Chapter 11 – Lana ~ 1989
A couple weeks have passed since Kari’s party. Tina still hasn’t said anything to me. Kind of weird. Blake hasn’t really talked to me either. But to be fair, it seemed like a one and done thing.
I got up and got ready to go to work. I’m a barista at my favorite Portland coffee shop. Storms Brewing, it’s a decent place to work. The pay is alright, my coworkers are nice, and I get free coffee, which is totally tubular.
Tonight is my first time closing the coffee shop by myself. I’ve been working here for maybe a month now. I’m working on a couple of orders before Jen comes up to me. “Are you sure, you’re okay by yourself?”
“I’ll be alright, Jen. I know how to close, it’ll just be my first time alone.” She gives me a look. “I promise. Jen, just go home. There’s only a few customers left, I will be alright.” I say.
She writes down a phone number on a coffee filter. “Call me if you run into any trouble.” Jen says, with a pointed look. I tuck the coffee filter into the apron pocket. I nod.
She gives me a quick hug, cleans up her area and then grabs her purse and leaves. I sigh. Truth is I’m nervous but I know I got this. What’s one night of closing alone?
I start cleaning up. We’re going to close soon. Only a couple people left. I grab a bucket and a washcloth and start cleaning tables. I get to the one in the back corner and I see a five dollar bill laying there. I look around.
Who left this? A tip? We have a tip jar up front… I quietly pocket the money. This is almost double my wage at Storms Brewing. I can’t believe someone would leave a five dollar bill. I wipe down the table and then wipe down the surrounding tables.
The last person leaves. We close at midnight, unlike most of the coffee shops here in town. It takes about an hour to close. I make sure the door is locked and I head to the register. I’ve watched Jen do this a handful of times.
I grab the notebook next to the register. I take out the bills and count. I write the number down, the write down the change. I then get the deposit ready for the next day. I finish those tasks and lock up the money in the safe.
Now the harder part. I start backflushing the one espresso machine we have. That’s a pain in my ass. I clean the counter around it and behind it.
I restock cups, straws, lids, napkins and more. I save the mopping for last, so that way it’s freshly clean before I leave. I make sure everything is wiped down and spotless.
I take my time checking over everything. I told Jen I would take care of the coffee shop as if it were my own, so I am. Storms Brewing is my favorite coffee shop and now it is my favorite workplace. I smile.
I start gathering my stuff and turning the lights off as I go. I grab the key out of my apron and lock up. Once I do a walk around to make sure everything is locked up securely, I make my way out to my car.
My first car, I bought with my first paycheck, my little Mazda. I unlock my car and sit down. After getting situated, I start my ignition and steadily make my way home. I live roughly thirty minutes away from Storms Brewing.
While driving, I make sure my cassette tape, Disintegration by The Cure, is in and playing. I have always been an edgy girl, even if it didn’t seem like it to other people.
Everyone thought I was into Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, and others. No, I preferred Blondie, The Cure, R.E.M., and more. I let myself drown out the events of work and let the lyrics take over. Before I know it, I’m home and I listened to almost the whole cassette.
I gather up my stuff and I head to my porch. It takes me a few minutes to find my house key, it was buried underneath the contents of my purse. I curse myself because I keep telling myself I’ll clean my purse and I don’t.
I unlock the door and step inside. I immediately take my hair down. I kick off my shoes by the door. I set my purse down on the couch, along with my jacket. I walk down the hallway to my bathroom.
I turn the light on and pull out a washcloth to wipe off what minimal makeup I have on before I get undressed. The only thing that relaxes me at the end of a long day at Storms Brewing especially on the nights I’ve closed, is a hot shower.
I turn the faucet on in the shower and stare at myself in the mirror for a while. My thoughts start to wander. More specifically the night of Kari’s party two weeks ago. Blake Ellis and the way his hands felt on my bare skin.
The way he got me off by just fingering me, and then pounding me afterwards. I bite my lip. Our secret, he said. I hope I run into him again soon. I want to relive the moment. It was the best sex I’ve ever had.
I waited long enough for the water to heat up. I step into the shower and stand under the running water and close my eyes. I begin to soap up my body. My thoughts returning to Blake.
I imagine he’s standing in front of me. “Touch yourself.” He whispers in my ear. I shudder as if it was actually happening. I bite my lip. His hand guides mine down. I cup my pussy in my hand and stare up at Blake as he towers over me.
He tilts my chin up and kisses me as I start to circle my clit. He pulls back. “Someone is eager. Didn’t realize I had such an effect on Lana Voss.” He smirks. He gets down on his knees and brushes his hair out of his face as the water rains down on his head.
He pulls me closer and sucks a nipple into his mouth. I ride my hand as the sensation from both pulls me in deeper. I push two fingers inside and start pumping them and flicking my clit with my thumb in a fast rhythm.
As I keep imagining Blake sucking my nipple and his hands gripping my body like he did at Kari’s party, I fall apart. I lean my head on the tile wall in front of me. I open my eyes and Blake is gone.
I slide down to sit in the shower. I can’t believe I got myself off to an imaginary version of Blake Ellis pleasuring me. What is wrong with me? I don’t even know if he would be willing to do another rendezvous with me again.
I haven’t heard from him since then. How stupid could I be? I groan. I stand back up and finish my shower in shame. I turn off the water and grab my towel sitting on the counter. I squeeze my hair dry as much as I can with the towel and wrap it around my body.
I roll my eyes at my reflection. My cheeks flushed not just from embarrassment, but from the orgasm I pulled out of myself in the shower. I don’t bother drying my hair. I have another shift at Storms Brewing tomorrow night to close again.
I pull my pajamas on and turn off my lights in my bedroom. Get yourself together, Lana. Blake Ellis and you? Not happening again. I roll onto my side and close my eyes.