Chapter 7
It was the Thursday after Christmas and for the past 3 days I've felt confused, hurt, and angry. The anger was directed mostly at me. Three days ago, a person who I had hoped to get to know better called me his ex-partner's name at a most unappropriated time. I had told others of his interested, but had not heeded my own words. I'd spent all of Tuesday in bed, finally getting up Wednesday only to change my laying place from the bed to the couch and that is where I've been ever since. I've barely eaten anything, but have drunk most of Uncle Jake's dandelion wine. Its grassy dirty taste took a little getting used to, but it has numbed my memory to a point that the name calling incident doesn't hurt as much. My phone rang, showing a phone number but no picture. I let it ring. Once it tells me there's a message waiting, I delete it as I have done with the other four other messages left. I lay back down in a fetal position. What's wrong with me, I feel so empty. Were we moving too fast? Was I trying to start a relationship even before with we really knew each other? I won't deny I have never felt for anyone else what I felt for Carl and this pain I'm feeling proves that. I closed my eyes and had start drifting off to sleep when the phone ringing again, this time with a picture of Steve showing on it.
"Hey what's up?" I asked clearly my throat.
"Hey did I wake you, what are you doing asleep in the middle of the afternoon, late night? Steve laughed.
"No, I'm enjoying my vacation. How was your Christmas?"
"Great and its now official, Evan and I are engaged. Both of our families' witnesses the asking and the accepting of the event. Of course it would have been nice if my best friend could have been there also, but he had other plans for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day."
"Stop you're bitching, you're engaged aren't you, I not being there didn't change that."
"Wow, who pissed in your Cheerios?" Steve asked.
"Sorry, I'm not use to being home without having anything to do."
"Well maybe its good thing I'm calling you. I know you're scheduled be at the club on New Year's Eve, but I'm in a bit of a bind. Bobby cut his hand bad enough, to required stiches. Normally, this would not be a problem, we'd get for one of the bartenders from one of Rick's father other bars, or have Rick take the bar duties, and use Bobby as back-up. But it being this time of year, Mr. Gallo can't spare any of his other bar tenders, Rick's other duties will keep him too busy to bar tend and with the likelihood of a health inspector or two stopping by, we can't risk having Bobby anywhere near the bar not even as back-up. So I was wondering if you could work tonight thru Sunday night."
Over the next four nights, I could easily make over a grand in tips. I leaped off the couch and that's when dandelion wine kicked in. "I can't tonight," I said, choking back rising bile. But I'll start tomorrow. Listen Steve I got to go, talk to you later." I threw the phone down and had barely made it into the bathroom before I was on my knees with my head in the toilet. By the time I was finished, I was sure of two things: One; I would not be too far from the toilet for the rest of the night, and two; I never wanted the taste grass and dirt in my mouth again. And as a reminder to keep that promise, no matter how much mouth wash I used, that taste stay with me.
Friday night was very quiet at the bar. The few guys in the place were just sitting around talking quietly. Maybe because it was only a few days after Christmas and people didn't have a lot of money to spend, or it could be because they were getting ready for New Year's Eve. For whatever the reason it was so slow, Hector and I didn't require Rick's assistant behind the bar. So he took turns with Sal Rivera the guy at the door, allowing him to patrol outside as they normally did. He was sitting at the door when around midnight, Teak came in. Teak whispered something and they talked. Once Sal came back in, Rick and Teak walked back to a booth and began talking. I saw Rick give Teak a sympathetic look, but shook his head no. Teak shrugged stood up and started toward the front door, when he saw me behind the bar he turned and with a big smile on his face, walked toward me. "I'm surprise to see you here tonight I thought you were only going to be here on New Year's Eve."
"Bobby had an accident and can't work, so I'm helping out. What can I get you?"
"Give me a Miller's on tap in a chilled mug."
I brought over his beer. "What no champagne," I asked pretending to be shocked.
He chuckled, "No, this will be fine."
"You were missed at Annie's."
"Not by you if Mr. Tall, white and Geek was there."
I looked away, "he was, but that's over now."
Teak nearly choked on his beer. "You mean I still have a chance?"
I laughed, "I thought you're involved with Mr. he does me in the morning, and twice at night."
"That's over also."
I looked at Teak sipping his beer, "yeah," was all I said as I took his money."
"Hey, I believed you when you said it was over, now why can't you believe me?"
"Because you have been known to have had more than one special friend at the same time, and from what I know sometime even more than two. Remember when we went out?"
"That's true, and I've kicked myself about that ever since it happened. But it doesn't have to be that way and it wouldn't if I were with you. I know that is not your style so in order to be with you, there would not be anyone else but you."
"You're concerned with my happiness, when did all that happen?"
Teak looked down at his glass, "You have always been important to me. If you were to give me a second chance, I'd prove that." He looked like a shy little boy who had just shared an important secret with someone. Then he gave that megawatt smile of his.
Wait, was Teak telling he wanted to have a relationship with me? "So what happened between you and Jeremy, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I ended it, he said swallowing a sip of beer. "I got tired of the constant arguing, his possessiveness, and him thinking because he buys me things that gave him the right to tell me who I could and could not talk to." He looked right at me after his last statement. "Maybe the six year age difference between us was too much, but whatever the reason was it over now. I stayed at my mom for a couple of days, talking to her about Jeremy; she feels I made the right decision. I went home tonight but didn't feel like being alone, so I decided to come down here, and now I'm glad I did." So Fletch do you think there is a chance you and I could try again?"
I looked over and saw Rick looking over at me. "Look Teak, I'm working and I right now I don't think either of us are in a position to such a decision, so why don't we put this conversation on the back burner for now. But I can tell you one thing right now, I won't buy you anything."
He laughed, "That's alright. But Fletch the door will always be open for you."
"That nice to know, would you like another beer?"
Teak shook his head and swallowed the last bit he had in his glass. "I think I'll head on home. Will you be here tomorrow night?"
I nodded my head,
He hopped off of the bar stool, and then looked at me "Maybe you'll let me take you out for a New Year's Eve breakfast when you get off."
"We'll see Teak."
He smiled and walked toward the door.
I watched him wondering what the fuck just happen? Had I tentatively agree to have breakfast with Teak on Sunday morning? I've never known Teak to act or talk as he just did. Usually he is so much of a player; using his talk as a way to increase his status quo. But this conversation was different; it was nice and he seemed very sincere? After all, who am I to judge anyone as a player after my fiasco with Carl? But Teak and I, Annie would need to be given mouth to mouth resuscitation when she heard that. I had to smile at that thought.
Suddenly I caught sight of a small built figure standing the back in the corner. He was dressed in all black and the hoodie he wore was pulled over his head and his face almost obscured by a large pair of sunglasses. I started to push the button alerting security, but as soon as he caught me looking at him, he quickly walked out the front door. From time to time, young twink's id was good enough to get them pass the bar's security check. But if he had ordered anything from the bar, I defiantly would have checked his Id I very thoroughly. Maybe he just wanted to check the inside of the club or just needed a place to warm up in. Either case, I remained myself to let Benjamin know about it.
Chapter 8
Who the hell is leaning on my door bell at..., I grabbed my phone, and saw it said 3:30. Was it in the morning, no it was in the afternoon. I had only been sleeping for only 4 hours. I got up and dragged myself over to the speaker. "Who is it?" I yelled.
"It's me, Annie, open the door."
"What do you want Annie?"
"To come in out of the cold plus I'm tired."
