A Kick in the Teeth

New and Improved and Very Nearly Completed

Awhile back, I attempted to do this one but it came out not as I would have liked. This is the version, I consider a vast improvement, enjoy.

Chapter One

The Boy is Back in Town

I suppose you are like most people, by most people I mean like me. You know those anti-morning people. The type of people who do not start the day in fighting form if you will, but get up – throw on something with minimal staining, give the teeth a scrub and spend at least ten minutes trying to track down either your car keys or a your pocket book. Yeah, I think it would be safe to say you agree with me when I say that morning's blow.

So, on this kind of morning as I sat still grumbling at the Waffle Haus with my fellow reapers and sadly enough what passed for my family now in days, I was in far from what one would call a sunny mood. In fact, I was being quite a bitch.

It was a typical morning, I was eating my daily bowl of oatmeal and only half listening while Mason, told his dead hooker and a suitcase full of blow story for what I was all but sure was the tenth time.

"Jesus – enough," I said with a sigh as Mason turned to me with hurt puppy dog eyes and said, "Oh bloody hell, what's with you Georgie?"

I had everyone's attention and they all looked at me.

"Nothing, get a new story will you?"

Rube, my boss, mentor, father figure – call the man what you like gave me a look. It was one of his "caring" faces if you will. "Peach of a morning, peanut," he said not missing a beat. "You want to lighten up?"
"Yeah," chimed in are exquisite and perfectly groomed ex starlet Daisy Adair, "What's got your panties in a twitch?"

Roxie are policewoman supreme snorted and went back to her eggs.

"I don't know," I told Rube, "Life, unlife – who the fuck knows, can I have my post it, please… I got to go to work."

He shrugged and reached into his trusty day planner and peeled off my post it

He handed it to me.

"The sun is shining, birds – a singing and we have the smell of coffee is in the air," He took an appreciative sniff, "enjoy it."

I shrugged my shoulders and dug into my bag for some money.

"I'm just not a morning person," I said more to myself then to anyone as I threw some bills on the table and got ready to leave. I stood and grabbed my shoulder bag and it was then that I glanced towards the door and saw the last person in the world I expected to see especially on this particular morning. There, standing at the entrance, glancing about him – like displaced puppy was my one and only boyfriend if you will – Trip.

I ducked back into my seat, throwing Mason practically in Daisy's lap. I threw my head down and pretended to disappear.

"Oh fuck!" I exclaimed.

Mason looked up towards the door, saw what I had seen and leaned down.

"Hey isn't that the rich bloke you went with?" He said in a not so small whisper.

"Could you kindly shut the fuck up?" I told Mason lifting my head up long enough to glare at him.

"Whom are we speaking about?" Rube said in a voice, I had to come to recognize as the calm before the wrath.

"It's no one," I said quickly.

Daisy, who sat at the end of the booth, powdering her nose, shut her make up compact and gave us all a once over.

"I wouldn't call my first lover – no one," she said.

I could have murdered her.

"Shut up," I said as I turned what must be scarlet.

"He's coming over," Roxie said in a whisper.

Rube was none to happy and it showed.

"Make him disappear, George." He said, his dark eyes scolding me.

"What am I the mob?" I asked sullenly and next to me Mason started laughing so hard, he spit up the glass of juice he was drinking. Daisy threw him some napkins from the dispenser and called him a pig.

"Do it!" Rube commanded.

I got up and as I turned, bag in hand – Trip was there coming up as if to meet me. I hated to admit it but he looked good, really good. I did my best to ignore that fact, considering how the asshole had taken my virginity and never called, hell even an email would have been nice.

"Hi George," Trip said all shiny teeth and good breeding. I wanted to knee him in the balls.

"I came to see you," he said.

"Outside," I told him. He glanced at the people I was with – all of which were watching us as if we were on display.

"Sure, okay." He said as he followed me out of the Waffle Haus and into the parking lot.

"What do you want?" I said thoroughly and completely pissed off.

"To see you," he said by way of answer.

"I don't care to see you," I told him.

"I also wanted to apologize," He said as he reached for me. I stepped back.

"Yeah, well don't bother – I don't need anything from you least of all some lame ass apology."

I turned to go but he stopped me.

"I got scared, George – it was intense, my feelings for you – I didn't know what to do."

I looked back, his eyes seemed sincere and damn was he cute but no – fuck him!

He had acted like a real jerk and I wasn't about to be all hearts and flowers with him.

"I don't really care," I said, "Just leave me alone – okay?"

"I think I might love you, George," He said and I think I very nearly threw up on my shoes.

What the hell had I done to deserve such a shitty fucking morning?

"You know when a guy – kind of thinks – you know that he loves a girl, he calls her… he doesn't sleep with her and then pretend she didn't exist…I don't want to hear your shit, I just want you to go away."

He reached for my hand and for some very stupid reason, I let him take it and hold it. Oh now what was this – some lifetime movie bullshit. I felt tired, cranky and strangely enough kind of glad to see him, hear him apologize. His running out on me had hurt more then I cared to admit.

Yet, it was impossible – all of it, any of it. I couldn't have a boyfriend. I was dead and buried. This was insane.

"Please George, just give me a chance," he was pleading with me now and my good sense was wearing thin.

"I can't," I said and hated it when my voice came out a bit weepy and desperate.

"I was an asshole, I know but I want to make things right… can you at least let me take you out for dinner, just to talk?"

"I have to go," I said as I turned to go back into the restaurant and what I was sure was a very pissed off Rube when he grabbed my arm, made me look at him.

"Just think it over, alright?" He asked and I nodded.

"Fine, just go okay…"

"Okay," He said and with that I turned and hurried away from him. I was well aware that I was starting to cry.

This really was turning out to be a one truly fucked up morning.