pause to yell out, “Thanks, fellas, come on back!” before turning back to Stella. “I’ll get rolling on cleaning up, and we’ll get out of here.”
“Thanks, sweetie. I think I might have Tiff take me home real quick though, and then she can come back to help . . . if she doesn’t mind. These old bones don’t have any more left in them tonight. And tomorrow is Halloween. Luckily, we don’t usually get too much of a crowd.”
“I know I asked off, but if you need me to come in, I will. You know that,” I say, crossing my fingers behind my back that she doesn’t take me up on the offer, because if she does, I’ll drop my plans and work for Stella. I always do.
“Nah. Of course not. Carl and me got the bar. Need to keep an eye on that boy anyway. Tiff and Devin are both coming in, and I’ve got a new girl shadowing Tiff so she’ll be a spare set of hands. We’ll be fine. Take your vacation day and then your usual weekend off after. Lord knows, you deserve it. Don’t think you’ve ever had three days off in a row, girl.”
She’s right, and I feel a bubble of giddiness swirl up in my chest at the possibilities of three days alone with Scott.
Tiff walks by with a tray of glasses, and Stella calls out, “Honey, can you run me home real quick, please?”
Tiff nods. “Sure, but where’s Carl?”
Stella shakes her head. “He’s sleeping it off in my office. Seems he got a little too celebratory tonight. Again. He’ll just sleep here, so you can lock him in when you leave, Maddie. Okay?”
I nod. “Sure thing. Hey, Tiff . . . just head on home after you take Stella. Devin should be about done in the kitchen, Carl’s . . . well, Carl, and I’m off tomorrow night. I’ll close up.”
Tiff’s face lights up. “Are you sure?” But she’s already shooing Stella toward the door, so I know she’s already agreeing with me.
Once they’re gone, I put on some music and get to cleaning. If I’m gonna be gone tomorrow night, I want this place to be spic-and-span for Stella to start fresh. Tables, check. Dishes, check. Bar stocked, check.
I’m pushing the broom around the floor when I hear a voice over the music. “Islands in the stream. That is what we are.” I giggle, turning to watch Devin’s back-and-forth as he sings both Dolly’s part and Kenny Rogers’s part of the famous song. Getting his laugh, he dissolves into giggles too. “Girl, your musical taste leaves something to be desired. I’m gonna have to school you a bit on more recent musical genius . . . like EDM.”
“No thanks, man. That stuff gives me a headache. Boom-boom-boom. And there are no words! Just the same beat on repeat.” I mimic a loop with my hand.
“How dare you?” he asks, mockingly insulted. “Whatever, bish. I’m outtie . . . if you’re good by yourself?”
I wave him off. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Scott will be here soon. I’m just finishing up while I wait for him.”
Devin heads out, and I hear him lock the back door behind him so I get back to the floors. I push the broom around some more, swaying and dancing and singing along as I sweep.
I’m lost in the music and the work until I suddenly sense a presence behind me. I jump, turning to see a red-eyed Carl hovering right behind me. “Jesus Christ, Carl! You scared the shit outta me!”
Carl’s eyes get squinty, like he’s seeing more than one of me and trying to focus on the middle one, hoping it’s the real one. “You’re a real bitch these days, you know that?” he sneers, pointing a thick finger at me.
Great, Carl is a mean drunk tonight. He’s usually chill, maybe a bit depressing, but it must be the Devil’s Night curse. I move away, putting some space between me and the stench of alcohol wafting from his pores. “I’ve always been a bitch, Carl. You just now noticed?”
He stumbles toward me, and out of reflex, I catch him, keeping him from plowing into the floor. “No. You didn’t used to be a bitch. You were quiet, mousy. But now that you got some rich dick, you think you’re better’n us.”
I had been holding Carl up, supporting his much heavier weight with my own, but as he ramps up, the dynamic changes. He presses me against