“I’m talking about us, Patrick. Don’t you get it? Screw China! What if I leave?”

“Are you kidding me? Where would you go to stay safe?” Patrick smirked. “The Moon?

“Oh my god, this isn’t about that shit.” Cleo started to walk away, but turned back to him, “this is about us!”

“Listen to this.” Patrick pointed to the TV. “There is a war going on. There isn’t going to be an us, or the United States or China. Hell, they’ll probably blow up the world. We’ll be dead, Cleo. Along with millions, no billions of other people. What the hell?”

“I know there's a war going on, but your obsession with this political shit is driving me crazy. Our relationship is falling apart.” Her voice began to quiver, “you haven’t been you in months. I’ve tried to ignore it, but I can’t sleep at night. I can’t even focus at work.” She poked him in the chest with her finger. “Are you even in there?”

Patrick put his arms around her and pulled her close. “I love you. I’m just trying to keep us alive. Everything I’ve tried to do, I’ve tried to do for us.” He kissed her forehead. “This war is political, I’ll give you that. But babe, they’re dropping bombs and killing innocent people every minute of every day.”

Cleo’s eyes welled up with tears and she pulled away. “If you really loved me, you’d stop this crap. I’ve given you chance after chance. All you do is drink and rant! There is nothing you can do. You have no power to do anything about it. Hell, you can’t even keep a job!”

“Wait, what? I’m not going to fight with you, Cleo. I can at least try to keep us safe. And I am capable of keeping a job.” Patrick picked up his keys from the coffee table and turned to leave. “You know what? Fuck this shit, I’m going to Moe’s.”

Patrick stormed out of the apartment. Her shrill voice followed him out the door, ringing in his ears. “You ball-less bastard, go have a drink! Run away, little boy! You’re not even trying to get a job. Asshole!”

Patrick shoved the door open to Moe’s Bar and waved to Haps behind the bar.

“Is that a ring in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?” Haps, picked up a bar towel and wiped the bar-top, “what can I get you, Pat?”

Patrick dropped his head. “It’s the ring. I still haven’t asked her. Give me a draft?”

Haps retrieved a frozen mug from the freezer behind him. The mug crackled as he filled it. “Well my friend, now is the time. Just do it, already!”

“She’s mad at me again, we had a fight over this stupid war.” Patrick mouthed the words, “You’re not present in our relationship.” His face shot red. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Come on, man. All you do is talk about is the war. I can’t remember the last conversation we’ve had about anything else. Dude, snap out of it!” He walked away shaking his head, “you know, it’s the government trying to keep us in line. Damn-it man, get a grip.”

Patrick watched him walk to the other end of the bar. “What would you do, Haps?”

Haps pulled the bar towel from his shoulder and tossed it onto the bar. He lifted the hinged bar-top, walked through the opening, and sat down beside Patrick. “Go home, forget about this war, propose to Cleo, get married, …make babies, man. Just do right by her.”

Patrick looked at the television over the bar and strained to listen, “Turn the TV up, Haps, let’s find out what’s going on.”

“…and they’re off. Did you hear a word I just said?” Haps looked at the remote lying in front of Patrick, “there’s the remote, knock yourself out.”

“I’ll go home after I drink this beer, I promise.” Patrick picked up the remote and turned up the volume.

“…and reports are now coming in from Geneva. The US and China have come to an agreement and cease-fire. What this implies is that there may be a way for the US to back their warships out of the South China Sea without firing any more shots.” The reporter put his finger to his earpiece, “we are getting further reports that the agreement is now signed by both parties and will indeed avert any future hostilities. Chinese officials say that they will not back down if the US fails to leave the area…”

“This is great! You see, Patrick? It’s just to keep us in line. Another false flag!”

Patrick dropped his head, “I can’t believe I’ve been such a fool. I’m going home now. I hope she’s still there. Thanks for the talk, Haps.”

“That’s why I’m the bartender buddy. Later.”

Patrick kicked a soda can along the sidewalk most of the way home. He rehearsed his apology and proposal out loud, “Cleo, I’m sorry…Cleo, I’m stupid…Forgive me. Crap! Will you marry me?”

He climbed the stairs to the apartment with his heart beating in his throat. He heard a familiar song, What a Feeling, blaring from inside. He opened the door and his eyes lit up.

Cleo was dancing around the room, but stopped suddenly when she saw Patrick standing in the doorway smiling. “You’re back early.”

Cleo, I’m such an idiot. I shouldn’t have stormed out. Please forgive me. Can we talk?”

Cleo half-heartedly smiled and sat down. “We can, but will you please try to understand where I'm coming from? When you’re drinking, you listen, but you don’t hear me. I want a normal relationship with you. I know that we are at war with China and your obsession with it is causing us to drift further and further apart.” She smiled and said, “we used to be so good together, I just want that back.”

“I only had one beer, and I didn’t even finish it. I’ve been such a fool. With you in my life, I’m the luckiest man alive.” Patrick perked up a bit, “But I feel like that overwhelming sense of dread with all this war crap is coming to an end. Did you see…”

Cleo clicked the remote's on button and pointed to the TV, “Aren’t you tired yet? Doesn’t this make you want to tune it all out and focus on your own worries? And mine?”

“Yes, I am. And yes, it does. They’ve reached an agreement, I saw it at Moe’s. I’ll be a better man after you say yes.” Patrick slid his index finger into the watch pocket of his jeans and revealed the ring to a confused Cleo.

He knelt on one knee, extended the ring, and looked at her with tears in his eyes. “I cannot think of anywhere else that I want to be, than here with you. We’ve had our problems, and we’ll have other problems. But tonight, and every night from here on out, I will strive to be a better man. Will you marry me and become Mrs. Patrick Smith?

“This is great!” Cleo jumped on top of Patrick and kissed him passionately. “YES! I hope Haps can hear this at the bar! Hell, I hope they can hear it in China!”

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