"I'll try!" He called back, raising the bottle to her.

And when she was gone, he put it to his lips, titled his head back, and downed what was left. The chugging might have been impressive if anyone was around to see it. He broke away with a sigh, his eyes watering. The burning was good. The burning meant, if he was lucky, he wouldn't have long to think about his own daughter after all that.

He chucked the empty bottle into the sea and started walking again, waiting to be washed away in another manner that had nothing to do with the surf he was walking through. Once he was past caring, he staggered home, but not before snagging another bottle from the bar.