Still, the silence was loud. Tommy slowly sat up in the aftermath of their last, aggressive lovemaking. He got out of bed and went straight to the bathroom to shower.
He took his time in there, savoring every drop of water that came down to his head and face, the cool water bringing a fleeting clarity as he realized this would be the finality of their time together.
He walked out of the bathroom; she got up, her eyes still clouded with confusion, and held his hand briefly, slowly letting it go as she walked into the bathroom.
He got dressed and sat at the bedside. He lit a Marlboro cigarette, taking a long drag and slowly exhaling the smoke.
After a while, he looked up at her as she walked out of the bathroom. As he took the last puff of his fifth cigarette, she finished getting dressed and sat near him.
He initiated the final conversation, his voice steady. "I think this is it, Rosa."
"Babe..." She was at a complete loss for words, the realization crushing her that she was the one who had caused this to happen by retracting her solemn promise.
He stood up and warmly looked into her eyes, the aggressive stare gone, replaced by profound sadness. He pulled her to her feet, hugged her briefly, and gave her the last gentle kiss on her lips and the final one on her forehead. He caressed her hair, touched her left cheek, and watched as tears slowly dropped from her eyes.
"Goodbye, Rosa."
With that final word, he turned, walked out of the room, and left her for good.
He went straight to his regular bar, a place of isolation and familiarity in his chaos. He ordered three shots of Jägermeister, confirming his immediate need for the strong, numbing effect of alcohol. He immediately lit a cigarette, coupling the nicotine addiction with the alcohol for maximum self-soothing.
Tommy sat there, drinking alone. He quickly finished his shots and ordered four consecutive glasses of Guinness. The rapid, heavy consumption confirms his intent to numb the profound pain of losing Rosa for good, attempting to drown out the echoes of betrayal and the final, harsh goodbye.
After the fourth glass, heavily intoxicated, he staggered home. His intent to sleep, fueled by the desperate hope that the next day would bring relief, is a sign of his deep emotional exhaustion. He is delaying the confrontation with the immense void Rosa has left.