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As soon as he glanced over, he immediately understood that he was the only one in that trio who wasn't part of the drinking session and was, therefore, still completely sober.
"Sir," the manager addressed him respectfully.
"Can you come with me for a minute?" Baljeet said as he stood up, took the manager by the arm, and started leading him aside. "Let's talk over there."
The manager, somewhat hesitant, allowed himself to be led away.
"What's the matter?" Baljeet asked the manager in a low voice once they were in a corner.
"You can see for yourself," the manager said. "Your friends are drunk."
"So?"
"So the issue is that if they drink any more, they might create a scene."
"They won't."
"There's a possibility."
"I guarantee it," Baljeet said. "There won't be any trouble."
"Not because of you," the manager replied, casting a discreet glance toward Daren who was sitting further away. "But because of him, there definitely might be."
"Listen to me—"
"No. We won't serve anything further."
"Manager sir—I assure you."
"I don't trust your assurance one bit."
Hearing this, Baljeet shrugged his shoulders and glanced at his wristwatch.
It was almost one in the morning.
"Manager sir," Baljeet said after thinking for a moment and then speaking in a changed tone, "there's a long traffic jam up ahead on the highway, and it doesn't look like it'll clear for several hours."
"Yes, but what does that have to do with this?"
"It means that even if we leave now, where would we go?"
"That's not my problem," the manager said firmly. "We're not responsible for that."
"Come on, try to understand our situation too."
"You don't have any problem," the manager replied. "The problem is with them."
"Then do one thing."
"What?"
"Check us into a room here for the night."
"We don't have rooms," the manager said. "We have independent huts."
"Even better," Baljeet said. "Then just make that our stop for the night."
The manager considered it for a moment.
"Please," Baljeet said. "This way, you'll have it your way, and our guy won't cause you any more trouble."
"But no more drinks will be served."
"Bro—what's the issue if it's in the huts?" Baljeet said, throwing his hands in the air.
"But…"
"Come on, don't be so stubborn now," Baljeet said, trying to convince him. "If you're going to be this rigid, how will we manage?"
The manager looked into his eyes suspiciously.
"My responsibility," Baljeet insisted one last time.
The manager thought for a moment and then slowly nodded.
"One last thing," Baljeet said.
The manager's eyes instantly narrowed.
"Last one…" Baljeet said. "One final, the last one."
"What?"
"Serve one final round of drinks at the table."
"No," the manager objected immediately.
"Don't be so stubborn now," Baljeet said, taking the manager's right hand and patting it. "One final, for the huts' sake, serve this round at the table."
"But…"
"Come on, man," Baljeet pleaded in the softest tone. "Just moving these two from here to the huts is going to be a whole mission in itself, and you're being difficult over this one small thing."
The manager thought for a moment and then said, "Alright."
Baljeet let out a deep breath of relief.
"But this will be the last service."
"Agreed."
"No further service."
"Point noted, my lord," Baljeet replied.
"And all of you will move to the huts right after this."
"As you command, my master."
The manager turned and walked away, and Baljeet started heading back toward the table.