"Margot, I need you to go into the back and get me the bucket and mop." Roni said, wandering behind the younger woman with half a dozen used beer glasses pinched between her fingers. "Someone's been sick in the toilets and missed the actually toilet… Again."
"Ugh, fine," Margot grumbled, pulling a disgusted face.
She tucked her phone back into the pocket of her black skirt and pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear, adjusting her glasses slightly on her nose and sighing loudly as she turned towards the back door. Margot loved working at the bar. The people were so friendly, the atmosphere was fun and lively and the days went by so quick that she always wished she could do some extra shifts to make them last even longer. However as much as she loved the job, she also hated some of the more disgusting tasks she was left to do as bottom of the employee chain, including cleaning up other peoples upchuck.
Just before Margot could reach the back room, however, the front door opened with a slight ring of the bell hanging over the top corner and a new customer came in. Out of instinct more than anything, Margot glanced back to give the new customer a big welcome and a friendly smile like she always did for everyone. However her smile stretched even more when she saw that the person to come in wasn't actually a new customer at all, but rather a frequent one that she was eager to serve.
"Actually, Roni, I'll get to it in a minute!" Margot said, rushing back to the other end of the bar before her boss could ask her why.
In the seconds it took for Tilly to cross the room, Margot reached up and casually pulled her hair down, tucking the band into her pocket. The only uniform she had to wear was an unflattering apron for health and safety reasons but Roni let her get away with not bothering with that so long as there wasn't an kind of inspection coming up. So she was allowed to dress in her own attire, which included a plain yellow blouse with a low collar, tanned tights with sensible soft brown shoes – not exactly a fashion choice but a practical one for sure. If she had known Tilly was coming, she might have added a bit more but for now she settled with leaning forward onto the counter slightly as she approached, so her necklace (a plain silver one in the shape of a small rabbit) swung just over the top of her chest.
"Hi," Tilly, the pretty daughter of Detective Rogers said when Margot approached.
Today she was dressed in a white and blue stripped cotton vest with a light blue denim jacket pulled over the top and a matching knee length denim skirt. As usual she had black leggings on underneath that had a series of holes – she was far too active to keep anything nice for long but she seemed more comfortable that way. The only difference was the new shoes Margot noticed, brown hiking boots that didn't match the rest of the outfit but that still looked perfect on her. She also had on a pair of earrings, golden short chains with a pair of arrows on either end pointing away from her and towards Margot.
"Good evening!" Margot beamed, still leaning forward to show what she has to offer. "You're here early today."
"I had some free time. Thought I'd get a drink. Papa's taking me cinema later." Tilly grinned.
Margot smile at that. She knew Tilly's story well. Even if she hadn't been told it firsthand by Tilly a few weeks ago, a lot of other people gossiped the tale loudly to one another, especially after having a few drinks.
Tilly's mother was a woman who went by the name Eloise Gardener. She had been kidnapped as a young girl and indoctrinated into a cult of other women, eventually becoming as insane and psychotic as the women who had abducted her. At one point she had been "saved" by Detective Rogers, only to have secretly been using him to get pregnant with Tilly. The plan was to raise Tilly in the cult and then sacrifice her when she hit puberty. Luckily Detective Rogers and his partner, Detective Weaver, realised what they were planning and managed to save her, though the events led to Tilly being lost for a while, she was finally reunited with her father some few months ago.
Ever since then Tilly had finally had a chance at a normal life. Rogers was a good dad, even if he hadn't planned to be one, and he spoilt Tilly like crazy since she moved in with him. Though maybe her life with her mother had humbled her, because despite her father's spoiling, she was still a kind hearted girl and not like some of the others Margot had known, especially in her old fancy private school. Margot was happy when she was finally able to get herself kicked out of there, though she might have tried harder to stay if there was a girl half as much like Tilly in her classes.
"The usual?" Margot asked.
"The usual!" Tilly confirmed with a sharp nod that made her earrings swing slightly.
"Coming right up!"
Margot turned and quickly grabbed a bottle of bourbon from the counter, pouring it into a small glass and mixing it with just a lash fill of coke before turning and sliding the glass over the counter to the other girl had taken a seat. As usual, Tilly was already reaching into her pocket and pulling out a crumpled note, holding out in exchange for the drink.
And as usual, Margot immediately held her hand up. "On the house." She grinned, winking at her and ignoring the note.
"Margot!" Roni suddenly called, interrupting the girls shared moment. "Can I have a word with you please?"
Margot glanced back at Tilly. "Be right back,"
"I'll be here," Tilly shrugged, cradling her drink between her hands.
Reluctant to leave her side, Margot wandered over to Roni, stepping up beside her with just a touch of inpatients. "I'll get to the toilets in a minute," She said immediately.
"That's not why I wanted to talk to you." Roni said, turning so her back was to Tilly and frowned down at Margot in something close to serious annoyance. Wow, normally Roni was a really laid back boss so long as you eventually did as you were told. "Margot, this has to stop."
"What?" Margot blinked.
"We cannot afford your crush anymore," Roni said strictly.
"What are you talking about?" Margot frowned.
"Do you seriously think that Kelly and I haven't noticed the amount of free drinks you keep giving to Tilly whenever she comes in?" Roni demanded. "At first we let it pass but we cannot afford it any more. You do it every damn time and you don't even give the cheap stuff for heaven's sake!"
Margot opened her mouth but… She had no defence. She hadn't meant to. When Tilly first showed up, asking for a bourbon and coke, Margot had been a little flustered and offered it on the house without thinking about it. And when Tilly had grinned at her with thanks, she became addicted. She needed to see that smile again, so when Tilly came in the next time, Margot once again offered the drink for free without much thought about it. After that it was more of a habit than anything, and hadn't really cared if Roni or Kelly noticed because her brain, for whatever reason, didn't register what she was really doing. She certainly didn't think how much it was probably costing the bar…
"I'll pay," Margot said finally, feeling her face flush. "For her drinks, I mean."
"Margot," Roni said, leaning towards her. "You can't afford the amount you give away, even if I just stopped paying you altogether, you'd still owe us."
Margot hesitated then shrugged. "I can't just start charging her now. I'd look like the biggest cow and we'd lose a valued customer."
"I'm pretty sure you only count as a valued customer if you pay for the services," Roni said, putting her hands on her hips. "Look, Margot, I love you like my own. Your mother is my best friend and I really have enjoyed you working at the bar but I'm going to have to put my foot down. Either go and ask that girl out already, or go get a job at a flower shop. At least then the thing you freely give away can be grown on trees."
Margot could tell Roni was serious. There was no humour in her expression at all, not even a slight half friendly tease. She tensed her body and nodded her head. If nothing else, this was probably the push Margot needed to finally do what she's been day dreaming about for a while. With that thought in mind, she turned to go and finish her conversation with Tilly, bracing herself for what she was about to do…
When Roni suddenly grabbed her arm and stopped her. "But before you do. The mess in the toilets still needs cleaning."
O*U*A*T
By the time Margot was done cleaning up – it was freaking bright green, too! So gross! – Tilly was still sitting in the same place with her glass cradled between her hands. That wasn't a surprise. Tilly always took her sweet time with her drinks, never risking getting drunk since it always took her hours to finish a single glass. And she only ever had one – otherwise Roni probably would have given Margot her little talk a lot sooner.
As Margot wandered passed with the bucket and mop (freshly cleaned to keep a lingering smell attached for the next time they used it) she instinctively turned and offered her another friendly smile. Tilly grinned back immediately, lifting her glass in thankful cheers and taking another small sip. The sight of her caused a knot to form in Margot's stomach as she hurried into the back room, setting the equipment down in the far corner and pausing to take a slow breath in order to calm her rapidly beating heart.
Margot loved working in the bar. And Roni was the best boss she'd ever had, but she didn't doubt that she would make good on her promise to fire Margot if she kept giving things out for free. Which meant that, if Margot was going to stand a chance with Tilly then she was going to need to ask her out before she suddenly started charging her for her drinks. But now that it was finally time, despite the many nights she'd practised quietly in her room or daydreamed about it or thought it over while making drinks for the others, she suddenly had no idea how she was going to actually do it.
Before she could wimp out, Margot turned and strolled from the room. Roni was busy chatting with Henry and Jacinda, a couple that often spent evenings here when they could get a babysitter for their kid. They seemed to be quite friendly with Roni, but Margot had to admit, she'd never really had a proper conversation with either of them. Then again, she might have been distracted with other customers at the time or, more likely, one in particular.
Margot made a beeline straight for Tilly. She ignored the look Roni shot her and put on her usual friendly smile, conveniently not seeing the guy who tried to catch her attention for a drink as she passed. If Roni wanted her to get this done with then she could cover her for the next few torturous seconds when she put everything out in the open and her entire heart on the line.
"Hey, how's the drink?" Margot asked cheerfully.
"Nice," Tilly nodded, setting the drink down in front of her. She wasn't even halfway done with it yet.
"So look, I was thinking." Margot said quickly, before she had a chance to back out. "Maybe you'd like to get a drink sometime." What?! Margot froze as soon as the words were out of her mouth, mentally beating herself with every bit of non physical willpower she had in her mind. They were literally in a bar with Tilly having a drink right now. That was the stupidest thing she could have said! "I mean… You and me… Go somewhere else. I mean, the bar is great and all but maybe you'd like to try something different and maybe you'd like to do it with someone different. I mean not so different that you don't know them but maybe different to whom you'd normally go out for drinks with, apart from here I mean. I mean…" Margot groaned dropping her head down before looking up and giving her a strained smile. "I'm trying to ask you out on a date." She said finally.
Tilly, nodded, looking as calm as ever. "Yeah, I figured. You're not very good at it though."
"Cut me some slack," Margot said, blushing hard and trying not to stumble over her words. "I've never asked anyone out before…"
"Yeah, I figured that too." Tilly nodded again.
Margot was starting to feel a little put out at this point. Alice was still sitting like she was very relaxed, almost like she had expected this kind of question to be asked eventually, but she had still yet to say yes… Or anything for that matter. Maybe she was just waiting for Margot to officially ask her so she could properly turn her down, once and for all.
"Well, whatever, it was just an idea," Margot mumbled, glancing down at her feet and feeling like the biggest idiot in the whole bar.
"So where shall we go?" Tilly asked.
"What?" Margot blinked, looking back up at her.
"For the date. Where shall we go?" Tilly asked, leaning forward and smiling at her.
"Oh… Oh!" Margot grinned. Her earlier worries vanishing as her smile stretched from ear to ear. "I have an idea. There's this sweet little restaurant near the middle of town! I heard good things about it. And it even serves your usual bourbon." She winked.
Tilly's own smile stretched. "Great." She said, showing all her teeth.
"It's about time," Roni mumbled, shaking her head at the two grinning girls before turning to see Henry smoothing a laugh behind his hand. "What's so funny?" She asked.
"Oh, I just… Had a conversation with Detective Rogers the other day." Henry grinned, he leaned forward and lowered his voice so only the three of them could hear. "Tilly hates bourbon."
"Wait what? She orders it every time she comes in here." Roni blinked.
"Yeah, according to Rogers, she's had a crush on Margot for a while. She finally picked up the courage to come in and say hi, then chickened out and ordered the first drink she could see, which turned out to be a bourbon. She added the coke, hoping it wouldn't taste too bad but, well, she absolutely hates the stuff. But she kept ordering it because she didn't already said to Margot that bourbon and coke was her usual and she loved it. Apparently she doesn't want to admit the truth now." Henry grinned.
"You're kidding." Jacinda giggled. "That's so cute!"
"It is not!" Roni snapped, looking outraged. "Margot's given away over eight hundred bucks worth of free bourbon and Tilly doesn't even like the damn stuff!"
"What?"
The three looked up to where Roni had accidentally drawn the attention of the exact two girls they were discussing. Margot looked confused and a little shocked while Tilly was turning very pink in the cheeks and doing her best to shrink down on her seat. When Margot finally turned to face her, she offered a shy half smile and a little shrug.
"So… Maybe just a couple of beignets and a walk in the park for our first date then?" Tilly said, forcing the large grin back on her face, while secretly holding her breath for Margot's reaction to her long lasting lie.
"Well… That would be cheaper." Margot said, nodding and grinning back at her.
"Cheap is good. Especially if I'm going to have to start paying for my own stuff," Tilly winked.
"What did I say?" Jacinda said, leaning forward and keeping her voice down. "So cute!"
"Yeah," Roni said, smiling. Then added. "I swear to god, Margot is replacing every bit of liquor she gave away."
"Oh come on, Roni. Let off, it's young love." A voice said from behind them.
They glanced up to see Kelly strolling from in front of the fire exit she had been trying to fix. She had a little light in her eyes, watching the girls from across the room with a soft smile.
"Love isn't gonna pay for wasted alcohol." Roni complained.
"You really have no room to talk." Kelly snorted, leaning against the counter. "Oh shall I retell the story of your fling with that Daniel guy to Henry and Jacinda here and the extreme lengths you went to convince him you loved heavy metal and the money he wasted on you because of it."
"Alright! Point taken!" Roni said sharply.
Kelly turned away, then muttered loudly enough for them to hear. "At least Tilly didn't get a tattoo of bourbon on her ass."
"You what?!" Henry yelped with a laugh.
"No way, Roni! Are you serious?" Jacinda grinned, leaning right across the counter.
Roni glared at Kelly. "I'm going to remember that."
On the other end of the bar, the two girls glanced up at the loud laughter.
"What do you think they're talking about now?" Tilly mused.
"Who cares. So long as it isn't us." Margot snorted, then turned and reached over, taking Tilly's hand. "So, when are you free to go out?"