Sweet Treats
Dahlia
Why don’t I drink coffee? Seriously, why? I stayed out way too late last night at the Vincenti’s house. Now I’m dead on my feet, and my shift hasn’t even started.
The cab comes to a stop right in front of work. “Thanks.” I tip the driver and climb out of the back of the car with my hands full of brownies and my big purse.
“Here let me help you?” My boss jogs up to the door. All smiles and energy.
What would I give for a little of that energy?
“What have you got there?” He leans over to peer inside the box I’m holding.
“Brownies. I brought some in for the team.”
“It was really nice of you to buy everyone brownies.” He pulls the door open and steps back so that I can enter without feeling crowded.
“Oh, I didn’t buy them.”
“You brought in homemade brownies?” he whispers the question .
“Yes. Is that a bad thing?” Did I break the rules at work already?
“Only if you tell people before I get mine. When word gets out that there are homemade brownies, people will descend on them like vultures.”
Really?
We move into the elevator.
“That shouldn’t be surprising since most of us don’t often eat home cooked meals let alone treats. You’re going to make a ton of friends today.”
Hopefully. That’s the whole purpose of the brownies.
“How did drinks go with Mindy and Diane?”
Um… “Interesting.”
“That’s never a good word.” He gives me a kind smile. “Did you not get along?”
“Oh no, nothing like that. I just don’t think I’m a ‘drinks after work’ kind of person.” Or a club person at all.
“You should come to dinner with us tonight then.”
I would. If I didn’t already plan to do something incredibly stupid. “Raincheck. I have plans tonight.”
“Sure. Next week we’re getting Thai food. This little place a few blocks down has the best Pad Thai.”
Pad Thai like with peanut sauce? “I haven’t ever had Pad Thai.”
“What? How is that possible? Your food education is seriously lacking. We need to remedy that.”
“I grew up in the burbs. There weren’t any Thai restaurants.”
“Why did you—”
The elevator door opens.
Mindy and Diane are standing right in front of us.
“Hey!” Mindy turns and smiles at Adonis.
That smile is different from any I’ve seen before, not that I’ve known her long—Mindy more than likes Adonis!
Does he know she’s interested?
Office place drama! The brownies were totally worth making.
** *
This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. Nothing even comes close. Not putting ketchup on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Not the time I tried to stand up on my bicycle while going down a hill. Nor the time I tried to do one of those fancy spins you see on the television after learning to skate two hours before. This single container of ‘thank you’ cookies takes the top prize in the stupidity games of my life.
All I need to do is tell the taxi driver to take me someplace else.
But I stay silent, watching the lights of Urbium streak by. The city is a different entity at night. It transforms from a hive of chaos to caverns of secrets that no one wants to be told.
Why didn’t I just go home? I could be curled up in a blanket with a book in hand.
But now I’m in the back of a cab, about to pull up to a club that I’m not welcome in… to give the man who threw me out, cookies.
Really good chocolate chip cookies. But still, he kicked me out, and I’m crazy.
The cab comes to a stop.
Get up!
Tell the driver to take you somewhere else!
Why am I even doing this?
Because it needs to be done. This has nothing at all to do with my inexplicable need to see Vex again.
With more confidence than I feel, I step out of the cab. There’s an endless line wrapping around the block.
I don’t want to dance. There’s no way I’m waiting all night to hand Vex a cute tin of cookies.
Tac is at the rope again.
Hopefully, he remembers me .
Bypassing the line, I walk right up to him. “Hello.”
“Back of the line.” Tac doesn’t even look up at me.
“Um. Hi. I’m Diane’s friend.”
His eyes swing over to me, widening with shock or irritation… I’m not sure which. “I told her not to bring you here again.”
“Um. She didn’t. I came here alone.”
“We don’t allow trouble in the club.”
What is their problem? “I promise I won’t be any trouble.”
His eyes move up and down my body, taking in my outfit. It might not be covered in sparkles like Mindy's and Diane’s, but this is a perfectly acceptable little black dress. The hem is a bit shorter than I’m used to, brushing the tops of my knees, but I shouldn’t look all that out of place. Except for the cardigan, but Mom was right it’s getting colder.
Surely, he won’t judge me based on my outerwear.
“Trouble isn’t allowed in here.”
It’s the shoes. It’s got to be the shoes. Everyone else is in heels, my sensible black flats stand out like a sore thumb.
Okay, that didn’t work… I need to try a different tactic, but what?
Begging. It worked on my parents when I was a kid. “Um. Mr. Tac.”
“Two seconds and I’ll get you a cab.” He lets in two women with glittery belts—skirts that are so short I’m not sure how they walk without flashing people, let alone sit down.
“Please let me in. I’ll just be two seconds.”
“I let you in and I’m going to lose my job.”
Will Vex really punish him for letting me in to give him ‘thank you’ cookies? No way. “Please. I’ll take total responsibility for my actions.”
Tac raises an eyebrow at me.
“Really. I’m not trying to get you in trouble. I just want to give Vex some cookies to say thank you for helping me last week.” More like saving me… but Tac doesn’t need to know that.
“You brought Vex cookies? ”
“Yeah.” I nod.
“You brought my boss cookies, and you want me to let you in his club to give him those cookies.”
“Yes. I made him chocolate chip cookies.” Why is this such a shock? People give each other ‘thank you’ cookies all the time.
“You made—Show me.”
Um. He’s serious. Tac wants me to take the cookies out and show him. These people are strange. I pull the tin out of my oversized purse.
“They’re in that?” He gapes at the bow-wrapped tin. “You packed cookies for Vex in a tin covered in kittens and flowers.”
Well, they don’t exactly carry a collection for scary men at the craft store.
“Skip firing me. He’s going to kill me for this.”
Wait… that means — “You’re going to let me in?”
Tac reaches for the rope. “Don’t do anything stupid…er. Women... they’re going to be the death of me.”
“Thank you.” I jump up and down. “Thank you so much.”
“Go on. Get it over with.”
“You don’t need to worry. I’m just going to give him the cookies then I’ll leave.”
Tac shakes his head.
Before he can change his mind, I rush in.
You’d think I’d be prepared for the deafening music because of last week, but nothing can prepare you for this thunderous attack.
Dancing strobe lights blind me as I step into the cavernous space. People flow around me as I try to get my bearings.
Focus.
Find him.
Give him the cookies.
Get out of here.
Your jammies and a book are waiting .
His table is in the corner, set back from everything else. It can’t be too hard to find—Found it! Only it’s empty.
What do I do now?
Stupid.
Stupid.
Did you really expect him to just be there on a random Friday night because he was there the last one?
What do I do now?
Standing in the doorway blocking the flow of traffic isn’t an option.
People wander over to the bar all the time. Maybe one of the bartenders can help me find Vex. They seem to be way nicer than the bouncers around here.
What if another creep shows up like the last time?
Doubtful. That was a one-off. It’ll never happen. You’ll walk up, order a drink, wait for Vex to show up, give him the cookies, and then go home.
That’s a plan. A logical, reasonable plan. I walk over to the bar. And just like the last time, people make room for me without me even needing to ask.
Odd. That’s so very odd. Since they don’t do it for anyone else.
Just like the last time, people never stop moving behind the bar. It’s like a choreographed dance that never ends.
“Hey, you’re back.” The blonde bartender from last week walks up. “You here with friends again?”
“No.” Should I ask her? “I… Um… Came here to see Vex.”
“You did?” Her body stops moving, something that’s not happened for a second back there.
“Yeah… I… Um… Brought him cookies.”
“You brought Vex cookies.” Her eyes widen.
“Yeah. Do you…um…know when he’ll be here?”
She shrugs. “Sorry. I don’t.”
This is going oh so well. Stupidest idea ever. “Um, do you think I could get something to drink? A soda or something.”
“Sure. Would you like it fancy? ”
“Why not.” At least something will go well today.
“Be right back with it.” And she’s back to dancing.
How long am I going to wait for him to maybe show up? A single drink. When it’s gone, I’ll leave. Until then, I’ll people-watch and pretend my head isn’t throbbing.
The book is nixed and so is dinner. Straight into bed for me with twenty thousand aspirin.
While the bartenders have their own choreographed form of dance, the people on the floor as a group create a visual anarchy. How can a hundred people move to the same song and not be in sync with each other, with the exception of one couple towards the edge of the group? Unlike last week, these people aren’t trying to make out in public, yet somehow their movements are way more sensual. Are they a couple out for a night on the town together?
“Your fun drink.” The bartender is back, setting a pink drink with several bright red cherries in front of me. “A Shirley Temple.”
“That looks wonderful.” I take a small sip. “It’s as good as it looks.” I slide a twenty across the bar to her. “No change.”
“Thanks.” It disappears into the tool belt around her waist.
Why didn’t I wear a fun dress to match this drink? Because pink and sparkly aren’t you. Warm colors look better with your complexion.
That sounds pathetic.
Fear.
You’re in a club. Enjoy it for as long as you can.
I set my drink down and turn to face the dancers again.
The man next to me gives me a friendly smile.
Nope. Nope. Nope. Even though he seems normal enough, I don’t even want to encourage him in the slightest. With the barest of a smile, I continue rotating until I’m facing the main part of the room with a clear view to Vex’s table.
The show doesn’t disappoint, even if the empty table does.
** *
“Can I get you another drink?” the bartender asks a bit later, taking away my empty drink.
“No. That’s it for me. I think I’ll head home.” I’m not feeling so great.
“You sure? You’re not looking so hot.”
“I’m just going to go to the bathroom before I get a cab. Thank you again.” I give her a little wave, which feels completely stupid here. Then make my way into the line for the bathroom.
The music gave me such a migraine the world is spinning a bit.
Why can’t they make larger restrooms for women? The line practically crawls.
“It’s your turn.” The woman behind me taps my shoulder.
“Thanks.” I can’t remember the last time I felt this…bad… The world spins and my stomach rolls in the opposite direction. What’s wrong with…