19. Epilogue
Epilogue
Julie
I fold my arms as I watch Vatok staring at the bottles of wine, with a piece of paper in his hand that has information about what to add to make different cocktails. His brows are furrowed as he tries to identify the words on the bottles. Some are printed in artistic fonts that aren't very legible in the dimmer light of the bar.
I clear my throat after he spends another minute, not starting a thing. "Mr. Officer, the patrons are waiting and the orders are piling up. Are we starting already?"
Vatok turns to me. "Look, I'm watching for the big picture. It's about all the drinks I'll be mixing for the night, not just the order right in front of me."
The few patrons who are my friends at the bar counter chuckle. Vatok shoots them a glance, but they burst out laughing.
Vatok groans, but a smile lingers on his handsome face. He said that I should take a day off on my birthday, but since I didn't call for a day off, he said he'd be the substitute.
I try to stifle a laugh, but it bubbles up anyway. "You know, Vatok, bartending isn't quite like directing traffic. Sometimes you just have to dive in and handle one thing at a time."
He huffs, but there's a playful glint in his eyes. "After I figure out the system, it'll be faster for the whole evening."
I lean against the counter, a grin spreading across my face. I can't say he's wrong. All the bottles and tools that I'll need are arranged in a way that I know in my heart, which lets me mix and get drinks ready without even reading a label. But for Vatok, it probably looks like chaos. "I suppose it's okay. Take your time. I was hoping you'd be mixing drinks quicker with all those arms."
He huffs as the patrons laugh. "Hey! Don't insult my arms. Wait until I get things going! You should have arranged these in order. It's not fair to have to be checking like this."
"Life's not always fair, Vatok. Besides, they know it's your first time behind the counter. They're just here to have fun and watch you squirm a bit."
He raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Squirm? I do not squirm, Julie. I am a kot'oll officer."
The patrons chuckle again, and I can't help but join in. Vatok might be out of his element, but he's taking it like a champ.
I say, "Let's give my method a try. Start with one bottle, okay?"
He scans the shelves, his four arms moving with a grace that is almost hypnotic. Despite his initial frustration, he finds the bottle and sets it on the counter. I step closer, our shoulders almost touching.
"First, we need to measure out two parts of Sakanol. Remember, precision is key in mixing drinks, just like in your traffic regulations." I hand him the measuring cup, watching as he carefully pours the liquid. I don't have to do that myself anymore after countless drinks, but for the sake of the patrons, Vatok should start with small steps.
"Now, add one part of this," I say, handing him a bottle of exotic fruit juice. "It's called a Zorian Nectar. It's sweet and tangy, perfect for balancing the strong taste of Sakanol."
He adds the juice, checking against the piece of paper. "I've never seen you do this."
"You don't see that anymore. Sadly, you weren't there when I first started."
"Hm... Precision like traffic, like parking spaceships, I suppose."
I roll my eyes. There are things that he'll never stop teasing me about too, so much for blaming me for everything.
As he finishes adding all the parts, I hand him a shaker. "Now, shake it up. Think of it as a dance. Let the ingredients mingle and create something new."
He raises an eyebrow at me, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "A dance? I thought dancing was not in my protocol."
I laugh, nudging him gently. "Well, consider this a revision of your standard operating procedures. Besides, it's just a shaker."
He shakes the drink, his movements becoming more fluid. When he's done, he pours the mixture into a glass and hands it to me with a questioning look. "Do you think you should try it before we serve it?"
The patron chuckles. "Give it to me. Maybe this will be the next gimmick for the bar — the blind bag cocktail." I take the glass from Vatok and hand it to the eager patron, who takes a sip and grins. "Not bad. Not bad at all!" The patrons cheer, and Vatok's chest swells with pride, a smile spreading across his face.
I lean into him, nudging his side. "See? You're a natural. Now, let's see if you can keep up with the next round."
He playfully nudges me back, his four arms moving with newfound confidence as he starts preparing the next drink. "Bring it on. I'm ready."
The night continues with laughter and cheers, Vatok slowly finding his rhythm behind the bar. He mixes drinks with careful precision, his initial frustration melting away into determined focus. The patrons are loving every moment of it, and so am I.
It doesn't take long before he knows where the bottles are. He has an arm around my waist, one holding up the paper with the recipes, the other two searching for bottles and mixing drinks.
I can't stop laughing while I enjoy his warmth. Even the patrons are enjoying this.
He grunts as he slings another drink down the counter. "What's with that? You know, there's no other being who can be as perfect as me when it comes to serving drinks." He flexes his two arms that aren't mixing drinks while still holding me. "Even you can't mix drinks while hugging me. Come on."
"Yeah, yeah, you're so perfect for the job, huh? Almost putting me out of a job now." I laugh while the others at the counter boo.
Vatok leans in closer, his arms wrapping around me tighter. "I never thought I'd be on this side of the counter. But it's kind of... fun." His eyes sparkle with surprise and a hint of mischief.
I chuckle, my heart swelling with a mix of warmth and amusement. "I told you. Sometimes, a little chaos is good for the soul. And you, Officer Vatok, are doing a stellar job."
"I have a good teacher."
As the night goes on, the crowd grows more animated, egging Vatok on to try more adventurous mixes. And to my surprise—and his own—he starts to relish the challenge. His four arms are in constant motion, pouring, mixing, and shaking with a fluidity that almost rivals me.
A patron calls out, "How about an Interstellar Splasher?"
Vatok raises an eyebrow, feigning intense contemplation. "That is a serious request. But let's see if we can make some magic happen."
With a playful glint in his molten bronze eyes, he starts preparing the drink. I watch with pride as he expertly combines the exotic liquors and alien fruits, creating a vivid concoction that glows under the neon lights. When he hands it to the patron, the bar erupts in cheers.
The entire bar echoes with laughter and toasts, the atmosphere charged with the joy of shared celebration. Vatok, who initially seemed so out of place, now commands the attention of the crowd with his wit and newfound skill.
I watch him, enjoying the night to the fullest. I swear I catch a glimpse of Targoth here and there, but he knows better by now.
Maybe it has to do with a change in the air, but somehow, he understands that Vatok and I are together by now and there's no chance for him anymore as if there was ever a chance. Even though Vatok isn't in the bar with me all the time, his presence is enough to keep weird and rude beings away from me. I still don't understand, but who am I to complain after all?
Vatok takes a breath when the counter is empty, which may last barely a second before the next batch of patrons come along, seeing the empty counter. "This is pretty tiring, but fun, regardless."
I pat his chest. "I hope you haven't forgotten about our actual celebration for my birthday."
He pecks a kiss on my forehead. "How would I forget about the visit to the animal shelter?"
"And we shall see what you can do with your arms there. Hopefully, no squeaky toys are involved this time around."
He grunts and rolls his eyes. "Come on... The animals just love me. Don't be jealous."
I smack his chest, but I can't deny that. The animals really love him. Maybe because he's good at picking them up and giving them solid hugs that I can't when I'm not as strong. I laugh, “Fine, fine, you win. But only with the hugs, not the squeaky toys.” I wink at him, enjoying the playful banter that has become such a natural part of our dynamic.
He puts the bottles and shaker to the side and holds my hands, both of them. The smile fades away, and he watches me with an intense gaze. "You’ve brought a new perspective to my life, Julie. Something I didn’t even know I needed.”
My heart skips a beat. "Getting serious out of nowhere, huh?"
He blinks. "Is that wrong?"
"No, not at all."
Sometimes, he does spell out his feelings. Maybe it is more natural for him. Next time, I'll teach him about the meanings behind the drinks. Then he may come up with something to wow me, which hopefully doesn't involve ten drinks in a row just so he can tell me everything he wants to mention because he thinks that a single drink isn't enough.
He smiles, his eyes softening as he holds my gaze. "Good. Because I need you to know how much you mean to me. Before you, everything was about rules, order, and maintaining control. But you've shown me the beauty in chaos, the joy in spontaneity, and the warmth in connection."
I squeeze his hands, feeling a lump form in my throat. "You've changed my life, too. You've shown me that it's okay to lean on someone, to trust, and to let love in. You've been my rock, my partner, and my best friend."
A slow smile spreads across his face, and he leans in, pressing his forehead against mine. "I love you, Julie. With every fiber of my being, with every beat of my heart, and all my arms, I love you."
Tears well up in my eyes, but they're tears of happiness. "I love you too, Vatok. More than words can express."
The patrons around us erupt in cheers and whistles, bringing us back to the present moment. We laugh, pulling away from each other just enough to acknowledge the crowd. Vatok raises two of his arms in the air, a triumphant gesture that sends the bar into another round of cheers.
Maybe Vatok and I, who seem to be coming from different worlds, have finally found each other and will never get tired of telling each other how much we love each other.