Here we go again! Greetings to Kathie2808 - just get it over with, honey, I need you ;-) Keeping my fingers crossed for you nevertheless!
At the far end of the room at the counter, Gabriel lost his train of thought at what just had happened at the Expendables´ table.
„Give me a whiskey", he demanded, turning away from the friend he had been talking to towards Marlisa, who had taken Daisy´s usual place behind the counter by now. She threw him a confused look. „And tell me that´s a joke!" he added.
„Well, doesn´t look like one to me", she commented with a grin, following his demand.
„Why would you bother ?" his friend inquired.
„I told Jensen half an hour ago that I was thinking about asking the girl for her rate", he muttered.
Marlisa took the already empty whiskey glass out of his hand and refilled it. He took it with a nod of thanks.
„Congratulations then", she said with a bright smile. „And I think Daisy would want you to pay your bill now."
„Why ?" Gabriel asked, somewhat absent-minded.
„´cause you´re a dead man", she told him with a grin.
„Is that the Cathie we used to know ?" Lee asked Barney.
„At least she looks like the Cathie we used to know", Barney commented.
„She´s obviously kept too much bad company recently", Tool mused.
Toll Road nudged Gunnar´s good arm.
„Am I mistaken or have you just been claimed ?" he inquired.
„Looks like that", Gunnar answered, observing Cathie looking around for a free chair for her. At that time of the night, the place was too crowded to find one.
He watched her another moment, not sure what to make of her playful attitude, then sighed exaggeratedly.
„Why don´t you sit with me ?" he offered, padding his thigh.
„Well, whatever," she mumbled, giving up the search. There was no reason to behave secretively any longer. She followed his invitation and took a swig out of his bottle. It caused another round of sounds of surprise and cheering.
„Since when do you drink at work ?" he asked.
„I am done for tonight!" she answered casually. „And who are you to ask me that ?"
„And who the hell allowed you to drink my beer ?"
„I brought it to you, so stop nagging."
„You know, I really wonder what it is with these two", Tool mumbled to no one in particular.
„Think he needs it that way", Ceasar commented casually with a shrug.
Barney laughed lowly.
„He deserves it, that´s for sure!"
„Have you ever been to Sweden ?" Eila asked.
Cathie shook her head.
„Not so far", she said with a grin.
„Don´t let him invite you there", Toll Road warned her. „Especially not in winter!"
„Why not ?" Gunnar asked indignantly.
„Alone with him in the middle of nowhere and nothing else than snow and moose around ?"
Toll Road grinned.
„And what would you American ignoramus know about how to get a girl through a Swedish winter, huh ?" Gunnar asked, sitting back and crossing his arms in front of his chest.
The dispute made the rest of the gang chuckle.
„Don´t let him talk you into it!" Toll Road emphasized his advise to Cathie. „You´ll end up like him!" he added, making a gesture to signalize getting nuts.
She waved a hand.
„Uh, don´t worry. You know, where I come from, guys will tell you romantic tales about long winter nights in front of the fireplace and then it turns out that you´ll have to cut your firewood and catch your fish yourself and do the laundry and the dishes in addition. I´m warned. But actually, I´ve never been to Europe at all."
„Shame on you!" Christmas chimed in.
„It´s not my fault!" Cathie defended herself. „It´s just that people over there don´t seem to be that much into waging war nowadays - so no free visits for me over there while I served in the Army."
Eila shrugged.
„Sounds familiar."
„Army ?"
To the surprise of the rest, it had been Barney asking that question. He was usually the last one to ask one of the guys´ female acquaintances questions.
„Journalism", she answered. „I used to work as a foreign correspondent for some years."
„War correspondent ?" Barney asked.
Eila nodded.
„Yeah, I think you can call it like that as well."
„How came you switched jobs ?" Lacy asked.
„I was in Kongo with a whole team of international journalists. We travelled with a military patrol and got attacked. Six people were killed. One of them was a very close friend."
Lacy frowned.
„I am sorry to hear that", she said. „I didn´t mean to..."
Eila waved a hand.
„It´s ok. I´m done with that, at least as far as it´s possible."
„I guess you had enough of crisis areas after that ?" Cathie mused.
Eila nodded.
„I came home with a compound fracture of my leg. It didn´t heal the way it was supposed to and took much longer than expected. I was offered another job at home, where I would have worked in the office, but to be honest, I felt rather disillusioned. We had gone there to show people at home what it really is like down there, what the civilians are going through, but I had had to realize that any of my reports would be revised time after time until my bosses thought of them as suitable. I still had to cope with the trauma in addition...so I quitted."
„Well, it is quite a difference between that job and workin´ as a librarian, isn´t it ?" Cathie asked.
„It´s quite a difference between being a medic and a waitress as well, isn´t it ?" Toll Road asked back.
„Hey, no offence", Cathie said, raising her hands to emphasize her words and obviously without taking any either.
„It´s alright", Eila said, putting one hand soothingly to Toll Road´s arm. „She´s right."
„You´re right", she said, addressing Cathie directly again. „It´s a very quiet job, but you know, it gave me enough time to get through with everything..."
Suddenly, she broke into an astounding smile which seemed to change her whole appearance at once.
„And it´s how I met Sean here, so..."
For reasons she couldn´t name, Cathie felt quite relaxed that night, in high spirits despite the fatigue. She felt that it had been about time to get things straight, finally tired of the game of presumptions and teasing. With the statement done, changing seats with Yang and Billy allowed her to sit more comfortable right next to Gunnar and him to place one arm discreetly around her waist.
Listening to the guys´ stories and squabbling and still busy to get used to the new situation, she watched Lacy bent forward a little to slide one hand down Lee´s chest. He grimaced when her fingertips accidentally touched a hidden bruise and profound discomfort showed immediately on her face.
Averting her gaze, Lacy´s eyes met Cathie´s for a second.
Cathie tipped the edge of her mouth for a moment, the unobtrusive gesture a silent reminder of something the two women had discussed at length recently.
Lacy reached for her drink and took a sip, still holding Cathie´s gaze. When she turned to her boyfriend again, there was a smile on her face.
Later that night, with Cathie fallen asleep right next to him in their shared favorite spot at the boot´s highest deck, Gunnar looked up to the stars.
Christmas had been right, it had been a damn ladies night over at Daisy´s.
Darla, though some years older than Cathie, was a real beauty, there was no doubt. It didn´t take much to emphasize her feminine charms and the little things she did led to astonishing results. She had honed her natural grace into perfection, every step, every turn an invitation, every gesture and look an unspoken promise, at least to subjects she considered worthy. Gunnar knew that she was a perfectionist. The top she had been wearing had most likely been more expensive than Daisy´s and Cathie´s complete outfits together. Everything about her, her hair, her makeup, her outfit, were just perfect, every detail fitting in with the others and he knew that it would only take her minutes to create this appearance - or any other one asked for. Somehow she had even managed to weave in the fact that she was not that young any more in a way which only boosted the temptation. In the early days of their acquaintance, realizing all that, he had mused that she had developed the same professionalism in taking care of her own weapons as every one of his lot. It had obviously become second nature to her as well.
The mere fact that she had been there had been proof that she was not up to work that night, but to meet Daisy and to make appointments at best. There were few regulars around Daisy´s who were able to afford her services anyway, though he himself would never have talked business to her there.
Cathie moved slightly that moment, brushing a rebellious strand of dark hair out of her face which had escaped her French braid. It caused him to grin.
A mere superficial comparison of the two women brought perfectly stylized feminity up against casual womanhood, silk and satins against jeans and leather and high heels against army boots. A look inside revealed a streak for perfection and resignation towards mankind against a strong will and the constant struggle to bring life in line with one´s own sound principles.
The comparison made him realize that where Darla had given up on certain things long ago, Cathie hadn´t. Her own faults as well as life´s unfairness made her angry and frustrated at times. But to him, it was simply proof that she was far from giving up, though she might not be aware of that.
It made him wonder if it was what all of that was about. There had been some occasions at which he had looked behind Darla´s fassade, very private moments without any references to any physical intimacy. Their shared resignation towards certain aspects of life was probably the base of the friendship they maintained beyond their somewhat special kind of business relationship. Cathie might have her own theories about life being a bitch and certain mirrors as well, but he wondered if she had any idea how far from giving up she actually still was.
Surrender was simply not considered an option.
Gunnar mused that where Darla might share his principle of taking good care of one´s own weapons, Cathie shared this one.
He sat back, astounded. Thinking about it, it was not only that, but she was also living proof that his resignation regarding women had obviously not been as profound as he had thought.
Cathie moved again to change into a more comfortable position at his side.
„What are you thinking about ?" she asked somewhat sleepily.
„You", he answered, surprised that she was still awake. No need to tell her about the second woman on his mind.
„Me ?"
„What about your licence ?" he asked.
„What about it ?"
„Have you never tried to get it back ?"
She took her time to answer.
„I thought about it. But at first, for a while, I was not sure if I would manage to stay clean."
„So you still are. What you´re waiting for ?"
She sighed.
„It´s a difficult thing to do. Protracted. Takes time, money, nerves..."
He chortled.
„Okay, again", he said patiently. „What you´re waiting for ?"
She exhaled audibly.
„You know, in my case, it would probably need some juridical support as well - and I certainly don´t have the money for that."
„But you don´t know that."
„No. Not for certain."
„So why you´re not trying ?"
„Why the hell you´re so dogged ?"
„Come on! I mean, you studied. You paid for that yourself, you worked hard for it, you finally made it. Then some freaks cheated on you while you were in trouble. So that´s it ? Doesn´t really sound like you, you know."
„Think about it", she said. „Even if I get my licence back - who´s gonna employ me ? Who´s gonna give a former addicted medic a job ?!"
„Well, without the licence, you won´t get one at all, that´s for sure."
She straigthened up a little.
„If the next thing you´re gonna tell me is that you´re gonna lend me the money it may take - don´t even start!"
„So what are your plans ? You want go on working for Tool and Daisy forever ?"
„Well, as long as I don´t find me some well-off admirer to get me preggers and marry me, I guess there´s no choice", she answered sarcastically.
„You still didn´t answer my question."
„What is it with you ?" she asked, unnerved. „Why all the questions ?"
„Jus´ wondering."
She laughed.
„Oh no! You´re not! What is it ?"
He crossed his arms in front of his chest. She silently enjoyed the sight of him flexing his muscles that somewhat lazy way.
„You first", he said with a grin.
„Man!" she exclaimed. „Actually, I did plan on getting my licence back some day, but I don´t think it will be easy. I just...I somehow never found the courage to really face whatever it takes to. I mean, I made the therapy, I got the psychological stuff done...I think I just don´t wanted to set my wits to the whole discharge thing."
She stared for a moment into the darkness in front of them.
„Sounds a bit ridiculous even to me", she added slowly. „I mean, I have not even really been a soldier."
„You don´t need to be a soldier to afford some pride", he commented.
„Next thing you´re telling me is that even mercs have pride", she said, sarcasm back in her voice.
He grinned.
„Well, I think that´s what it´s all about", she finally said. „My pride was hurt. That´s ridiculous as well, as it was my own fault that they discharged me. But I can´t get over how unfair this shit was! The goddamn backscratching goin´ on there. And for now, I am comfortable with what things are like. I like working with Tool and I only give Daisy a hand from time to time - that´s helping out a friend."
She took a deep breath, then stretched out and snuggled lazily up to him.
„Contented ?"
He made a low sound of hesitant agreement.
„Your turn then", she said.
He reached out for his beer, careful to avoid that she would have to change position, then took a sip, the last one, as he had to realize.
„Stop workin´ at Daisy´s."
She lifted up her head again, but kept silent.
There was a pause.
„Say again", she said finally.
He slid the fingers of his left hand in her hair.
„You heard me."
„I am helping out a friend. So what´s the problem ?"
She got only a low grunt for an answer.
She sat up again and looked at him, puzzled but amused at the same time.
„You think that´s no job for your girl ?" she asked, amused.
„Let´s say there are too many people going in and out there I don´t like."
She raised her eyebrows.
„We´re talking about your favorite bar here, aren´t we ?"
„Yeah. Doesn´t change that."
She closed her eyes for a moment, then looked at him again and tried to suppress a smile.
„I´ve filled in for Beth there for weeks. So what is it right now ?"
„You really want me to answer that ?"
„That guy asked you for my rate ?"
Cathie laughed out.
„You think of that as funny ?" he asked, disgruntled.
She shrugged.
„Actually, yes! Who would ask for my rate with Darla around ? Alright, I guess not everyone there can afford her company."
She observed his pokerface for a moment, waiting for a reaction.
„Stop!" he simply said, his tone a clear statement that he was not up to any more teasing regarding that matter.
She shrugged.
„Well, he didn´t ask me, and if he had, it would have been a refreshingly direct hit on for a change! The others never offered me money before..."
He closed his eyes, trying to presevere his composure.
„I shouldn´t have mentioned that, huh ?" she asked.
She padded his shoulder.
„But hey, that guy walked out of there on his own two feet ? I am proud of you."
She narrowed her eyes at the smug expression on his face.
„What did you do to him instead of beating him up ?"
„Nothin´", he answered truthfully.
„So far ?"
He cursed her silently for looking right through him.
„Gotcha!" she said, shaking her head slowly. „So that´s the problem ?"
„Yeah."
She sighed.
„I don´t see it. But alright."
„So you´re gonna quit ?"
She laughed and scrambled lazily to his lap.
„You´re crazy ?"
„You wouldn´t, even if I ask you to ?" he asked, sounding tense by now.
She hesitated for a moment, then clicked her tongue.
„Would you ?"
She gave him some time. When he didn´t answer, she smiled.
„You wouldn´t", she said, then bent forward to kiss him, signalizing to him without words that it was alright for her.
„That´s comparing apples with oranges, don´t you think ?" he said finally.
She nodded.
„I know. But just relax. It comes with the job. They make a move on me, I turn them down. No problem."
„A damn problem."
She bit her lip, searching for additional arguments.
„Yeah, since you´ve become aware of it. You know the rules, so does everybody else there. Daisy doesn´t allow anyone to lay hands on one of her waitresses and Steve takes care of the ones who don´t behave - you know that!"
Gunnar frowned at her for bringing up Steve. Daisy´s bouncer had been working for her for what felt like decades. At least another ten inches taller than Gunnar and even heavier packed with muscle than Ceasar, he still had the mental age of a five year old boy.
„And where the hell was Steve when this shit happened ?" he asked, touching the healed up side of her face carefully with his fingertips, suddenly angry.
„Relieving himself", she answered honestly, only to watch him grimace.
„I told you!" she said with weak smile. „That´s simply what´s wrong with my life."
She tugged softly at his shirt.
„Relax. I don´t expect anyone to pay too much attention to me any longer after tonight."
„There might be people who missed the show", he argued.
Then he chuckled.
„But I have to say, I am still wondering what the hell got into you."
She laughed quietly.
„Don´t know. That´s probably what you get for harassing me."
„I thought you´re not into public smooching."
„Uh, take it as a statement."
„Oh, you made yourself clear, that´s for sure!"
She threw him an uncertain glance.
„You´re mad at me ?"
He chuckled.
„What for ?" he asked in a relaxed tone. „Claiming me ?"
She grinned.
„It´s an interesting role reversal, isn´t it ?" she asked. „I bet that´s another first time ever-thing on your side. And look at the bright side - none of these chicks there will ever try again to come on to you. At least not if they know what´s good for them."
He tilted his head, his grin broadening.
„You think that´s what I´d say ?"
„Well, you would probably not say chicks..."
She observed him quietly, then sighed exaggeratedly.
„Say it!" she encouraged him after another minute.
„You need to hear it again ?"
„Oh yeah!"
„You´re crazy, honey. Really creazy."
She laughed and sat back.
„You´re good ?" she asked, still doubtful.
He nodded.
„I´m good. Just didn´t know it´s screw the rules-night again."
She shrugged and laughed.
„Hit me equally unexpected the last time. Serves you right."
„I take it you´ve not been talking about Daisy when you asked if I haven´t told her", he said suddenly.
Her lips formed a weak smile.
„So you noticed."
„Yeah."
There was a pause. Still, the silence didn´t feel uncomfortable.
„But I have to admit, I am still not sure what exactly it is with you and Darla", Cathie said finally.
„There´s no answer to this question you won´t hold against me", he said with a grin. „So I´ll skip it."
"That´s unfair, don´t you think ?"
"Fine! She´s a friend. That´s it."
"Just a friend, huh ?"
"See ?" he said. "Told ya. By the way, how did you know ?"
She laughed quietly.
„Ready for another quotation ?"
„Ready", he encouraged her.
„I may be nuts, but I am not an idiot. I have eyes, man. I listen. I spend a lot of time at a damn bar and a tattoo shop with the same clientele."
„Didn´t think of you as the jealous type", he mused, only to get another laugh for an answer.
„Well, you´ve been mistaken then."
„So I´ll have to establish a no brawls-rule for you as well ?"
„Don´t worry. You know, among women, there are signs and symbols you guys will never notice. We´re agreed."
„You´re talking about your subtile message from three hours ago ?"
She chortled.
„See ? You guys just don´t get it. Don´t be sad. You´re not alone with that."
"Do you really think I don´t see that you´re trying to change the subject ?"
She sighed, suddenly tired of the game.
„Look at me", she demanded. „I am not that highly coveted - I am not Darla!"
He sighed as well.
„See", he said. „That´s exactly my point."