My Celtic goddess wobbles on high heels,

Stumbling into the booth beside me

With a foolish grin coaxed by alcohol.

"Whew! Made it," she says with a hiccup.

"Why aren't you dancing with the rest?"

I try to sound furious, not curious, but

I fail miserably. "Why aren't you?"

"Touché."

As much as I wish I could hate her,

I fall for her all over again

Every time we meet.

Even now Tala shines like the moon.

In this eerie light her pale skin glows,

Cloaked in a sultry black velvet dress

That cascades like a tempting curtain

To her ankles obscured by dark nylon.

A stately elegance. Intimidating.

Like a young Lily Munster with waves.

When she walked past us earlier,

I could swear my heart stopped.

If not for her current drunkenness,

My heart would bask in her company.

But I can't while she's in a state of sin.

My mind wants to despise her downfall,

While my heart wants to save her again.

I've never seen Tala so drunk she wavers,

Not even on her twenty-first birthday.

See? Liberalism is an aggressive cancer.

Still, the devil on my shoulder cherishes

The brush of her soft lips on my earlobe.

It's necessary because the bass drowns

Her words unless she speaks this close.

But I want her nearness,

Even in the purest silence.

Speak to me again. Let me feel it.

"Come on, dance!" shouts Tala above

A deep bass song I don't recognize.

"You'll find a girl to grind in no time."

"I don't want a girl."

"Then find a boy," she retorts.

"The lady I care for has turned from me."

Though I want to sound angry, my voice

Conveys only my sadness, my despair.

She places a warm hand on my thigh.

"Can't you see I'm still here?"

Tala gazes up at me through long lashes,

And I can hardly resist her with that look.

It takes all my strength, but God is good,

And I gently place her hand back in her

Lap, immediately regretting her absence.

"You're drunk."

"No shit!"

"Don't speak to me like that."

"Oh," breathes Tala. "Don't be so grumpy."

Slumping against me, Tala rests her head

On my shoulder and steadies herself

Against my arm. Her warmth spreads

Thoughout my body with an electric buzz

Even though I haven't had a sip of booze.

My body is a traitorous creature,

But my mind and spirit are pure.

Now I'm her anchor, and it's vital

That I stay strong because she can't

Think straight--or even sit up straight.

We will not fall to temptation. Not now.

May the devil take my fallen soul

Before I let that happen.

Right now Tala needs a friend,

And we were friends long before lovers.

"Rick, I feel weird."

When Tala nestles into me, I support her.

"Come on, you need some fresh air."

When Tala gets up, she buckles and leans

Against the wooden table with a grimace,

Her sweet ankles twisted on those damn

Platform heels. Whoever made them

Needs to be sent straight to a sanitarium.

"Ouch!"

I rush to her side. "Can you stand?"

She nods, and I support her weight

While Tala limps across the room.

The Socialist Brigade marches over

To help, and I'm grateful to them.

"Just what the hell do you think you're

Doing, Rick?" shouts Katie over the din.

"Help! I hurt my foot," replies Tala.

Katie supports her on the other side.

"Any funny business, Mister, and your

Balls are going to make a very close

Acquaintance with my heels. Got it?"

A wry chuckle falls from my lips.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Katie is one formidable woman, almost

Six feet tall in heels with a broad frame.

Though I'm a man, I wouldn't want to

Guess which of us would win in a fight,

Not that we would ever fight, of course.

Katie's been her roommate and friend

Since freshman year Poli-Sci classes.

Tessa marches behind us, carrying Tala's

Platforms while Erica stands guard.

Good! Strength in numbers. At least

I'll be leaving her in good hands since

She commands three guardian angels.

"Oh, crap! Stairs." Katie groans.

"All right, Prince Charming,

Time to work your magic."

"Sorry?"

"Time to make as though

You just got married."

"Excuse you?"

"Not that, dummy!" Katie gestures up

The staircase. "Carry her!"

"Yeah," says Tessa, "isn't that what you

Conservative dudes wanna play-act

With your submissive little wives?"

Gritting my teeth, I ignore her jibe.

Reacting to a liberal never helps.

Instead, I sweep Tala into my arms.

You know when a guy lifts up a lady

And carries her around, bridal style,

Like she weighs twenty pounds rather

Than one-forty? Some men even dance!

How do they make it look so easy?

It isn't. Trust me.

Especially when your lady is drunk.

This isn't exactly what I had in mind

When I dreamed of carrying her over

The threshold of our house with a white

Picket fence. In my imagination, it's one

Fluid motion before I sweep her inside.

Hmm...

Why is this romantic again?

In reality I stumble to get my bearings,

Fearful that I'll drop her, while I slowly

Maneuver upstairs with a manly grunt.

So much for that dramatic flourish as I

Set her down on our king size bed...

Images come to mind that make our

Ascent slightly more awkward.

Hail Mary, full of grace,

The Lord is with thee,

Blessed art thou amongst women,

And blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

It takes half an hour to get her back to

The dorm room, even with Katie's help.

But we gently prop Tala up with a pillow

So that she's resting on her right side--

That way nothing horrible can happen.

"Will you keep an eye on her, please?"

I ask them in a determined tone.

When Katie clasps me on the shoulder,

It kinda hurts. "Will do, bud."

I face all three of them. "Not just tonight.

Don't let her go out alone, all right?"

I rub the back of my neck, tense and

Self-conscious. "She's not used to this

Lifestyle of partying and clubbing."

"All right, Dad!" Tessa rolls her eyes.

"Get outta here! Guys aren't supposed to

Loiter in the girls' dorms, remember?"

"Right you are..."

Tessa calls out after me. "Hey, Rick?"

I turn to her with a raised brow.

"You're such a fucking idiot!

You love the hell outta her.

She loves the hell outta you,

And you just let her go! Why?

Because an old book said so?"

"Stay out of it, Tess..."

"Fine!" Tessa crosses her arms, scowling.

"But from now on I'm calling you Dick."

"Classy."

"Aren't I?"

I square my shoulders

And exhale audibly.

"Good night, ladies."

As I walk back toward the men's dorm,

I can't ignore the devil on my left.

Tessa is right, you know...

You'll never find another woman like her.

And I don't want to. I want her back.