Chapter 32 #2
I down the water in two big gulps before leaving Benny’s. As I walk toward The Black Sheep, a lot earlier than necessary, I have this eerie feeling that everything was going to be different moving forward.
My shoes crunch on the sidewalk over little granules of salt. The impending freeze sends the city into preparation mode.
Theo dared me to try the salt one time. My throat burned and I think I even threw up.
I swear the taste buds on my tongue are still permanently damaged from the incident.
Zero stars… do not recommend! My cracked lips pull into a pitiful smile, thinking about something as stupid as a dare from my brother, but that’s what this city does to me.
Every building, fallen leaf, and grain of salt holds Theo’s memories.
I could never abandon this place. It’s my home.
I refuse to forget. Fuck my uncle for thinking I should have left.
If there’s some kind of clue or message that could shed light on Theo’s untimely death, I will find it. I’m nothing if not manically stubborn.
A shaky hunger courses through me, due to my inability to back down, I skipped breakfast all together.
I know I’ll need my strength for the long shift ahead.
Making a pit stop at a hot dog stand, I managed to find just enough money in my wallet to cover the cost of the delicious smelling meat log.
I handed the cart owner the exact change, then found a remote bench to eat.
Knowing I’m going to be indoors for hours on end, makes me willing enough to brave the temperature just a little longer.
A man in a bright cobalt coat passes by me twice.
I grew up in the city, I may be sheltered, but I’m not stupid. It’s important to be aware of your surroundings. It’s definitely the same man, not two separate people in a similar colored coat.
I am just finishing my hot dog when the figure goes to pass a third time but, instead, stops in front of me, sitting down on my left. The looming man in blue, reeks of booze.
“Heeeey!” A haggard voice blurts.
I stand as if on autopilot, familiar with panhandlers’ tactics. Giving a half-hearted apology for not having cash on me, I toss my trash, then continue toward work.
“Your overalls are cute.”
They're not overalls, but I wasn’t going to argue a moot point. I hit my quota for the day. I give a small smile. “Thank you. Have a nice day.” I started to walk toward The Black Sheep.
“What’s your name?!” He shouts, apparently jogging after me.
“Sorry, I'm not interested. My boyfriend is waiting for me,” I stammer through the lie, while trying to increase my strides.
He’s trailing me despite my pace.
Stay on the busy streets, you're only a few blocks away, I tell myself. Weaving in and out of people, I glance back to find the drunken Smurf keeping up with me. I can see his mouth moving, but he’s too far to hear the incessant banter.
His deep-set eyes remain fixed on me, looking almost predatory for a midday drunk.
I need to lose him without risking going down less crowded streets.
The Black sheep is only a few hundred feet away, so I take off like a shot.
With an instant muscle spasm under one side of my ribs, I practically fell into the bar.
Pushing the door closed, I stand against the exit, attempting to catch my breath.
I peek out the small porthole of the red door.
“Please go past, please go past,” I whisper to myself.
Luckily, the man ambles by. I knew I would be safe here.
I didn’t exactly want a deranged man following me to work.
I have one of those already, thank you very much.
Turning, I find everyone together at a table, staring toward me with a look of pure confusion. Apparently, I was so early… I must have stumbled into some kind of meeting between Eamon, Garron, and Dax.
Eamon was the first to speak. “What’s wrong?” Between breaths I just manage to get out.
“Someone… following… me.”
Eamon snaps, causing Dax and Garron to stand to attention. They both wordlessly make their way out of the bar to find the man in question.
“Blue!” They freeze upon my word. “He has a blue coat,” I add.
Garron nods and they both march out into the streets.
Eamon pats the seat next to him, and I oblige, mostly because I really need to sit.
How he treats me makes so much more sense now.
Eamon never considered me a lover but closer to a sibling.
It’s because of who Theo was to him and how he believes he must carry the burden of looking after me.
I still wonder, though… why try to pursue me in the first place?
There are still so many pieces missing here. Too many unanswered questions.
“Did you look up what I suggested?” He immediately inquires.
“No, but I looked through a few boxes of family keepsakes. I haven’t found anything noteworthy yet, but I plan to look up Lombardi after work.”
He nods, closing the laptop that was previously open and facing the group of men, before I arrived.
“I’m needed at the boxing club this evening.
Because of Connor being off today, I’m going to leave you in the capable hands of Dax.
Garron will accompany me to the club. Brittany will be in before opening. ”
Not him. Garron at least engages me. “Okaaay. Should be a slow night.” I try to say it without sounding entirely disappointed.
Beginning with my opening tasks, Eamon takes down chairs as we wait for Garron and Dax return.
With a shrug from Dax, followed by an apology by Garron, it seems they couldn’t locate the man who tracked me.
Just as well, I hope to never see the unhinged person again.
When Brittany arrives, Eamon and Garron head out.
Dax finds a table far off in the corner to inhabit, as opposed to his usual spot at the bar.
Am I really that off putting? It’s fine because I don’t really care about him either.
We didn’t exactly get off on the right foot.
Me yelling at him to get out from behind the counter, when he was only trying to get us caught up on clean glassware.
This just seems to be the ongoing trend with men and I. Destined to be pursued by troubled men yet alone… starved of meaningful connection.
Which reminds me, I need to pick up double AA batteries for my vibrator. With my stalker practically ignoring me as of late, I’ve been left to my own devices. Literally!
The brooding introvert nurses a Guinness far from anyone, while Brittany and I have a pretty good handle on things behind the bar. It’s so dead tonight that all the customers just come up to the counter when they want to order.
Brittany asks me for some pain relievers at one point; she appears unwell.
“Are you sure you’re alright?”
She tries to play it off at first, saying she drank too much the night prior, or she just needs to hydrate better, but after three waters and two Tylenol, she is looking worse by the minute.
“Brittany, I think you should go home and rest, you look sick. It must be going around; remember I was out just over a week ago?”
At this point, she doesn’t have much fight left in her and agrees to leave early.
I just have to make it through two more hours, until closing. I can practically do this with my eyes closed. Also… I am not entirely alone; the bar’s silent lackey lingers nearby.
Tonight, wasn’t yielding many tips with so few visitors, but it made an effortless shift. A pair of women who ordered two dry martinis left a few minutes ago. With no one currently in the bar, I take the opportunity to carry some dirty glasses to the dishwasher in the back.
There’s a light in the backroom that indicates when any of the outer doors are open in the bar. When I see the red-light flash, I emerge seconds later to greet the customer and let them know it was ten minutes till the last call.
My hold tightens on the edge of the swinging door, now faced with the unbalanced man in the cobalt coat.
“There you are!” He stammers. “I’ve been looking for you.” I look to the table where Dax once occupied, but he’s not there! Where is he?
“Stay away from me!” I bellow, slowly inching toward the bar where I know there is an alert button for these types of situations. In all the time I’ve worked here, we fortunately have never used it. I had to believe it would work if pressed.
The vagrant drunk must have sensed what I was up to, because he was in front of me faster than I was able to get fully behind the bar.
Where the fuck was Dax?! Is he in the bathroom? Just outside? My head pounds in time with my heartbeat… so hurried it’s painful. No one else is here, but me and this deranged guy.
I grab a handled corkscrew within reach and wave it toward him. “Get back!”
All I smell is booze weeping from this man's pores, as he steps closer to me without an ounce of fear. Within a split second, he is near enough to have the tool pressing against his blue covered torso. He knew I wouldn’t do it…
predators like him can sniff out women, who don’t have the nerve to drive a weapon into their assailant.
I wish I was stronger. To protect myself.
Putting up both hands, I begin to push. Trying anything to get away from this maniac. “Help!” I wail, just as two blue arms wrap around me.
The bottle opener falls to the floor. Of course, he’s bigger than me, managing to swipe my feet out from under me and I go down hard. White hot pain pulses within my vision as my head hits the floor first. My vision blurs at its edges, and he’s on top of me within an instant.
He smells me, breathing heavily over my face. His hot and putrid mouth opens as he initiates licking down the side of my face. I fight, shove with all my strength, I even scream despite my head feeling like it's split open… but he has me pinned. He’s too strong!