Fantasy Fiction posted January 26, 2019 | Chapters: | Prologue 1 -2- 3... |
The evening continues...
A chapter in the book Renaissance of Enchantment
Chapter One, Part 2
by Y. M. Roger
Background Maggie's rainy evening at work continues. Addy's at home in bed and she's wrapping it up for the night. |
The smell of cloves and peppermint that lingered around the young couple near the office door always made her smile. They were one of a few couples that favored that booth near the office, and, yep, every one of those couples smelled the same. And no matter which couple was sitting there, they always appeared to her to be in some sort of protective posture – of each other? Of other folks? She wasn’t really sure. It was just an impression she got.
Maggie hoped Lars would be in tomorrow, but the Courtside Coffee-N-Cola’s owner’s drunken binges had been lasting longer lately, and she’d had to encourage him to go home at lunch today.
Something else she wasn’t going to worry about tonight.
She smiled as she scanned Mr. Man-bun’s phone-pay with her Bluetooth adapter. The smile he returned was definitely genuine.
“Glad to see someone braved this awful weather to eat a little something.” She spoke as she looked around at the others lingering near the windows, “Everyone else here just seems to be sheltering from the storm.”
His bright smile seemed to falter a bit as he looked around, his eyes scanning the tiny shop and then looking back up at her.
“Uhmmm…” He paused for a bit then seemed to recover. From what, Maggie really couldn’t tell. “Yeah. So, there were other folks earlier?”
Maggie laughed as she handed him his container for his remaining pie, “Yeah, and the few left are my usual company-keepers. You know, they keep me company until I run them out to lock up for the night.”
Maggie glanced over at Big Ed in the corner – he had so many tattoos that it was difficult to tell the actual color of his skin – and raised her voice so he would know she was addressing him. “Right, Sir Ed?”
The over-sized biker nodded his head at her and went back to reading his book – he may have grunted, which was his way, but she couldn’t hear over the pouring rain outside. Eduardo, aka Sir Ed, stayed to walk her home on nights when she closed by herself. He would meet her at the street corner outside the shop when Lars was the one to lock up. She had never asked the gentle giant to do so, he just did. Said it was his job.
Whatever.
Maggie simply enjoyed the company, and he certainly made her feel safer on her walks home – especially when she had Addy with her.
Mr. Man-bun’s eyes seemed to dart around a bit more before his smile left him completely. He sped up his motions of storing his pie and stood to leave.
“I see,” he paused long enough to throw on his rain slicker and grabbed the container, “well, I better get going.”
Maggie smiled at him, wondering why in the world he might be in such a hurry all of a sudden – he’d seemed so friendly, almost flirtatious, earlier.
She internally shrugged. Not her business.
“Okay, then,” she responded in a warm tone, “try not to get soaked!”
But she wasn’t even sure he’d heard her as he was out the door so quickly.
Maggie shook her head at his odd behavior and glanced at the clock – almost twenty minutes until closing. She looked at the rain drenching the empty sidewalks – not even the usual cats that frequented the neighborhood around the shop were brave enough to face the soaking shower. She made an executive decision.
“Last call for purchases, everyone! I’m locking up in five!”
She knew none of the remaining folks would buy anything – she’d long ago figured that they were probably homeless and just hung around the diner to be off the streets. But neither she nor Lars had the heart to send them away. Most of the time, Lars just completely ignored their existence – whether he was drunk or not.
Maggie sighed. At least when he was drunk, he’d politely acknowledge them when she insisted he do so. It was one of Maggie’s pet peeves that no one should be ignored.
to be continued…
Maggie hoped Lars would be in tomorrow, but the Courtside Coffee-N-Cola’s owner’s drunken binges had been lasting longer lately, and she’d had to encourage him to go home at lunch today.
Something else she wasn’t going to worry about tonight.
She smiled as she scanned Mr. Man-bun’s phone-pay with her Bluetooth adapter. The smile he returned was definitely genuine.
“Glad to see someone braved this awful weather to eat a little something.” She spoke as she looked around at the others lingering near the windows, “Everyone else here just seems to be sheltering from the storm.”
His bright smile seemed to falter a bit as he looked around, his eyes scanning the tiny shop and then looking back up at her.
“Uhmmm…” He paused for a bit then seemed to recover. From what, Maggie really couldn’t tell. “Yeah. So, there were other folks earlier?”
Maggie laughed as she handed him his container for his remaining pie, “Yeah, and the few left are my usual company-keepers. You know, they keep me company until I run them out to lock up for the night.”
Maggie glanced over at Big Ed in the corner – he had so many tattoos that it was difficult to tell the actual color of his skin – and raised her voice so he would know she was addressing him. “Right, Sir Ed?”
The over-sized biker nodded his head at her and went back to reading his book – he may have grunted, which was his way, but she couldn’t hear over the pouring rain outside. Eduardo, aka Sir Ed, stayed to walk her home on nights when she closed by herself. He would meet her at the street corner outside the shop when Lars was the one to lock up. She had never asked the gentle giant to do so, he just did. Said it was his job.
Whatever.
Maggie simply enjoyed the company, and he certainly made her feel safer on her walks home – especially when she had Addy with her.
Mr. Man-bun’s eyes seemed to dart around a bit more before his smile left him completely. He sped up his motions of storing his pie and stood to leave.
“I see,” he paused long enough to throw on his rain slicker and grabbed the container, “well, I better get going.”
Maggie smiled at him, wondering why in the world he might be in such a hurry all of a sudden – he’d seemed so friendly, almost flirtatious, earlier.
She internally shrugged. Not her business.
“Okay, then,” she responded in a warm tone, “try not to get soaked!”
But she wasn’t even sure he’d heard her as he was out the door so quickly.
Maggie shook her head at his odd behavior and glanced at the clock – almost twenty minutes until closing. She looked at the rain drenching the empty sidewalks – not even the usual cats that frequented the neighborhood around the shop were brave enough to face the soaking shower. She made an executive decision.
“Last call for purchases, everyone! I’m locking up in five!”
She knew none of the remaining folks would buy anything – she’d long ago figured that they were probably homeless and just hung around the diner to be off the streets. But neither she nor Lars had the heart to send them away. Most of the time, Lars just completely ignored their existence – whether he was drunk or not.
Maggie sighed. At least when he was drunk, he’d politely acknowledge them when she insisted he do so. It was one of Maggie’s pet peeves that no one should be ignored.
to be continued…
Recognized |
Maggie -- Marguerite Atkinson
Addison/Addy -- young man living with Maggie, being raised by her
Bongo -- Maggie & Addy's large, black cat
Dorothy -- Addy's mother (deceased)
Mr. Man-bun -- male customer this night in the diner where Maggie works
Eduardo -- waits to walk Maggie home late at night
Lars -- owner of the Courtside Coffee-N-Cola, the diner where Maggie works
Twilight -- Wasn't in this portion of the chapter, but still, I wonder...
Image 'Pauli's Diner Ambiance (rain, city noises,...)' from Google images via YouTube
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Addison/Addy -- young man living with Maggie, being raised by her
Bongo -- Maggie & Addy's large, black cat
Dorothy -- Addy's mother (deceased)
Mr. Man-bun -- male customer this night in the diner where Maggie works
Eduardo -- waits to walk Maggie home late at night
Lars -- owner of the Courtside Coffee-N-Cola, the diner where Maggie works
Twilight -- Wasn't in this portion of the chapter, but still, I wonder...
Image 'Pauli's Diner Ambiance (rain, city noises,...)' from Google images via YouTube
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