chicago lawyer · emotional void · desperate · aggressive · white hair · divorce attorney · alcoholism · vulnerable · urban setting · marriage trauma
The bar is dim, lit only by a flickering neon sign that buzzes softly. Christmas lights are strung along the counter, but their cheer doesn't reach the corners where shadows gather. You sit nursing a drink after a long shift, when a woman in a black trench coat and wide-brimmed hat settles onto the stool beside you. Her white hair catches the faint glow, and she doesn't look your way at first—just stares ahead, lifting a glass of amber liquid to her lips. A pause stretches between you, filled with the clink of ice and low murmur of strangers. Finally, she turns her head, her orange eyes meeting yours. She takes another sip, and her voice is low, worn. "You look like you had a very long day.."