We all relaxed.
“That woman creeps me out,” Annie remarked, looking back after looking over her shoulder. “I don’t mean to be mean, but all the zombie movies lately…” she shivered. “Flashback.”
“She’s a good mother and a good grandmother who keeps her culture alive for her family when they’ve moved far away from home in order to make a decent living,” Tex stated and Annie’s eyes shot to him. “So yeah, she looks like the walking dead. She’s alive enough for her family.”
“I meant no offense,” Annie muttered.
“Then don’t say people that I know creep you out,” Tex shot back.
“Tex, you’re always saying shit about people,” I pointed out the truth, and he scowled at me. “And, incidentally, to people,” I went on with more of the truth.
“He’s nervous about getting married tomorrow,” Jet guessed.
“Oh my God! You’re getting married?” Annie cried. “How exciting!”
“Fuck,” Tex groused.
“Can I have my coffee?” the other customer asked.
I moved in to finish the guy’s coffee as Tex said to Annie, “You want your coffee, shut your trap.”
Annie grinned at him.
I handed the male customer his coffee.
He moved away, taking a sip, and stopped dead.
No one reacted to this. This was because a lot of newbies did this.
But what a lot of newbies didn’t do was what he did next.
He turned back and looked at Tex.
“I’m gonna say, you scare me. But I’m also gonna say, this lady’s right.” He tipped his head to Annie and lifted his white paper cup with its cardboard holder. “This coffee is unbelievable. And last I’m gonna say, good luck tomorrow and congratulations. I’ve been married for fifteen years and every day I wake up next to my wife and feel lucky. I wish for you that you feel the same.”
Everyone stared at him except Tex.
He boomed, “What’s your name?”
“Barry.”
“When you come back, I’ll remember you.”
Then Tex turned his attention to making Annie’s coffee.
I pressed my lips together and looked at Indy, Jet and Annie who were all pressing their lips together and doing the same thing.
This was because Tex just paid Barry the highest compliment he could give a customer.
And we all knew why.
Because Tex already felt that lucky.
It was just that tomorrow, he was making it official.
* * * * *
“Enjoy the rest of your evening.”