get dressed up, and take me to a fancy dinner?”
Harry was taken by surprise by her forwardness, but her overwhelming confidence was fantastic.  Mr. Johnson raced home, put on his best suit, got cleanly shaven, and picked her up.  She wore a white dress and her tan skin made her hair seem even blonder.  Her nails, still a deep stain of red, contrasted her skin and dress so perfectly.  She looked immaculate.
Harry found himself at a loss of words by her beauty.  Most of the night was occupied by Jess speaking because Harry was so distracted by her beauty and her confidence.  At the end of the night Harry walked her to her door and when they got there they stopped and looked each other in the eyes.  It was as if time had stood still for just a moment.  There was a second of pause before Harry and Jess plunged into the most passionate kiss either of them had partaken in a long time.  They entered the house wrapped in each other's arms and stayed that way until the sun came up. 
As months went by, Harry and Jess found themselves spending more and more time together.  He introduced her to his baby girl and she fell in love with her as well.  Harry’s worries seemed to fade away when he was with Jess.  After almost a year of being with her, Harry couldn’t imagine himself with anyone else.  He saved his money for an engagement ring, brought her to her favorite restaurant, and proposed to her.  The answer was a resounding yes, and she flung herself into his arms. 
The wedding was something out of a fairytale.  Friends and family flew into town from all across the nation to see Harry and Jess come together forever.  When they kissed for the first time as a married couple, Harry looked into her soulful blue eyes and saw the amazing future they were going to have.  That night, a miracle happened, and with this miracle the newlywed Johnson family will soon gain an additional member
It wasn’t long until the moving trucks had brought Jess’s things to Harry’s house.  Jess stood there with her blond hair in a bun, holding Harry’s child in her arms, also carrying her unborn child as well, while Harry helped put Jess’s things where they belonged.  Even in her pregnant and motherly condition, Harry still found himself at a loss of words for the overwhelming beauty of his wife.
Almost six months later, Harry was rushing into the emergency room, pushing his wife in a wheelchair.  Her baby was coming, and she was in extreme pain.  Mr. Johnson accompanied his wife to the labor room and they immediately gave Jess her pain killers, but it didn’t seem to be enough.  The farther into labor she got, the more intense her pain seemed to be.  Just as the baby was coming, her heart rate monitor flatlined and her body went limp.  Harry gripped his wife’s hand and screamed into his wife’s ear begging her to wake up.  Doctors flooded into the room and the nurses forcefully escorted Harry out.  The doors locked behind him and when he looked out the window he saw the last glimpse of the sun just before it set, which drowned the hospital in shadows.  Harry spent an eternity pacing the room from one end to another, awaiting news of his wife. 
Eventually, one lone doctor approached Harry.  The stone faced man glided across the room and said monotonically, “Mr. Johnson?  I’m afraid I have some bad news.  While we were able to save your child, unfortunately your wife did not survive the birthing process.  I’m very sorry and--” 
Harry didn’t hear another word.  His world was plunged into darkness and he fell to his knees.  Tears poured down the side of his face and the only words that could escape the torrent of agony were “Please God, not again!”.  These words repeated on a loop in Harry’s head until they were the only things occupying his mind.
The doctor placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder, which triggered something inside him.  Harry jumped up and sprinted out the door to his car.  He raced home, kicked in the front door and ran up to his bedroom.  He flung open the nightstand drawer and there sat the ring which he took off long ago.  He slid his newest ring off his finger, held it up to the light, and then placed it in the drawer next to the other.  He opened the bottom drawer of his dresser, where they laid a black handgun which he had tempted himself with many years ago.  He pulled back the hammer and pressed the barrel to his chin.  Then the world went black.
IV
The smell of cigarettes and booze was still potent in Lucky’s.  The business man in the center of the bar signaled to the bartender that he would like another drink.  Harry picked up his phone, read the text message from his babysitter once more, and replaced his phone facedown on the counter.  When the bartender returned with his drink, he took a large gulp, checked his watch, and went back to rubbing his wedding ring.
He looked down the bar to his right and saw that beautiful woman once more, but now she was with another man.  Harry took another sip of his drink and then looked to his left.  There, at the end of the bar, was a 26 year old curly haired brunette, with stunning green eyes.  She gave him a smile, which he reluctantly returned.  He contemplated going over to her, when he thought to himself, “What could go wrong?”