I finally organized a few chapter outlines into some sort of sequence and split one up. So here we go with 9 and 10.
I don't own anything!
-adjusting-
The rest of Saturday is a bit of a blur. Most of us sleep in. In my case, mostly to avoid being aware of how bad I feel. Christina comes down to give me a hug in the mid afternoon. She's going home for the evening and the rest of the weekend and is going to drop Marlene off at her home. They confess that they have a paper to finish before Monday. Lynn stuffs her clothes into her bag as well. Her parents are coming over for dinner. There will be no parties tonight- Lauren and Four are working full shifts. Saturdays are usually busy. Will sees no reason to stay, besides, he looks forward to spending Sunday watching sports with his Dad.
Our quiet group watches a movie in the den. Shauna and Zeke laying together on the largest couch snuggled in a blanket. The rest of us scattered about. I'm only half interested.
"He-llooo." A voice calls from the kitchen. "Mom!" Shauna jumps up, brushing down her shirt and giving her an enthusiastic hug. Lynn grumbles a bit but seems secretly happy to see her. "You must be Tris," she offers her hand, "I've been hearing a bit about you. Pretty name…I guess it suits you. I'm Cindy but almost everyone here calls me Mom." We look at each other for a moment. Cindy has long blond hair that's puffed on top and partially pulled back in a clip. She is also petite and slim like me. We could pass for mother and daughter other than the fact that her black scoop neck top shows off ample cleavage, adorned with a rose tattoo. Lynn introduces me to her father simply as "Pop". He has a gray crew-cut, large nose, and permanent smile and is holding two large bags of food. Mom and Pop start opening several little white boxes of food as Shauna grabs a pile of mis-matched plates and silverware. "What's your favorite, Tris?" Mom asked. I feel slightly green as I survey the choices. "Well, umm…" Mom smiles, "Sounds like you're like me, a little of everything?" "Hey, Mom..." Shauna pokes her head in the door, "can you point out the milder stuff? Tris had sort of a rough night… and she's not huge on Chinese. Load her up on the rice." She winks at me.
I wake up early on Sunday and the house seems especially lonely. I'm alone in the room; Four dropped Lauren off at her own apartment after work. I feel a pang of sadness as I think of my family. It's a church week. By now, they are all up, have had breakfast, and chores are done. They'll be leaving early to arrive at the Yoder's for the socializing before the long church service. Afterwards, there will be a huge communal lunch. After serving and cleaning up from the meal, and before gathering for the usual Sunday evening singing, there would be plenty of time for my girlfriends and me to socialize and relax. I'll miss seeing Katie and Arlene and the other girls my age. I'm sure that I'll be the biggest topic of discussion. That thought amuses me. I've never been that interesting before. Almost nobody is. Not since the drama with Elder Miller's son. The more I think about it, the more I wonder what we did talk about all that time. I probably got closer to Christina in 3 days than to Katie, my cousin, in almost 18 years. I don't know if Katie ever had a crush on a boy, lied to her parents, or read a fashion magazine. Crazy. I suddenly realize that my only regret is the whispers that my parents will face.
I walk out to the kitchen and, although this is a day of rest, I carelessly start cleaning. Shauna walks downstairs rubbing her eyes. "God, Tris, give it a rest. A little mess never hurt. Relax. It's a weekend; do something you like." I smile, then frown. I actually have no idea what I like.
-training-
"Arghhh!" I smack my hand into the bar in frustration. Lauren and Four just look amused. They started training me for my job as a bartender. I've got the recipes for common drinks down in my mind but I don't think I'll ever get the pour right. I've been trying for almost an hour. I can count the beat, even as they try to confuse me with different types of club music, but I always seem to move my hand too early or too late or miss the cup entirely. I mop my spill again. "I can't just measure with the jigger like I've been doing?" Lauren smiles, "No, not really. Sometimes we do, but mostly, the customers expect a free pour and Johanna expects it to be accurate. Take break, though. Tonight's homework is the same- listen to that playlist and get to know the songs. You can try the pour before work tomorrow. I think I'm heading home, guys."
I start putting away the few supplies in front of me away and Four sits down on a stool to look at me at eye level. "Look. I wanted to talk to you about this job but I didn't want Lauren- or you- to think I'm babying you. Johanna's a decent person and she runs a clean business. Ask Eric, she's had it out with him a few times. So the crowd is usually decent but some occasional bands attract rough crowd. Unfortunately, we've got one of those next weekend. Not too many ladies come out to see them, too much testosterone chasing the few that do. That's where I come in. I break up fights and kick them out. They get kicked out if they harass the band, the other partiers, or you. And they will sometimes harass you. Especially you. You have…ummm…a certain innocence that is going to attract them for all the wrong reasons. They don't get to touch you. At all. You'll be working with Jane and Carina. Carina is tough. A biker girl in hippie skirts. She knows half the clientele personally, but don't depend on her to steer you wrong. She's too close to see some of them for who they are and she doesn't like new girls too much anyway. Jane's slim but tall; witty. Her boyfriend is in a band and deals drugs on the side. They won't mess with her. That leaves you. Try to observe. I don't want you getting too friendly or letting anyone think they can take you home but I do want you to be friendly enough that you get a feel for who they are. That way, you'll see the personality switch as they get a little drunk and let loose. That's the point of their night. But watch for that next change. The change that says they've had enough. Done. There are legal repercussions to the bar if you over-serve but there can be personal repercussions to you. The last girl quit because a guy she was serving all night followed her into the cooler. Same crappy band, by the way, and they are on thin ice with Johanna."
Suddenly I'm overwhelmed and I just want to go home.
He quickly reaches out and touches the back of my hair tenderly for a moment before pulling me towards him roughly. My face is in his chest and I notice his masculine scent.
"Hey. I'm sorry. Don't look so scared. I knew I shouldn't have said it. We won't let anything happen. I'm telling you this because the more you know, the safer you are and right now... Well...there's a lot you were never allowed to know." He steps back and looks at me. I didn't need the hug as much as he thought but I'm sorry to feel the empty space where he was a moment ago. "Hey, look how Molly ended up and she was only annoying you. You're tougher than I remember."