Semi-prequel to Thunder in Paradise. Lyrics from Invitation to the Blues by Tom Waits. Please R&R!
The Fire in the Blues
By Sailor Onyx Pluto
Well she's up against the register
With an apron and a spatula
Yesterday's deliveries
Tickets for the bachelors
She's a moving violation
From her conk down to her shoes
Well, it's just an invitation to the blues
'Invitation to the blues. Ya got that right, pal,' she thought bitterly as she downed another shot of bourbon. It burned all the way down but not as much as the fire in her heart burned with anger and hate. Anger at herself for letting her heart be pulled in by a hot smile and false promises, and hatred for the one who had convinced her to let her guard down. Hino Rei had always been labeled as a 'smart and intuitive woman who had a way of figuring people out,' but that clearly had not been the case with her last relationship.
And you feel just like Cagney
She looks like Rita Hayworth
At the counter of the Schwab's drugstore
You wonder if she might be single
She's alone and likes to mingle
Got to be patient
Try and pick up a clue
Signaling the bartender for another shot, Rei sighed heavily as she thought about how stupid she'd been to be fooled like that. Sure, she had gotten over it a little bit and the lack of a relationship gave her more time to focus on her studies at NYU, which she needed since her midterm grades were not quite as high as she'd wanted them to be, B's as opposed to A's, but it still didn't make it hurt any less.
'How the hell could that son of a bitch do this to me?' she thought as she scooped up the new shot and threw it back in one swig. Henry Fontaine had seem like everything she had dreamed of and more. Or at least, that's how he appeared to be to Rei. Hell, they were even in the same undergraduate program for Religious Studies. The sudden realization made her shudder as she knew she'd have to see him in class on Monday when the next half of the semester started.
"Thank God it's Friday." She chuckled.
She said how you gonna like 'em
Over medium or scrambled
You say anyways the only way
Careful not to gamble
On a guy with a suitcase
And a ticket getting outta here
In a tired bus station
And an old pair of shoes
This ain't nothing but an invitation to the blues
"Another round, Rei?" the bartender asked.
"Damn straight another round, James. And a glass of water, too," she felt a bout of lightheadedness coming on. "I still gotta get home sometime tonight."
"Maybe you should quit now then," James eyed her cautiously. "You don't look so good."
"Listen, buddy. If anyone knows how I look right now, it's me, and I say I look damn good," her purple eyes flared and seemed to change to red for a second. "Now, gimme another round!"
"Alright, but after this, you're cut off. Only water, got it?" he said as he handed her one more shot.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she grumbled as she gulped down the bourbon then chased it with about half the glass of water.
"Maybe he's right," a new voice from her left and three stools down interjected. "Maybe you should slow down." Rei's eyes darted angrily at whoever it was had the balls to try and tell her what to do, and she was taken aback by the blonde-haired, blue-eyed man looking at her.
But you can't take your eyes off her
Get another cup of java
It's just the way she pours it for ya
Joking with the customers
'That was an appropriate verse,' Rei thought as she continued to stare at the other patron. 'I wonder how long he's been here. Either I never saw him when I came in of I'm too smashed to even care.'
Instead of acting on what she felt right then and there, she went a different route. "What the hell do you care what I do?" she snapped, finishing off the water and tapping the glass on the bar for another. "You don't know what I'm dealing with or who I am."
Mercy, mercy Mr. Percy
There ain't nothing back in Jersey
But a broken-down jalopy
Of a man I left behind
"I may not know who you are, Miss," he started, not the least bit put off by her attitude, "but I don't like to see someone get trashed to the point where they can't take care of themselves, and forgive for being presumptuous but you look as though you're headed for a crash landing."
"Meh," she said while shrugging. "I know my limits, sir, so thanks for the concern, but if I needed to, I can call a friend to come pick me up," she stood up to go find the bathroom and almost fell but the stranger managed to catch her before she could collide with the stool she'd just been sitting on.
And the dream that I was chasing
And the battle with the booze
And an open invitation to the blues
"Damn," she said while catching her breath. "Who put this song on anyways?" she looked at James, who just shrugged and went back to cleaning glasses. "It seems to fit everything that's going on in my life right now, right down to the drinking."
"I did, actually," the mysterious man who was still holding onto her said. "It's called Invitation to the Blues by Tom Waits; one of my favorites when I'm feeling blue.
"Well, you've got good taste, stranger," Rei said, her words slurring a bit. "Now could you let me go so I can go to the bathroom?" It sounded like more of a demand than a question and he reluctantly obliged.
"Are you sure you can manage on your own?"
"Oh yeah!" she stumbled a bit then regained her balance. "I got this! I've been worse than this before, so if you'll excuse me," and she trounced off to the far end of the bar, and entered the ladies room.
But she used to have a sugar daddy
And a candy-apple Caddy
A bank account and everything
Accustomed to the finer things
He probably left her for a socialite
That didn't love herself tonight
And then he's drunk and told her that he never even cared
Jadeite watched her as she entered the restroom then sat back down on her stool, where James came over to ask if he wanted anything else.
"No thanks," he had enough for one night and was contemplating leaving but he wanted to make sure the fiery young lady got home safely. They may have been in a better part of town but that didn't mean rapes and murders didn't happen. She was in no shape to defend herself even though she more than likely could if she was sober, so he patiently waited for her to emerge.
So they took the registration
The car keys and her shoes
And left her with an invitation to the blues
As the song went into an instrumental segment, she slowly came out, looking a little disoriented and he wondered if she'd gotten sick, although her complexion still looked normal even from this far away. He stood up as she got closer.
"You still here?" she asked in a tone that was meant to be smart but it sounded more like she was only asking.
"Yes, I am because I wanted to make sure you got home alright. May I be of any help to you?" Jadeite surprised himself by asking and even she seemed shocked by the question.
"I don't know," Rei became suddenly suspicious of this guy. "What exactly do you mean by help?"
"Honestly, not what you're thinking, Miss," he answered truthfully. "All I want to do is escort you home, and then I will depart.
'Cause there's a Continental Trailways
Leaving local bus tonight, good evening
You can have my seat
I'm sticking 'round here for a while
Get me a room at the Squire
The filling station's hiring
And I can eat here every night
What the hell have I got to lose?
Got a crazy sensation
Go or stay? I gotta choose
And I'll accept your invitation to the blues
As the song wound down, Rei looked the man up and down, trying to determine whether or not he was lying just so he could take advantage of her in her not-so-coherent state but she couldn't detect any subterfuge, so she made up her mind.
"Alright, but I'm warning you if you try anything, I'll fry your ass so bad you won't sit for a month!" He smiled at her antics but didn't say anything as he picked up his sport coat and her windbreaker jacket then led her out the door, waving good-bye to the bartender.
"Alright, which way do we go?" he asked as soon as they were outside. The wind whistled down the street but it wasn't as cold as it should've been this time of year. Rei looked both ways as if trying to remember where to go then pointed to her left.
"I'm about five blocks that way. I don't even own a car but I have a driver's license just in case I have to drive somewhere."
"That's the way I am too," Jadeite said as he gently guided her in the direction of her residence. "No sense in having a vehicle in this city. You can get everywhere by other means."
"What's your name, stranger?" she suddenly asked.
"Oh, forgive me. I am Jadeite Andrews," he stopped walking and gave a courtesy bow, which she giggled at. "And you are?"
"Rei Hino," she held out a hand somewhat shakily thanks to the bourbon she'd drank all night. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Andrews."
He took her hand and lightly kissed it. "Please, call me Jadeite, Miss Hino."
"Only if you call me Rei, Jadeite." She felt her cheeks turning pink as they resumed their walk as she couldn't comprehend the flames he'd suddenly ignited in her. 'What the hell is going on?' she thought in confusion. 'I just got out of a jacked up relationship and now I want to start another one with someone I hardly know? Easy, Rei. Better take this slow seeing as how you're still reeling from the alcohol you drank,'
"Is there anything wrong, Rei?" Jadeite asked, drawing her out of her thoughts. "You have been very quiet for the last two blocks."
"Oh, I have?" she hadn't even noticed how far they'd walked and she knew she should've been paying attention since he didn't know where she lived exactly.
"Yes, you have. I was wondering if something was bothering you."
"No. I was just thinking about why I was at the bar tonight." She could feel herself slowly sober up.
"May I inquire as to the reason?" he asked cautiously, not sure if it would set her off.
"I was there because I broke up with my boyfriend recently after discovering that he wasn't what I was led to believe," she stopped to dig her keys out of her pocket then keyed their way into a blue steel apartment building. "I'm usually very perceptive when it comes to people but for some reason, this one blindsided me." She checked her mailbox and pulled out a few envelopes along with three catalogs.
"You're only human, Rei, and humans can be deceived," Jadeite said as they walked to the elevators. "Some people are just very good at tricking others into believing what they want them to believe. Look at religion for example."
She felt her blood boil when he said that last remark but before she opened her mouth, she thought better of it. "I am of the Shinto religion, Jadeite, and a student in Religious Studies at NYU, and while I don't completely agree with you, I will say that I have seen many people deceived by various religious groups and cults."
He seemed very surprised at her response. "I'm glad that you have an open mind about these things," he said as they entered the elevator and she pressed the button for the seventh floor. "Most of the people I attempt to discuss this with immediately become defensive and are unwilling to listen to another's point of view."
"That's true with just about anything," Rei responded, stepping off onto her floor as he followed. "One thing I've been lucky about is my friends who are willing to try almost anything new, even if it contradicts something they feel strongly about."
"People like that are rare," Jadeite said as she unlocked apartment number 732. "I must say that you are also one-of-a-kind." He couldn't believe what he was saying about the woman he'd just met but he knew she was different from any of the other ones he'd encountered before.
Rei's face ignited in a fiery blush. "Thank you," she wasn't sure what else to say. "No man has ever said that about me before."
"Well, you are one-of-a-kind," he moved a bit closer and put a light hand on her shoulder. "Don't ever change who you are for anyone, no matter what they tell you."
"I-I won't," she looked up into his blue eyes and suddenly had the urge to kiss him. However, he head and her heart prevented her from doing so, so she lightly pecked him on the cheek, giggling as he turned pink in the face.
"Thank you for walking me home," she turned to go inside but then thought of something. "If you want, you can come see me tomorrow. I'll be out of school until Monday and have nothing pressing to do, so maybe we can go out for breakfast?"
"I'd like that, Rei," the pink color brightened to red as he took a card out of his wallet. "Here is my card with my personal number on it. I rarely give these out to anyone, so consider yourself special." It sounded a bit arrogant but she knew he was kidding when he winked. "Feel free to call me when you wake up and I will come pick you up."
"I usually wake up around eight. That's not too early for you, is it?"
"Not at all. I'll be up by seven." He held out his hand for hers and lightly kissed it. "Until tomorrow morning, Miss Hino," and he was off to go to his own apartment.
She watched him until he disappeared into the elevator then went inside to go to bed. 'He seems like a nice enough man but I'll make that call tomorrow,' she went into her bedroom and changed into her pajamas. "At least he didn't take advantage of me.' She crawled under the covers but before dozing off, Rei set her alarm for seven-thirty so that she could make sure she had enough time to get ready for her breakfast date.