Chapter 14
ELIZA
Eliza stood outside The Niterie in her favourite comfy floral anorak.
It had a glass-windowed front, with dark purple window frames, and a small logo above the wooden door, of a palm tree with a moon behind it.
Corny, but she liked it. She’d rung Jez this morning but no one had answered so she’d left a message and he had emailed later, apologising, saying he’d had to sort out urgent problems with the beer lines.
He’d said to come in at five, an hour before Carrie’s shift normally began, to fill in the paperwork.
She could finish early at midnight, seeing as it was her first day.
She’d get an hour’s break at nine. Eliza emailed back that she’d hadn’t worked on reception before but had worked in a factory and shop.
He sounded pleasant and said no doubt her skills would be transferable.
The email read as if he were in a rush. Understandable with the emergency, so she didn’t mention her age.
She’d swiftly said goodbye to Carrie’s friends last night, not wanting to take up more of their time.
Eliza had taken Ariana’s phone number, in case she needed help with anything.
Ariana had texted today, saying they’d drop by tonight to support her.
Eliza had replied, saying there was no need.
It would have been nice to get to know Carrie’s friendship group, but she didn’t want to impose.
She wiped a hand over her lightweight coat. It had drizzled all day. Despite this, Boo had gone out. She’d emailed Carrie earlier.
Hello Carrie,
I hope you had a good journey to Greece. Here is a photo of Boo watching the world go by, from the fence. I read your notes about letting him out during the day if he wanted, but to keep him in at night, once I was back from work. He stayed in last night, happy enough in his basket in the lounge.
Wish me luck at The Niterie today. My first shift! I probably should have mentioned my age to you, it never seemed important, but I sense other people might think differently. Anyway, I’m seventy-five next month. But don’t worry. I won’t let you down. Reception work sounds fun!
Best,
Eliza.
She knocked on the wooden door and it opened. A man in his mid-sixties by the looks of it – despite the thick shock of hair – smiled. He wore a single cross earring and over a black T-shirt, a tailored orange blazer, collar up, eighties-style. He smiled. ‘How can I help?’
Eliza held out her hand. ‘Jez?’
He shook her hand warmly. ‘That’s me. Who have I got the pleasure of meeting?’
A manner as smooth as his hair gel? Or was he patronising her due to her age? Perhaps, but Eliza normally had a very sharp radar for that nonsense. ‘Pleased to meet you. I’m Eliza. Eliza Woods. We emailed earlier.’
Jez took a moment. Talk about a poker face. ‘Great to meet you, Eliza. Come on in.’
A manager who wasn’t easily ruffled? She could see why he was in the nightclub business.
Eliza had done her research today, reading online in chat rooms about what it was like working in such a place.
It required energy, physical stamina and good communication skills; you had to be a team player, a problem solver, and to be friendly and cheerful. She could do all of that.
She followed him through the reception area and into the main dance room, with the dance floor on the left. Jez pointed to the right and to a door.
‘That takes customers to the chillout room – a softer vibe, food, coffee, jazz music…’ He continued ahead and went behind the bar. ‘Soft drink for you now?’
‘Soda with a shot of lime if you’ve got it. Thank you very much.’
‘Good choice.’ He prepared the drink and one for himself.
He offered to help her onto the stool and gave that smile again that lit up his whole face.
But why would she need a hand? She gazed at him, then huffed and puffed and said no thanks, rubbing her back.
They clinked glasses. She wrinkled her nose.
‘That’s my scent machine. Black Orchid.’
‘Rich and spicy,’ she said and breathed in again.
‘Has Carrie explained what the job entails?’ he asked.
‘Carrie didn’t give me any details, really. But that’s okay,’ she added hastily. ‘I’m a quick learner.’
Jez tapped his fingers on the bar. ‘I don’t know how to phrase this but… you’re a little more mature than I expected.’
‘I’d like to give it my best shot,’ she said brightly. Eliza often read how important it was to push yourself out of your comfort zone. ‘I’d like to earn the extra money. State pensions aren’t what they should be.’
‘Fair enough. It’s not like you’ll be on your feet like security, or the bar staff. You’ll have seen reception on the way in. It’s a tall chair in front of the desk if you can manage it.’
Her mouth twitched.
He stared at her for a few moments longer. ‘Right, sorry. Okay.’ Get moving, Jez, mate, he said to himself, we open up soon. He gave her a smile and tilted his head. ‘I suppose I’m baffled as I’m planning to retire next year. I can’t imagine wanting to start a new job when I’m…’
‘Almost seventy-five.’
He burst out laughing. ‘Yeah right, come on, no way do you look that age. And I plan to rest my legs by my mid-seventies, after all these years on my feet. Taking a cruise perhaps, in sunnier climes.’
Eliza didn’t reply and he coloured up.
‘Oh. Right. You’re serious?’ He swigged back his drink in one go and put it down, relief flooding across his features as a door at the back of the bar swung open and a woman came in, about thirty years old, with bright red hair tied back in a ponytail and a ring through her nose.
‘Jules, take Eliza out the back and fix her up with a uniform, will you? Give her a rundown of reception duties? She’ll be doing her first shift tonight.
Can you shadow her?’ He stared at her as if willing her not to say anything out of order.
He needn’t have bothered as she simply came over, beaming.
‘Sure thing, boss. Nice to meet you, Eliza. Welcome to the madhouse. It’s time we had someone else working in here who brings life experience and wisdom to the place that I certainly never had in my twenties – apart from an expert knowledge of the cheapest drinks to get you drunk, and how to spot a creep on Tinder. ’
Eliza relaxed. What a lovely person.
‘Tinder’s a dating app,’ said Jez helpfully.
Jules jerked her head towards Eliza. ‘Come on. I’ll find you a locker.’
She followed Jules into a room out the back and the two of them sifted through the piles of new uniforms to find Eliza’s size.
Eliza went to the toilets to get changed and came back in the skinny-style black trousers and military-cut dark purple shirt with the palm tree and moon logo on a breast pocket.
Jules let out a wolf whistle. ‘Killing it!’
The two of them looked at each other and laughed. Eliza stood a little taller, surprised to feel so good in the fitted clothes so unlike her usual looser attire.
‘Love those purple glasses.’
‘Thanks. Just had them mended.’ They’d come through the post this morning; Eliza had given the optician her new address in advance.
The less bold gold-framed ones she’d been wearing were only a cheap stand-in pair and didn’t feel like her.
She sat down to put her shoes back on and Jules went through the job – taking payment, stamping hands if there was a special event on, keeping an eye out for underage customers that door security had missed and asking for ID, and checking the dress code.
‘Can you work a card reader?’
Eliza nodded.
‘Okay. And don’t take any crap. Often our customers come in late, after drinking elsewhere. They can have a mouth on them. If they insult me, I don’t let them in unless they apologise. If I get a bad vibe, I call security.’
Eliza gave a thumbs-up.
‘Jez is all for throwing staff in at the deep end, but you’ve got this, and Mondays are our quietest night,’ said Jules. There was that bright beam again. ‘It’s rare to even get to my age without having had to deal with losers. So I bet you’ve had your fair share.’
Oh yes. More than her fair share. Eliza had married one.
* * *
The evening went quickly after the initial lull.
Jules was great, starting off as the main point of contact and then handing over, staying in the background, whilst Eliza politely asked customers for payment.
She caught a couple of underage girls wearing too much make-up that security had missed.
Jules clapped her on the back and said how pleased Jez would be.
Jules took over whilst Eliza went on her break at nine in the staff room.
She hadn’t thought to bring in a packed dinner.
Two other staff members in there had ordered pizza and insisted she share.
That was… nice. The last time she’d worked in such a big set-up was the factory when she was young. She’d always wanted to share the camaraderie, but because Howard was supervisor, and because of his way, the other staff kept their distance from her as well.
Jez came in, beads of perspiration on his head.
‘All okay, Eliza? Well done for spotting those minors. I don’t want to lose my licence.
’ He spotted her eating pizza, disappeared and came back with another soda and lime, and a slice of cheesecake from the kitchen.
‘A first day gift. I should have warned you we don’t have a canteen, like many businesses these days.
But as you see, we’ve got a mini kitchen in here with a microwave, sink and fridge. ’
‘It’s all good. Thank you, Jez.’
At that moment a hullabaloo sounded from in the nightclub.
All the staff followed Jez out to the front, past the bar, and Eliza did too.
It was coming from the reception area. When Eliza arrived, Ariana and Rae had just come in.
They stopped to speak to her but Eliza strode straight past at the sound of slurred swearing.
‘Stupid bitch,’ shouted the young man at Jules, eyes glazed, shaking his ID card. ‘I’m over eighteen so what’s the problem?’ He wore a watch so flash it couldn’t be a genuine big name one, and despite the designer names printed on his clothes, the battered shoes probably told a truer story.
‘Where’s security?’ asked Jez in a firm voice, before turning to Jules.
‘Dealing with a fight outside, apparently.’ She sighed. ‘I’d bundle the idiot out myself but that might cause more problems.’
‘Gives me the chance,’ said Jez, and he stepped forwards, but Eliza got to the troublemaker first.
‘Over eighteen? I’d act like it then.’
The man’s eyebrows shot up and then he collapsed with laughter. ‘Keep your hair on, Grandma.’
‘I beg your pardon?’ she said icily, and she waved Jez away as he mouthed sorry and went to intervene.
The man looked up.
‘I’m not sure why “grandma” is an insult.’ It must be nice to have grandchildren.
‘Look in the mirror, you’ll find out.’ He sniggered.
Jez stepped forwards again.
‘I’ve dealt with your sort before,’ continued Eliza. ‘All fur coat and no knickers.’
Jez glanced at Jules, her eyebrows raised too. Ariana and Rae stood in the background, equally surprised.
‘Now wait a minute,’ said the man, and he swayed from side to side. ‘You can’t talk to me like that.’
‘I can and I did, young man. Now I suggest you leave, before we’re forced to call the police and you sadly end up with a criminal record, which would be a shame. Or, worse than that…’ She leant forwards. ‘Your mum finds out.’
A sheepish expression crossed his face and people in the queue laughed.
‘Stupid old cow,’ he muttered and turned to go.
‘Thanks for the compliment,’ she called after him. ‘In China, being called a cow means you are strong and accomplished. Now go home, down some water and you won’t get such a headache tomorrow.’
Complete silence. Then he stumbled out. Jez asked a passing member of staff to go and tell security to make sure the man got a taxi home and wasn’t driving. A K-pop song came on. ‘Dynamite’ by BTS. Eliza’s face lit up and she turned to Jez.
‘Technically I’m still on my break, so if you don’t mind, I’m going to have a dance to one of my favourites.’ With that, she strutted past Jez and Carrie’s friends, past tables, and paused only briefly before heading onto the starlight dance floor, on the left.
Showing her true self to be more firefly petunia than wallflower, Eliza kicked a leg out, her hand went up, pointing it in the air.
Her hips swayed and she performed footwork from side to side and backwards and forwards, in time with the music, her white bobbed hair also swinging in time.
She bent over with a flourish and stood up again, and displayed more of the rhythmic, stylish moves fellow BTS fans loved in that band, the ones she’d so far only practised in her living room.
God, it felt good to dance in public again.
She’d still got it after all these years!
Eliza had forgotten how, during her childhood, at ballet and tap events, she’d lose herself on the stage and become oblivious to an audience.
Customers cleared the dance floor and stood in a circle around her, whooping and clapping hands.
Eliza glanced over at Ariana and Rae and airily smiled before shaking her ass and singing along, shouting about being in the stars tonight!