enough to let me crash in the upstairs apartment in exchange for working. I keep all my tips, but instead of paying me hourly, he uses it for my rent. I suspect he keeps putting extra money in the tip jars every few weeks, But I guess it’s his way of making sure I have enough money to eat.”
“Well, I don’t know how you do it. I’m sure I’d lose my mind in here if I had to work every day.”
“Actually, it’s great for me. I’ve always had an abundance of energy, and bartending is a great outlet. Plus, I get to rough up anyone who gets too rowdy. See? It’s a win-win!” Another patron bellowed from down the length of the counter, and Kitty popped the top off a bottle, let loose an ear-splitting whistle then slid it down to him. Lord but the girl was a hit with the men in here. Of course, they all knew not to push her too far, but if any passers-through came in and tried something, the regulars also knew better than to get between her and the offending male. Kitty took care of Mason’s business with an iron fist, and she had the notches in the bar to prove it.
Every time she kicked some poor schmuck’s ass, she scratched a little line into the end of the bar top. When Mason had finally noticed and inquired about them, Kitty had offered to sand them out and re-stain that section of the bar, but he’d merely laughed and told her to keep ‘em going.
“You sure do enjoy a good fight, don’t you?” Lynn loved her for it. Kitty had even helped her and Sam to fend off unwanted suitors a time or two.
“What’s not to love?” Kitty shrugged. “Anyway, I’ll let you get back to your group,” she said, sliding another mason jar Lynn’s way. Lynn hadn’t even seen her pour it. The woman was like a bartending ninja! “Take it easy on this one,” she laughed. “I don’t want to be picking you up off the floor later.”
One whiff told Lynn that Kitty had poured her a full glass of Fireball. “Holy shit! Are you kidding me?” Lynn laughed.
“You haven’t come to see me in a while, girl. Now, you have to catch up, you know, make up for lost time. Kinda like back in college when the people who showed up late had to drink as much as everyone else had before they got there.” Shrugging as if her reasoning made all the sense in the world, Kitty turned and made drinks for the other barflies but not before tossing over her shoulder, “I’ve got you tonight!”
Shaking her head and knowing this would be her last drink this evening, Lynn headed back over to the table. Two of the nurses were just rising and saying their goodbyes since they had to get home to tuck in little ones. Lynn bid them farewell then resumed her seat.
“So,” she said, addressing Paula who sat across from her. “When’s the big day?”
Beaming, Paula put down her drink and leaned in so they could hear each other above the music. “I head out in a few weeks. Bryan is coming with me, so he’s taking an extended leave from work on the oil rigs, but he needs it. Can you believe he hasn’t taken a vacation in six years? He has so much leave time banked he’ll be paid almost the whole time we’re gone!”
“Now, that’s a nice little bonus. Getting paid to go on vacation? We should all be so lucky.” Lynn’s face actually hurt, she’d been smiling so much since arriving. Now, she wondered if Bryan would finally pop the question while they were in South America for the next few months.
They all chatted, drank and danced for a few hours, but all too soon their group thinned as Lynn’s coworkers bowed out for the evening. Soon, it was just Lynn and Paula left.
“I’d better head home now,” Paula announced. “I’ve got patients in the morning, so it’s going to be lots of water and aspirin as soon as I get home then about a gallon of coffee in the morning.”
Chuckling, Lynn nodded her agreement. She felt the Fireball working its magic, and she still had a third of her cup to go. The comforting warmth in her belly
“Well, I don’t know how you do it. I’m sure I’d lose my mind in here if I had to work every day.”
“Actually, it’s great for me. I’ve always had an abundance of energy, and bartending is a great outlet. Plus, I get to rough up anyone who gets too rowdy. See? It’s a win-win!” Another patron bellowed from down the length of the counter, and Kitty popped the top off a bottle, let loose an ear-splitting whistle then slid it down to him. Lord but the girl was a hit with the men in here. Of course, they all knew not to push her too far, but if any passers-through came in and tried something, the regulars also knew better than to get between her and the offending male. Kitty took care of Mason’s business with an iron fist, and she had the notches in the bar to prove it.
Every time she kicked some poor schmuck’s ass, she scratched a little line into the end of the bar top. When Mason had finally noticed and inquired about them, Kitty had offered to sand them out and re-stain that section of the bar, but he’d merely laughed and told her to keep ‘em going.
“You sure do enjoy a good fight, don’t you?” Lynn loved her for it. Kitty had even helped her and Sam to fend off unwanted suitors a time or two.
“What’s not to love?” Kitty shrugged. “Anyway, I’ll let you get back to your group,” she said, sliding another mason jar Lynn’s way. Lynn hadn’t even seen her pour it. The woman was like a bartending ninja! “Take it easy on this one,” she laughed. “I don’t want to be picking you up off the floor later.”
One whiff told Lynn that Kitty had poured her a full glass of Fireball. “Holy shit! Are you kidding me?” Lynn laughed.
“You haven’t come to see me in a while, girl. Now, you have to catch up, you know, make up for lost time. Kinda like back in college when the people who showed up late had to drink as much as everyone else had before they got there.” Shrugging as if her reasoning made all the sense in the world, Kitty turned and made drinks for the other barflies but not before tossing over her shoulder, “I’ve got you tonight!”
Shaking her head and knowing this would be her last drink this evening, Lynn headed back over to the table. Two of the nurses were just rising and saying their goodbyes since they had to get home to tuck in little ones. Lynn bid them farewell then resumed her seat.
“So,” she said, addressing Paula who sat across from her. “When’s the big day?”
Beaming, Paula put down her drink and leaned in so they could hear each other above the music. “I head out in a few weeks. Bryan is coming with me, so he’s taking an extended leave from work on the oil rigs, but he needs it. Can you believe he hasn’t taken a vacation in six years? He has so much leave time banked he’ll be paid almost the whole time we’re gone!”
“Now, that’s a nice little bonus. Getting paid to go on vacation? We should all be so lucky.” Lynn’s face actually hurt, she’d been smiling so much since arriving. Now, she wondered if Bryan would finally pop the question while they were in South America for the next few months.
They all chatted, drank and danced for a few hours, but all too soon their group thinned as Lynn’s coworkers bowed out for the evening. Soon, it was just Lynn and Paula left.
“I’d better head home now,” Paula announced. “I’ve got patients in the morning, so it’s going to be lots of water and aspirin as soon as I get home then about a gallon of coffee in the morning.”
Chuckling, Lynn nodded her agreement. She felt the Fireball working its magic, and she still had a third of her cup to go. The comforting warmth in her belly
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