the scratch of his voice. the deep laugh. the clacking of his hand on the bar-top. the clunk of his glass on the wood. his kind words to the bartender.

here she was, so desperate to have something real that she'd go to a bar. here he was, this handsome stranger, his eyes a deep chocolate, his hair echoing that. she saw that. she loved it.

"hello, stranger," his voice, slightly flirtatious, yet still with that familiar yet strange scratch. "can i get you anything?"

he moved closer, sitting in the stool next to her, a smile centering his face. his eyes were bright, despite their dark color, happiness and joy filling even their deepest depths.

"you wear a smile well," she whispered, her eyes twinkling. "where'd you get that?"

"believe it was my mother, a birthday gift," he joked back at her, "of course, she didn't know it."

"mary g- tirena," she hesitated a moment, using her maiden name, rather than her married name.

"james feldman. lovely to meet you, miss tirena." he placed his hand next to hers on the bar, winking. "so, come here often?"

"not much. i'm only here as a one-time thing, while my husband's away." mary grabbed his hand. "are you married, mr. feldman?"

"no. i never found comfort in the idea of marriage, mrs. tirena." he pulled his hand away.

"after all, what is it but empty days away, james?" the brunette used his first name, moving her hand to his thigh, where she felt him tense. "of course, can you really take me?"

"may i, miss tirena?" james whispered, using miss again. "or should i leave now?"

mary smiled, raising an eyebrow in a flirtatious manner. leaving? what was the point in that? "not without me, james." she brushed her hair from her eyes. "after all, where's the fun in leaving alone?"

"of course, mary," he whispered. he took his hand, placing it atop hers that ha held strongly onto his thigh. he relaxed slightly, brushing mary's wavy hair behind her ear. "after all, you're a wonderful woman."

"it feels nice to not be treated like nothing, for once. like a really woman, you know? i hope you can give me that," the brunette winked, steadily moving her hand up his thigh.

oh god, what would anne think of me now? 'i'm away shooting germans and you're here having affairs? i feel betrayed, mary.' mary thought as she imagined the young woman's response. it seemed perfect for the sassy, sarcastic brunette. always dramatic.

"real woman? well, we shall see then, hm?" james tapped his hand against the bar, motioning to the bartender. "a scotch for the lady, my good sir."

"will do." the young man nodded, turning around, poring the glass of the caramel liquid, handing it to mary, whilst james promptly handed him some coins.

"so, mary, what is your favorite pastime?" jame asked, taking a long sip of his whiskey. "i have to say, i quite enjoy either playing chess, or even reading."

"i absolutely adore reading. it's a brilliant thing to do, honestly. i quite love to sit down with a tea and read any book written in this century, though i am flexible on what to read. it's quite quiet in my house alone, so i go to bars occasionally, listening to the chatter," she chatted, looking around at the people in the dimly lit establishment.

"reading is brilliant. i absolutely adore the modern prometheus. brilliantly writ story, with intriguing characters that probe the mind. they really change your views of society. i adore it."

"i also love that one. frankenstein may have created the monster, but he was the true monster, if we're being completely truthful." mary whispered, tapping her fingers on the bar, taking a slow sip of her drink.

"he is a monster of a man. brilliant story, honestly," james spoke. "you are a brilliant woman, mary. it's interesting, us discussing a wonderful book written by a wonderful woman that just so happens to share your name."

"my parents named me from the virgin mary, which is one way of doing something, considering i'm no longer religious. your parents, darling?"

"james, also from the bible. interesting in the same way, mare."

"mare? i quite like that. it sets you apart," mary whispered, turning so she faced james, her blue eyes meeting his brown ones. "a lot of things set you apart, james."

"in a good or bad way, miss tirena? i sure hope that it's good." he offered a smile.

"of course it's good," mary whispered.

"what things, darling?"

"maybe one day you'll find out." the brunette stood up, pushing her hair from her eyes. the barstool creaked at her sudden rise, james' eyes flicking to hers. "see you, now..."

"goodbye, stranger."