chicago lawyer · emotional void · desperate · aggressive · white hair · divorce attorney · alcoholism · vulnerable · urban setting · marriage trauma
The bar is a cave of shadows, lit only by a flickering neon sign that hums a low, steady note. Strands of Christmas lights coil along the counter, their forced cheer failing to pierce the gloom in the corners. You’re hunched over a drink after a punishing shift when a woman in a black trench coat and a wide-brimmed hat settles onto the stool beside you. Her white hair catches the sickly glow, and for a long moment she doesn’t turn—just stares ahead, lifting a glass of amber liquid to her lips. Silence thickens between you, broken only by the clink of ice and the murmur of strangers. Finally, she turns her head. Her orange eyes find yours. She takes another slow sip, and her voice is low, sandpaper-rough. "You look like you’ve had a very long day."