To avoid too much confusion and as things didn´t develop as planned recently, I decided to publish the stories separately, so please don´t be disappointed that this is no new chapter, but just republished! I hope to update soon!
I just wanted to do some oneshots about the Expendables´girls...so this is my first one. I´ve written before about Eila...for the ones who are interested and haven´t read it so far, I recommend to read chapter 24 (the ladies night) of "The mirror´s darker side".
Disclaimer : I don´t own any of the Expendables characters
Toll Road / Eila
„Jeez, just have a look at the weather out there", Barbara said, throwing a look out of the large windows of the library into the rainy evening. „I just hope I´ll get to the restaurant without it still raining cats and dogs out there!"
„So you have big plans for tonight ?" Eila asked, watching her colleague pack her stuff together.
Barbara nodded.
„Gregory asked me out again."
Eila smiled.
„That sounds like things really start getting serious, huh ?"
Barbarba blushed slightly.
„Yeah, doesn´t it ?"
Barbara threw another look at her watch. She had done that about twenty times within the last half an hour.
„Another fifteen minutes to go", she said full of anticipation.
„You´ll somehow manage to get them over", Eila soothed her good-humoredly.
„Not sure!" Barbara answered impatiently and in high spirits.
Eila let her eyes wander over the counter and the bookshelves around. The last visitor had left a while ago. On days like this one, cold and rainy, people didn´t leave their homes to go to the library of all places.
Barbaras groan made her look up.
„Oh no!" she said. „That guy´s not serious!"
„What you´re talking about ?" Eila asked, throwing a look at the entrance door.
„Uh, you´ll see! Just wait until he comes around the corner!"
„Oh, him", Eila said, recognizing one of their regulars.
„Yeah, him!" Barbara echoed ill-humoredly. „Our friend with the funny ear. And I bet he´s got about twenty books to give back, wants ´just to scan through the recent ones`, which will take him about a goddamn hour, and..."
„What is your problem with his ear ?" Eila interrupted her complaint. „It´s a common injury among wrestlers."
„Really ?" Barbara asked, disbelief in her voice.
„Really", Eila confirmed.
„Did he tell you that ?"
„No, he didn´t", Eila answered. „But he told me that he´s doing some mixed martial arts stuff. My uncle wrestled, so do his sons. Believe me, it is a common injury."
„Well, whatever! He´s really not my type! I mean, I know you like him... ´s that a late side effect of your former job ?"
Eila softly nudged Barbara´s arm.
„Come on! I mean, have you ever had a real look at him ? Those shoulders ? This chest ? I´d bet that there´s a damn sixpack underneath that clothes!"
„Oh, stop it!" Barbara answered lowly, but with a smile. „I am generally not into prize fighters - and especially not into ones who turn up at bad times only! Sorry, girl!"
Eila chuckled. Barbara was rather into arrogant looking business guys in tailored suits.
„You know, I really prefer him to this retired professor who I bet only comes here every first day of the month not to go through the Bible stuff at the end of the hall again, but to read the latest Playboy there, just to ask you again on his way out why he hasn´t seen you at church last Sunday", Eila commented.
„Come on", she said then. „I´ll take care of him. Why don´t you call it a day ?"
„No, I can´t do that..."
Eila´s smile widened.
„Just go. I am not going to dime you out."
„You really wanna do that ?" Barbara asked.
Eila smiled.
„Yeah, no problem. Now go and bewitch Gregory a little. Have a nice evening!"
Barbara hesitated for another second. Then she hugged Eila for a second.
„You´re an angel!"
„Yeah, sure."
Rather a fallen one looking forward to another lonely night on the couch, she added in her mind.
„Now leave", she encouraged her colleague.
Barbara grabbed her purse and jacket.
„So, see you tomorrow."
„Yeah, see you tomorrow!"
Barbara granted the library´s last visitor for today only the shortest still decent nod for a greeting on her way out.
Eila put her hands down to the counter and waited patiently for him to draw closer, eying him up. He was in a jeans and a shirt of bright red under a dark leather jacket which emphasized the broad shoulders in a way she admittedly appreciated.
As it was with every job, there were people one liked and people one disliked, people who would just ruin or just make one´s day.
Sean was the type to make hers.
„Hi", he said casually when he had reached the counter.
She found again that she liked his smile.
„Hi", she answered.
She eyed up his battered face for a moment.
„How are you ?" he asked.
She smiled.
„Fine, thank you. But I am not sure if I should ask you the same."
She gestured towards the bruises and scratches all over his face.
„It looks worse than it really is", he shrugged it off.
„So how was your trip ?"
„My trip ?" he asked, confused for a moment.
„Well, your trip to...abroad ?" she answered, realizing belatedly that he hadn´t told her where he would travel this time. All she knew was that he travelled much. And that he used to look battered when he returned, most likely from the martial arts competitions he was doing there.
Nevertheless, they shared a relaxed laugh.
„I think you didn´t tell me where the journey would go this time", she said then. „So how was it ?"
„Very successful", he said, tilting his head.
„Well, if your bruises are any indicator for success...", she said with a smile.
He only grinned this time. It made him look much younger than he was.
She pointed at this backpack.
„You got books to return ?"
„Yeah."
He sat the worn Army backpack down to the counter to open it.
„You made it through all of them ?" she asked when he started to hand her the books out of it. „Or you need some of them any longer ?"
He hesitated for a moment after handing her the last book. There was another one at the bottom of the backpack, one of her favorite´s as he knew, this one out of the first edition, fifty years old and looking just as new. He had racked his brain to get the right idea of what to get her for weeks and had stumbled right across this accidentally right before they had left. And yet again, he found that he was not man enough to give it to her.
Coward!
Realising that she still looked expectantly at him, he frowned.
„I am done with these", he answered. „Gonna need some new material."
He threw a look at the clock at the wall behind her.
„But I am late."
She shrugged.
„We´re not yet closed."
„Don´t wanna keep you from it though."
She smiled and pushed the dark rimmed glasses a little bit higher up her nose.
„Go ahead. I know what it´s like if you´re out of reading material and there´s only a good book and a bottle of wine waiting for me and they both won´t run."
„That´s a shame", Toll Road said.
So you´re still not seeing anyone. Still wonder why.
Eila laughed quietly and hoped she wouldn´t blush. After all the nice conversations they had had so far and all the polite compliments he had made her, this was definitely the most straightforward one.
Toll Road realized that the same instant she did.
„I´ll better hurry", he said.
„Well, go ahead", she encouraged him.
Though he did his best to hurry, he realized that it was already fifteen minutes after closing hours when he returned to her.
„I stole your time", he mumbled apologetically while he handed her the books he had picked.
„Don´t worry", she said with another one of those smiles which seemed to enlighten not only her face, but her whole appearance every time again.
Watching her scanning the books, there he stood, right back from another highly paid suicide mission, cursing himself that he was again not able to ask her out.
„It´s a shame I missed Strongham´s reading", he heard himself mutter instead. „Guess all copies of his latest book are gone ?"
„Yeah. Sorry."
She threw him a thoughtful look through her glasses.
Idiot. Not that you could go and buy the goddamn thing. Now she thinks of you not only as a fool, but a stingy one in addition.
„Not that I couldn´t go and buy it", he mumbled, only too feel even more foolish afterwards.
She bit her lip for a second, then broke into a rather mischievious grin.
„You know", she told him, reaching under the counter and handing him a small package,"I got something for you."
„Unwrap it!" she encouraged him when he didn´t move.
He did as told, still stunned.
„Hardcover", she told him and tipped the cover with her fingertips. „Limited edition..."
She reached over the counter and lifted up the book cover.
„Signed by the author."
Toll Road looked from her to the book and back, lost for words.
„Thank you", he simply said. „What´s the occasion ?"
She put her forearms down to the counter and bent forward.
„Our first anniversary", she told him quietly with an amused smile.
„Really ?" he asked, remembering that she had started to work at the place the day he had signed in there.
„Really!" she told him cheerfully.
It made him only feel all the more foolish. He hadn´t thought of that. He thought for another second about giving her the book he had brought right now. But even now, he had his doubts if she would really like it.
„You know...", he mumbled.
She turned the book in her hands, beaming.
„First edition!" she said, obviously impressed. „Where the hell did you find this one ?"
„South America", he answered honestly. „And I have to admit, I haven´t thought of our...anniversary."
Still busy eyeing the book in her hands, she realized his conscience-stricken tone belatedly.
„I didn´t mean to make you feel uncomfortable", she said, looking at him again.
Toll Road did his best to fight down his flight reflex.
„It´s getting really late by now", he told her, glancing at the clock again.
She watched him for another second, then nodded.
„Yeah. We should leave."
He nodded, unsure how to proceed.
„You´ll have to wait for me to shut the system down", she said. „I already locked the door while you were over there."
„Sorry, again", he said.
„Again, no problem", she answered.
Outsides the library, Eila fumbled with her keys and the codecard to lock the door, getting clumsier every second with him watching her. Night had fallen by now and it was still raining heavily.
„You got your car nearby ?" he asked.
„I usually take the bus. It departs right down the street."
„Yeah, and I´d bet you just missed the one you usually take ´cause of me", he heard himself say.
Her frown and smile told him that he was right.
Suddenly, back in the known waters of his good breeding, he found that there was no other choice left by now.
„Let me give you a ride home", he offered.
It´s the least I can do after twelve goddamn months of failing to dare and ask you out.
She had finally managed to stow her keys and card in her purse. Now she looked at him, somewhat stunned.
„Good Lord", he said, realizing that he had obviously expressed that thought.
But her smile was still there. And she nodded.
„I´d really appreciate it", was all she said.
Please let me know what you think - thanks!