Meeting Iris

I come into work furiously soaking wet. I had missed the bus...correction the bus passed by me without even slowing down, did the driver not see me sitting on the bus stop bench? Am I invisible? I had to walk all the way to work in the freezing rain, of course it had to have been while my car is in the shop, man it's a piece of shit! And to top it off while walking some asshole deliberately and completely splashed me while driving by, he honked his horn and howled at me like a dog! God I hate men! I go directly to the bathroom to try and dry off as best as I can with the air dryer. Afterwards I get behind the bar to join my two best friends/co-workers Amber and Renee, we tend to usually work the same shifts. I'm trying to be professional as possible by not showing my frustration to any of the patrons but I guess I'm not doing a good job of it because they instantly can tell I'm pissed off.

"Iris, are you okay? What happened to you?" Renee asked.

"Oh just dandy, the bus passed right by me and some jackass purposely sprayed me with his car." I responded with a very annoyed fake smile on my face.

"Where's your car?" Amber asked while pouring a beer.

"Remember the piece of shit flooded again."

"Oh that's right, that sucks," she replied. "Why didn't you call us? We would have given you a ride."

"Well, I would have if I had known the bus driver was going to pass me."

"We can take you home." Renee offered.

"That's okay, I don't want to burden you, you guys probably have plans." I waved them off.

"Your not a burden, we don't mind...we're taking you home." She insisted.

"Thanks, that would be great." I give a grateful smile, I'm so relieved I don't have to walk home in this. "By the way Amber thanks for covering for me the other day."

"Yeah, no problem. What was wrong with Luna?" She asked me.

"Oh, it ended up being her hip again, they gave me some medication to give her." I answered before giving an angry eye roll.

Two years ago I was taking a walk and saw a drunk guy throwing cans and kicking his dog, yelling at her to shut up. She was whimpering and sounded so sad! She was bleeding and favoring her front right paw, she couldn't stand on it. He just went right back inside in his shitty RV and left her all alone and it was blazing hot out that day, it was 95° in fact. I could tell she was dehydrated and I couldn't just leave her there, she needed to get to a vet badly and after I took her I couldn't just take her back so I kept her. Sure I did technically steal her but the guy was a drunken prick who didn't love her and she wouldn't have made it very much longer if I had. She is the sweetest thing but ever since she's had problems because of what that asshole did to her. She's a black lab/pitbull mix, she's a big girl but also the biggest cuddle bear!

I'm pouring drinks for the patrons when a couple comes up to the bar and sits at my station. I can overhear them talking...not that I'm eavesdropping. They're holding hands and kissing, I just want to puke!

"You know there's something I've been wanting to tell you all night." He started to say, she just looked at him with a smile on her face. "...I love you." He stroked her hand.

"You do?" She asked sweetly.

"Yeah, I've never felt this way before." I roll my eyes in disgust.

"I love you too." The girl whimpered with tears running down her face, they kissed.

"Let's dance." He spoke after a few minutes, he led her to the dance floor.

I heavily sigh, "typical." I whisper.

"What?" Both Renee and Amber asked at the same time...did I say that way louder then I intended? No, I meant for it to be that loud.

"Oh nothing, just them." Pointing to the couple.

"What? That was sweet." Renee replied with a grin on her face looking at the couple, she quickly squeezes Amber's hand, "its nice they have each other." She lovingly glances at her who returns the squeeze.

"Yeah, it was also nice last night when he came in here with his wife." I told them with a bitter tone in my voice.

"What? How do you know that was his wife, it could have been his sister." Amber suggested.

"Uh no, not with the way they were kissing and last night he was wearing a wedding ring and look (I point to them) no wedding ring tonight."

"Oh wow." Renee gasped as she looked over again to take a double take of his hand.

"It's just so typical, here he is telling some poor girl that he loves her and has never felt this way before just to get into her pants meanwhile his poor wife is sitting at home waiting for her"loving" husband thinking he's at work or even out of town, such a fucking scumbag asshole!" I rant and take a shot to calm my nerves.

"Damn girl." Amber breathed. "I thought we agreed you wouldn't guy bash at work anymore since you know we're surrounded by men." Renee reminds me and points around the bar at all the men.

"Yeah, sorry I just had to get that out." I take another quick shot. "All men are the same." I say under my breath while I watch them dance.

"Hey, how do you know she's so innocent, she could know that he's married and not care, they both could be guilty." Amber pointed out.

"Your right, maybe she does...let's find out." I shrug with an evil smirk.

"Iris...what are you going to do?" She asked suspiciously before they looked at each other worried.

I didn't answer her. As soon as the song was over the couple came back to the bar where they had left their drinks. After giving her a kiss he walked away to the restroom and I saw my opening. I walk over and motion to her if she wants another drink, she nods her head yes. Her smile wouldn't leave her face, she kept looking back, waiting for his return. "I couldn't help but overhear you guys before...you must really love him." I spoke.

"Yeah, I do...I'm so lucky." She responded happily.

"Yeah...although it doesn't bother you that he brought his wife in here last night?"

"What? What did you say?"

"His wife, he comes here every week with his wife, this place is pretty much their date night." I told her quite bluntly. It was a lie however, I had never seen them in here prior to last night but she doesn't need to know that, only that he's a cheating dog!

"He's married?" She asked furious while realizing what I had just revealed.

"Yeah...you didn't know?" I put a hand over my mouth and fake gasp while she glares at me before storming away to catch up to him, "you might want to check his pockets, his ring is probably there!" I shout at her. I can't hear them through the music but she's yelling and I see her digging through his pockets and she does find the ring. My friends disappointingly shake their heads at me while I evilly smirk then give them a hard look, "see I told you...they're all the same." I very coldly snarl. And I believe that with every fiber of my being!


We have met Iris, she is going to sound like a bitch to you for awhile but I promise there is a reason for that. And yes if you couldn't tell Renee and Amber are together.