"Hey Em, could you drop a fresh cup of coffee at table 12? My bladder is about to burst and she's been waiting too long." Jeff begged, dropping plates in the sink and shoving the clearing tub underneath.
"Jeffery P. Davis you know damn well my shift was supposed to be over three hours ago. I want out of here." Emily glared at him, already untying her apron.
His only response was an intense pout and a knee knocking dance to prove his dire need.
"Fine. Leaded?"
"Yes. ThankyouIloveyouohmygod." All of it was a rush as Jeff sprinted to the restrooms with a wave over his shoulder.
Emily left her apron on and snagged a pot of coffee from the machine before making her way out of the kitchen and into the dining room. Table 12 was a small booth tucked in the back. Emily only saw one head, for which she was grateful. Conversation wasn't something she wanted right now.
"Here you go, sorry for the wait. We had a busy dinner rush tonight!" Emily automatically apologizes when she comes to the table, pouring steaming coffee into the empty mug. She offered the guest a smile, then gasped when she recognized her. "Max, wow, I didn't know you guys were here!"
Startled blue eyes met hers, Max removing her hands from her hair, the short strands standing on end. "Hey, Emily. No, no, it's just me. Kids are with my parents."
"Ah, so you get some much needed 'mom time'." Emily cocked her hip and gave Max a smile.
"Something like that." Max returned the smile, then looked down at the table, pulling the coffee towards her. She flicked her wrist, checking the time on her watch.
"Is this a last stop before picking up the kiddos? I can get you a cup to go if you need one." Emily offered, reluctant to leave. She had known Max and her family for the last year, striking up a rapport with the kids. She knew they were going through a rough time, had been for the last year ever since Arthur, Max's husband, had died. She wasn't clear on the details, just what the kids would randomly share before Max could cut them off. It had never felt like her place to pry, so she would always follow Max's lead and change the conversation. This was a new thing, Max being here alone and Emily felt like this was a rare chance to get to know the real Max.
"No, they're spending the night there. The house was too quiet without them so I drove around, ended up here. I don't really want to go home yet." Max admitted with a self deprecating chuckle.
Emily chewed her lip, considering. "You know, if you wanted a bit of friendly company, my shift ended, like, hours ago. I could sit and talk with you, or just keep you company."
Max looked up at Emily, surprise evident in her eyes. "Oh, geez, you don't have to keep boring old me company. It's Friday night, I'm sure you have plans, don't skip out on them on my behalf."
"Nonsense, you're not boring. Let me put this away, and I'll be right back." Emily swiftly poured another mug of coffee for herself and winked at Max before hustling back to the kitchen. She traded the coffee pot and apron for her purse and jacket, then returned to Max's booth, sliding gracefully into the opposite bench.
"So, how did your day go?" Emily asked, blowing off her coffee.
Max huffed a laugh. "Really?" Emily just raised an eyebrow, "Alright then. Uh, I woke up, got the kids to school, worked for a few hours. Picked the kids up when school was over. Fed them dinner and dropped them off at the grandparents. I've just sort of wandered around until an hour ago when I came here." Max looked up at Emily, absently brushing her hair out of her eyes. "What about your day?"
"Much the same as yours. Woke up, came to work, stayed late because the girl who gets the late shift was late getting in, then we had a crazier than usual dinner rush so I got sucked into helping with that. Now I'm here, talking with you." Emily crossed her legs under the table, her foot brushing Max's knee.
"So, an average day then?" Max asked. Emily laughed quietly. "Pretty much."
They sat quietly sipping their coffee, Emily trying not to be obvious in her staring at Max's hands. Emily had noticed Max's hands after a chance run in in the restrooms. Max had been helping her youngest wash her hands, lifting the toddler up to reach the sink. Something about the way Max's hands had wrapped around the kid's torso had caught Emily's eye and she'd found herself looking at Max's hands every chance she got. The breadth of her palm, the length of her fingers, the evident strength in them, Emily was familiar with it all.
"Sorry I'm not very chatty. Without the kids to keep my on my toes I tend to be quiet." Max tapped her fingers on the curve of the mug.
"There's no need to keep me entertained with conversation. It's nice to sit and enjoy the quiet sometimes." Emily assured Max, looking up to see an apologetic expression on Max's face. "I mean it. Don't feel like you have to wow me with riveting conversation."
Max fidgeted, ducking her head for a second. "I just never know what to say anymore. I spend so much time talking with the kids, interacting with them that adult conversation is actually a struggle."
Emily reached a hand out to Max, who looked at it with uncertainty and hesitation. Slowly one of her hands crept across the table to meet Emily's. "I can only imagine how hard things have been for you. I hope you know that if you ever need a friend, you've got one in me." Emily squeezed Max's fingers, keeping her eyes on Max's.
"Okay, Woody." Max smirked, chuckling when Emily rolled her eyes.
"Seriously, though Max. All you have to do is ask." Emily watched a blush spread across Max's cheeks, curious what that meant.
"Thank you, Em. That, um, that means a lot." Max squeezed Emily's hand before pulling away.
They sat and talked until closing, touching on anything that wasn't strictly personal. Finally, Emily nodded to Jeffery, who came to tell them that the doors were closing and they needed to leave.
"I have one more question, Max. Could you tell me about that book there. Are you writing or drawing?" Emily stood and slipped into her jacket, looking pointedly at the black book sitting on the table by Max's elbow.
"Oh, shit. That's nothing." Max picked the book up in a hurry, fumbling with a pen and pencil.
"Bull. Can I take a peek?" Emily leaned on the table, grinning at Max's panicked look.
"I don't think so." Max swallowed, tugging a slate blue beanie over her short hair. She smiled nervously, "Can I walk you to your car?"
"Only if you let me see what you're working on." Emily straightened and crossed her arms over her chest.
Max wavered then handed over the book, keeping a hold of it even after Emily took it with both hands. "Just...I don't...fuck. It's not going to be what you're expecting. Sorry." Max grimaced and let go, standing to put on her own coat and repack her backpack.
Emily made a sound of disbelief in her throat and opened the book, initially seeing nothing but some simple sketches, realizing on closer inspection they're drawings of naked women. She walked when a firm hand at her elbow led her forward, too busy flicking to the next page where she finds a fully rendered scene, two women wrapped in each other and a passionate kiss. On the neighboring page the women were undressing one another, the word "Hurry" in the lone speech bubble.
The next pages showed a six part progression, one woman kissing the bared breasts of her partner who was still working on ditching her top. Then they were both naked and reclining on a bed, bodies slotted together. The final shot of the first page showed the woman on top inching down, raining kisses as she moved. The second page had the most action, with the first woman performing oral, the fucking her partner with a strap on before cuddling sweetly.
Emily turned the page, eager for more and gasped quietly. The scene on the next two pages were explicit and told the entire story with the subtle details. The first page showed a woman spreading herself lewdly in a chair, one hand busy between her widespread thighs, the other hand pulling open the delicate negligee to expose a plump breast. A second woman stood over her, commanding and regal, a hand wrapped around the first woman's throat with the word "Mine" written between them. The opposite page showed the second woman with slender fingers under the chin of the first woman, the simple command "Cum for me" clearly the cause of the clenched eyes and open mouth of the masturbating woman.
Sudden cold brought Emily's head up, her pulse pounding in her ears and throbbing between her legs. Max stopped their forward progress at Emily's sharp inhalation, looking up in concern.
"Em?"
"Holy fucking shit." Emily looked back down at the pages she had flipped through, then at Max, her eyes unable to focus on much.
"You...guh...you drew these?"
Max blushed bright red and broke eye contact. "Yes."
"Wow. I don't normally...I mean, I enjoy sex as much as the next lady, I don't consider myself a prude or whatever. But I've never see artwork like that, ya know, erotic. Um. Ever. This was, this is very..." Emily put a hand to her head and exhaled roughly. "How did you draw this?"
Max shrugged and wandered to the side of the building, leaning against the wall. "I can't seem to draw anything without adding sex. It's just the way my brain is wired, I guess."
"So, you have more like this?" Emily leaned next to Max, shoulder to the wall so she could face her.
"Yes." Max looked up at Emily, something in her eyes, something Emily felt mirrored in her own, felt in her chest, fluttering in time to the thump of her heart.
"Where do your ideas come from? For a drawing, or for what happens?" Emily asked, opening the book again, her eyes lingering on the word 'Mine.'
"Mostly my own head. Fantasies. Uh, sometimes it's a scene in a movie, or on tv. Sometimes just a single phrase will be enough. Sometimes it's just my own head and what excites me." Max shuffled her feet, her fingers twisting each other.
"Are..are they all like this one?" Emily asked, holding up the book.
Max looked up, eyebrows raised. "Which ones did you see?" Emily passed the sketchbook over, "Oh. Huh...this one." Max cleared her throat and glanced up at Emily, blushing again.
