That was another dreaded question to me. What did I like to do? I wasn’t even sure anymore. I never did anything but work and take care of my mother who had no hobbies of her own besides lifting a glass to her lips and a bottle to her glass.
“I mostly just work, and read,” I told him.
“Okay but do this for me, picture yourself at a place in your life where you don’t have to work so much, and your choices are so much more wide open than reading, what would you like to do?”
I thought about that and then I said, “Well, I love horses. I don’t get much of a chance to see them in real life, but when I was a kid, we lived next to an elderly couple who had horses that they weren’t able to ride any longer. The man, I called him “Grandpa,” he taught me how to take care of them, brush them out, feed them, saddle and bridle them, and once I was able to do all of that on my own, he let me ride them whenever I wanted to. It was such a free feeling, you know?”
“I do know,” he said with a smile. “I love to ride too. Maybe you and I could take a ride together someday.” I only smiled at that, I didn’t answer him. I was sure he was only saying it to be polite anyways. “So tell me more, what else will you do when you have more time?”
I shrugged, “I love the beach,” I said. “I’d like to just sit on the beach with a good book and some suntan lotion. I might like to try one of those whale-watching tours someday. I’d like to take a flight somewhere, anywhere…I’ve never been on a plane, or a train, and I’d love to take a train across the country. I want to go skydiving….” I realized that he was laughing and I said, “What?”
“I was just thinking, you finally get on a plane and you want to jump out of it.”
I laughed too, the man had a point. “I was babbling anyways,” I said. “Do you want some more coffee?”
“I’d love some,” he said. “If we still have time? I know you’re trying to close up.”
“Everything’s done,” I told him, and then surprising myself I said, “I’m going to turn the sign and you can have another cup, one more won’t hurt. I’m enjoying the conversation.”
He grinned and said, “Me too. Pour me another cup. You can go on with your list. You weren’t babbling at all. But first I’m going to visit the men’s room.” I nodded and poured the coffee while I watched him go. He was just so incredibly handsome that it was hard to believe he was here in real life. It was like he walked off of a movie set or something. It was even harder for me to believe that he thought I was pretty, and interesting enough to have a conversation with. Maybe he was just that nice. I sat the pot back down and flipped it off so I wouldn’t forget. Then I went over to turn the sign. Just as I got to the front door a man pushed it open, so hard that he nearly knocked me over. Once I got my bearings back I said, “I’m sorry sir, we’re closed.”
The man was dressed in a black suit. He was middle-aged, balding in back and he had a significant paunch in the front. None of that was what stood out about him though. What stood out was the fact that he absolutely reeked of alcohol. It smelled like it was coming out of his pores. He looked at me then, like he’d only just noticed me. His eyes ran down and then up my body in a leery, disgusting way. Then he licked his lips. I had to choke down the bile in the back of my throat. He smiled then and it made his face with its thin lips and close-set eyes look as warm as a reptile. He still hadn’t said anything, which made the whole encounter even creepier.
“Um, sir….I’m going to have to ask you to leave and come back when we’re open…”
Slurring his speech slightly he said, “Your sign says you’re open.”
“Yes, I’m sorry about that. I was just going to turn it.”
“I’m inside now though so turn it all you want. Then get me a cup of coffee and maybe a piece of pie too will you sweet cheeks?”
I didn’t care for where this was going, but there was no way I was getting this creep a cup of coffee unless it was to pour over his head.
“Listen,” I said, trying a firmer tone. “We’re closed. I’m not going to make you any coffee and I’m only going to ask you one more time to go. If you choose not to I’ll be forced to call the police.”
He seemed to find my firm tone amusing as he stepped forward and into my face. I could smell his sour breath, whatever he ate for dinner mixed with too many gin and tonics and I actually retched. I was so busy trying to evade this creep that I didn’t notice Aiden had come out of the bathroom. The creepy drunk was suddenly grabbed by the shoulders and hauled backwards. Aiden shoved the man against the glass window of the café and said, “I believe the lady said she was closed. It’s time for you to go.”
The man was either so drunk that his faculties weren’t working properly or he was just an idiot, I’m not sure which but when Aiden who was close to a foot taller than this man and could match him pound for pound in pure muscle, let go of him, the drunk took a swing. Aiden moved back and the man’s fist swing through the air as if in slow motion. Shaking his head like he was thinking this guy was as big a moron as I thought he was, Aiden grabbed him again and took him over to the door. He opened it with one hand shoved him out with the other. I watched as the man stumbled and fell on his face on the pavement. Aiden turned the lock on the door and then turned to me.
“Excuse me for one minute.”
He took out his phone and a second later I heard him talking to the police saying, “Yes, I actually get the feeling the alcohol has made him braver than he might otherwise be but I don’t want him hurting anyone before that happens.”
After he hung up he turned to me and said, “Are you okay, Holly? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“No, he didn’t, I’m fine. He just scared me a little bit. Your coffee is there, I’m just going to finish putting those pies away and make sure everything’s turned off in the kitchen before I leave.”
“How about I help you do all that? I’ll even wash my own coffee cup. Then you can join me for some dinner.”
It was said like a statement, not a question, “Um…I’m really not very….”
“Don’t say no, Holly, please. It’s only dinner.”
“Um….Okay, I guess I have to eat,” I said. Smooth, Holly.
He grinned and took out his phone again. I thought that he was calling a cab until we finished cleaning up and shutting things and I saw the limousine sitting out front with a well-dressed driver standing with the back door open. I swallowed hard and glanced down at my black waitress uniform with a tiny gravy stain on the bottom. I hoped wherever we were going didn’t match the elegance of the car that was taking us there.