The door to the tavern swung open wildly, and in stampeded a lone figure that could make up an entire herd. He charged in with the biggest smile imaginable, his teeth shining with an unearthly joy. It seemed something had completely revitalized this man, in both body and soul. The afternoon sunshine washed in from behind him, giving him almost an angelic glow.
"I've done it!" He cried. "I've done it!"
"What in the world is 'it'?" Jenna asked, looking concerned for her fiancée's mental health. The big oaf usually wore a smile, but none quite as wide as what he sported this afternoon. She walked around from behind the counter, to try to get his message out of him.
"I did it!" He yelled, exploding in a powerful laughter. He rushed over to Jenna and scooped her up into his arms, laughing and whooping the whole time.
"Whoa! Garet! What are you doing? What's going on?" She questioned, helpless to get down from his powerful arms. "Hey! I'm talking to you!" With a grumble, she quickly struck him on the back of the head with her hand.
"Ow!" Garet winced.
"Now then, are you going to tell me what is going on?"
"Jenna, my dear! I found a job! Not only does it pay decently enough, but it's safe! I work for the postal system! I'm a mailman!" The face on his future wife's face began to beam with the same enthusiasm that his did.
"That's great! My goodness, I think that's the best news we've had in months! I almost can't believe it!" As she spoke, he slowly let her down to the ground. As soon as she touched down, Jenna pulled the newly employed Mars Adept into a congratulatory kiss. After they separated, they joined together in joyous laughter. "I'm so happy, Garet! You've been searching for so long and to find out you got such a good job makes my worries fly away! When do you start work?"
"In three days. It'll be a busy job and I'll spend a lot of time on my feet, but it's truly better than working in a factory or something. I wonder what your brother will say when he finds out!"
"He'll be thrilled!" Jenna laughed, wrapping Garet in an embrace. Well, it was more of a strangling bear hug than a loving press, but given how the two of them worked, it had the same effect. He returned the strong hug, but with considerably greater force dude to his rather large girth.
It had been a week and a half since Saturos and Menardi left from their visit. Little had happened since that time, save for the regulars dropping by for their drinks and billiards. Felix had seemed a little troubled shortly after his friends departed, but it came off as little more than minor financial troubles. Truthfully, it was nothing Garet's new paycheck couldn't handle. While being a mailman wouldn't make them rich by any means, it was perhaps the most stable form of income the Mars Adept could get. Though the federal government of Angara was experiencing a difficult financial time, they never cut or delayed the wages of their employees. Though the bar was technically paying for itself, Felix's calculations indicated that the profit they were making was slowly but steadily dwindling. The depression seemed like it was getting worse rather than better, and it seemed people were willing to spend less and less on drinks. The only source of revenue that seemed to grow within the bar was the tip money Isaac received after playing his melodies. Although his music was already fairly well known in this part of the city, stories of his abilities became local urban legends.
These legends were obviously very absurd. One telling of it dictated that there was an angel banished from heaven but protected from Hell that descended to earth to live with mortals; this angel was supposedly very gifted with an amazing penchant for playing the piano and singing. Of course, this was one of the most idiotic of all the tales told. The next legend was there was a mutant man who could sing perfectly while playing the hardest songs using only his toes. The mutant man supposedly crawled up from the sewers and took up residence in a local tavern for no other reason aside from boredom. It was undecided by Felix which was the more preposterous of the two.
Isaac of course had heard these tales, and if he was one to do so, he would've laughed at them. Considering laughing wasn't part of his nature, he noted that every person who actually believed these tales was a fool. And considering how many fools Isaac already believed there to be in the world, the legends did much to further his theory of the stupidity of mankind. He honestly couldn't believe how any of these legends got started. Though, if he had to venture a guess, he'd say it was a regular that had far too much to drink one night.
Garet and Jenna found the foolish stories a rather amusing diversion, especially considering how flustered Isaac seemed to get whenever one was told. Naturally, they found this very entertaining and amusing to watch. The couple would constantly tease Isaac when he wasn't in an obviously foul mood, and most everyone who lived with them would get a good laugh or two from it. The teasing was good natured, so it rarely really bothered Isaac, though he would've preferred to be left alone. Though now with Garet gainfully employed, it was likely the teasing would slow to a halt, at least for awhile.
"I still can't believe it. All of your hard work has finally paid off!" Jenna said, almost in tears. She looked up to the sounds of footsteps coming from the upstairs. Sheba soon appeared from the stairwell and looked at them, somewhat puzzled.
"What's going on? What's with all the shouting?" She asked. The Jupiter Adept looked back and forth between the fiancées and noticed an absolute elation on Garet's face, and almost shocked disbelief on Jenna's. She had heard the noise from clear up in her room, but she had tuned out the words because of her writing.
"I'm employed!' Garet replied, grin not fading at all.
Upon hearing this, Sheba's eyes grew wide, and they shone brightly. "Wow! That's great! How are we going to tell the others when they get back?"
"Well, I have a plan. This might be a lot of fun." Jenna said, giving off her trademark devilish smile that always send a cold chill of fear through Garet's spine.
"I don't like the sound of this…" He said.
"Trust me, dear." Jenna giggled. "It'll be the funniest thing the two of us have done since the time we switched Felix's favorite beer with that dish water."
"Um, Jenna? I don't think he's exactly forgiven us for that yet."
"He'll get over it." She smiled.
"Oh boy. I am not getting involved." Sheba said, shrugging and heading back upstairs. "This sounds far too dangerous and stupid for my tastes."
Isaac grumbled as he opened the door to the tavern. Night had already fallen and he'd spent the whole day making the rounds looking for work. He took his hat off and almost slammed it on the hat rack by the door. Certainly, the Venus Adept looked more frustrated than usual tonight. He knew it wouldn't be long before he'd have to start playing his piano, but he wanted to rest beforehand. The exhausted Adept sat at the bar and put his head down on the counter. All he wanted to do was to get a nice, hot cup of tea and then sit down to play his piano for the night. That would make him feel better. It usually did, after all.
"Welcome home, Isaac." Jenna said, walking behind the counter. "You look…"
"Like a total wreck." He cut her off without looking up. "I know."
"Ooh, really bad day, huh?" Jenna asked, resting a hand on his hair. This prompted a bit of an irritated grunt from Isaac, but she chose to ignore it. "You want to talk about it?"
"No." He flatly stated.
"Just your tea, then?" She asked, mildly irritated.
"Please." He almost dozed off with his head resting on the table and his arms shielding his eyes from the light. The back of his head pounded and throbbed, almost as though he was hit from behind by a mugger. The darkness he sheathed himself in was a reprieve from the harsh daytime he had. If anything over the past few months, Isaac had grown to despise daylight. It only meant rejection. He had taken to the night like an owl, enjoying the sunset and seeing the moon rise above the rooftops and smokestacks. The night was harmless, still, soothing.
"Are you okay, Isaac?" Jenna inquired, sitting his tea in front of him.
"Headache," was his only reply. He looked up and took the teacup in his hand and sipped from it. Jenna had prepared it just how he liked it. She had slipped in a little bit of honey to sweeten it some and to smooth it out. His face softened some and his eyes became less icy and irritated.
"There now. Feel better?" She asked. The piano player nodded in return, sipping it again. "Good. I'll leave you to it then. Just relax and don't worry about getting to play your piano right away." Isaac nodded again, and Jenna slipped out from behind the counter and walked up the stairs, passing Felix, who was at the landing.
"Hey sis. Did Isaac just get back?"
"Yeah, and don't bother him. He's in one of his moods tonight." She said quietly.
"More grouchy than usual, huh? Man, I wish we could just knock that out of him. Or at least, get him to smile a little more often." Felix replied. He noticed a slight sigh from his sister after he made the statement. "Sis?"
"Let's… go in your room to talk." She replied, walking into his bedroom on the far end of the hall. With a shrug, her older brother followed and closed the door behind him. She had already sat down on the foot of his double bed, with her head already in her hands. He sat down beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"What's on your mind?" He asked, his voice steady and calm. Like his normal demeanor, it was warm and friendly. "Is it Isaac?"
She nodded slightly. "Yes. I'm really worried about him. He's like another big brother to me, you know? You and Isaac have always been there with encouraging words. It's hard seeing Isaac always acting sour."
Felix chuckled lightly. "Yes, it is. He's not the easiest person to deal with, no way. Though it is just like you to want to help him. Have you talked to Garet about this? He'd probably be able to help you more than me."
"Of course. Garet's more at a loss than I am. In fact, he's more worried than I am! He just never says anything to anyone… the big lug doesn't like to talk about his problems with anyone but me."
"Makes sense." Felix replied. "Garet's always been outgoing, but he's never been much for troubling other people with his problems. He's such a giving and kind man. I'm glad you fell in love with him."
"It wasn't hard." She laughed lightly. "He's… the best. He really is. I wouldn't want to marry anyone else. Sure, he has his rough edges sometimes, but that's one of the things I like most about him."
"You know, for a long time before he admitted to loving you, he thought you were in love with Isaac."
"Isaac?" Jenna laughed. "Never. He's a nice guy too, but… he really isn't my type. He's too quiet and brooding. I'd go nuts if I had to marry him."
Felix smiled warmly. "I'm sure you would. I never saw you falling for him. Nor did I ever see him falling for you." He released Jenna from his arm, and leaned back. "My dear little sister is far too energetic and lively. Far too hot-headed and argumentative for Isaac to be happy."
"What do you mean by that!" Jenna asked, raising her fist in mock anger at her brother. Instead of hitting him, she quickly snatched up his pillow and beat him with it a few times. Eventually, Felix managed to wrestle it from his sister's grip.
"That's about enough of that." He said, tossing the pillow aside. "Now then, what about Isaac is bothering you?"
"Well…" She paused. "You know I want to help him. And I think I have a way."
"I'm all ears." He said, curious as to what his sister had come up with. How bad could it be?
"Felix, I think what Isaac needs is something a little more subtle than a job. Something that will be more fulfilling beyond monetary value." She paused.
"You mean he needs to find something to care about?" He replied. "Sounds like a good plan. What'd you have in mind then? A kitten? A canary?"
"No. Something… a little bigger than that."
"Jenna, we couldn't keep a dog even if we could afford it." Felix replied, completely oblivious. "There's simply not enough space."
"Felix, it isn't a pet." Jenna sighed, frustrated. Her brother was being unusually slow tonight. She couldn't tell whether it was unintentional or if he was feigning ignorance. He had been known to play dumb when the situation called for it, so sometimes his behavior was difficult to predict. Regardless of whether he was joking, she continued. "I'm talking about finding a significant other."
"Ah, love." Felix sighed, finally catching Jenna's drift. "If only it were that simple, sis. Isaac's not exactly a good bachelor. I imagine there aren't many women who'd like to deal with that all day long."
"Well, I think I know of one woman who would be perfect for him." She said, a catlike grin forming on her face. Felix knew right away that she already was plotting something, but what it was, he couldn't know. Before she continued, he raised his hands to chest level and prepared to cut in. However, Jenna did not allow this. "Felix, don't you think Mia would be perfect for our little piano player?" The tone of her voice was almost playful, like she relished the very idea of seeing Mia stand by his piano, enraptured by his soft music and singing voice.
Felix closed his eyes and brought a hand to his chin. Jenna was set in her way, he could tell. Nothing he could say or do would detract her from this idea. Trying to budge Jenna on this sort of issue was like trying to push a boulder up the face of a sheer cliff. He opened one eye slightly and glanced at his sibling, whose eyes flashed with the cunning of a fox. Finally, he opened his mouth to answer the question she had given.
"Miss Mia is a very beautiful woman. She is kind and considerate, soft-spoken and intelligent. I believe Isaac could come to love her in time." He said, with a sort of sagely nod. "However, we can never force love on him. To do so would make him push it away all the more intently." He crossed his arms, and looked to the ceiling. "More importantly, however is how Miss Mia feels about him. It would do Isaac even less good to fall in love with a woman who does not feel the same."
"Well, I'm not really sure how she feels about him on that level. She thinks of him as kind, at least to some extent." Jenna fell back onto Felix's bed, laying down and sinking slightly into the mattress. It was soft and slightly lumpy, but it still managed to be comfortable enough for her eyes to drift to half mast.
"I think that if you're really intent on trying to set them up, you should be subtle. I'm sure you've thrown hints at Isaac at the very least… that is, if you still play the same cards as you did when you were trying to manipulate Garet into admitting his feelings for you. I'd suggest against that in the future." Felix said, still staring up.
"What would you do?"
"I'm not really sure. Though I would try to have Miss Mia spend more time here and let her see Isaac a little more often. Not only would this give her the chance to better see Isaac for what he is, it would give Isaac the time he needs to grow used to her."
"Would that really work? Do you think that they would ever fall for each other?"
"That's up to them and only them. We can't make it happen." He said, rising. "I can't help you with this directly, you know. It is not my place to try to influence either of their lives." He turned around and helped his sister stand. "Be careful. I want the best for Isaac too, but remember that it is not always wise to play Cupid. We can talk more about this later if you want, but right now, I need you downstairs getting the place ready for the rush. I'll be down to help you shortly."
Jenna nodded. "Thanks, Felix. This means a lot."
"Think nothing of it." He said, watching her leave the room. After she left, he closed the door behind her and he started to change his clothes for the shift.
What a mess. Felix thought. I can't believe she's going to try to go through with all of this. He took off his day shirt and tossed it with disregard onto his bed. I want Isaac to be happy as much as anyone, but I can't bring myself to tell Jenna that Mia's probably not the right one for him. He paused as he slipped his right arm into the sleeve of his less casual evening shirt. No. Not so much the "right one" as we know next to nothing about her. People come in here all the time wearing facades. It's difficult to separate the real being and the mirage. All we know about Mia is that she is just that. Mia. He slipped on his shirt fully now, and his overworked fingers fumbled with the worn buttons on the front. Just who is she? She seems nice enough, and she's hit off with Jenna really well… I suppose she might not be a bad person. But… there's something strange about her. I'm sure I've seen a picture of her somewhere before. He sat down on his bed, unlacing his shoes and changing his socks to a fresh pair that was no less worn than the previous.
Though, I suppose if the Mia we've seen is the real Mia, she might be a good match for Isaac. I still have my doubts, though. Isaac's never been too interested in the idea of love. He's not the type. He never has been. Even if Mia does somehow fall in love with him, I doubt very much that any gesture she could make would crack him. He's kindhearted deep down, we all know that.
But… he's become so sour… downright unpleasant at times. I know he lost his family along with the rest of us, but why is he so much more bitter than the rest of us? Even just after his parent's passing, he wasn't nearly this ill-tempered. I know he's angry about not being able to find a job, but there's more to it than that. There has to be. He slipped his shoes back on and tied them with relative ease. He rose from his bed and reached into his dresser to pull out his black over-vest and his bow tie. I don't know about him sometimes. Sometimes I think he's as much a mirage as most of the guests we get.
He slipped his vest over his head and straightened his shirt out from underneath it. Ugh. I hate dressing up like this every single night. I don't like this vest, and this tie makes me look like an idiot. He glared down at the tie which he held in his hand. He wanted a real necktie, but they really couldn't afford one. He was lucky even to have this bow tie… it was left by a customer several months before who never since returned. Felix felt kind of guilty for wearing it when it wasn't really his, but if he wanted to look at least somewhat professional, he'd have to.
As he fumbled with the tie, he continued to let his mind wander. I hate doing this every night. Going down there, encouraging people to drink just so we can make a living. I hate seeing people drown their sorrows in alcohol. It accomplishes nothing. All it does is make them all the blunter. It makes them bitter, harsh, and often unreasonable. The drunken stupors that they put themselves in does nothing but add more illusion to the façade so many of our customers like to cultivate. No one's honest with anyone else anymore. Hell, no one's honest to themselves, either. Always they lie to themselves, never taking responsibility for their actions.
"Why is that?" Felix whispered. "I don't understand."
Perhaps they haven't realized just how much they lie to themselves. Society has probably conditioned them not to realize their own faults. Blame someone else, they say. It's easier than taking what you have coming. The rich do it, the poor do it, the fortunate do it, the downtrodden do it, the women do it, the men do it, the mayor does it, and even I do it. But… why?
"Why?" Felix said, leaving his bow tie only half tied around his neck. "Why do I do it?"
Why do I keep doing this to people? I sell them this… mind poison. I cultivate this blame shifting. I give people the means to escape their responsibilities. I let people delude themselves into a trance of inebriation where they lose all touch with reality. A trance which is too addictive to escape. I'm no better than any of our mirages. In fact, I'm worse. I'm the one who forges these falsehoods. I push those toxins on them with nary a second thought. What kind of man am I?
He looked into his own eyes in the small mirror in front of him. They were welling with tears, but the reflection looking back at him was harsh and unrelenting. The brown eyes in the mirror pierced him through like a bullet. The mirror Felix looked at him, interrogated him, bereted him, scolded him like a child.
Why do I lie to myself?
"I don't know."
Why do I lie to others?
"I don't know."
Why don't I change?
"I cannot."
Why do I hurt people? Why do I force them into a state where they cannot tell the truth themselves? Why do I poison them?
"I… have to protect my family. I have to keep them sheltered!"
Why can't I find a better way?
"There is no better way. I cannot make money any other way."
Of course there is a better way. I'm only deluding myself.
"But what is it?"
Truth.
"Truth?" He paused, turned away from the mirror. Though he understood what truth in relation to morality was, the very definition of true truth escaped him. He stood back, pondering, taking it all in, carefully thinking in his mind. All of his conscious thought was in absolute chaos.
He blinked, and looked back at the mirror. He saw himself there, confused, lost, and vulnerable. There was no anger anymore. The Venus Adept fingered for his tie once again. His knot was almost finished, but before he made the final tug, he undid it and slipped the tie back in its proper drawer. With a sigh, he removed the black vest, and put that away as well. Straightening his hair, he looked once more into the reflective glass. Felix stared back at himself for another good minute before he finally sighed, and left his room.
"Ah, there you are Felix. What took you so long?" Jenna asked, seeing her brother emerge from the stairwell at long last. She looked at him carefully, noticing his dress shirt was wrinkled as though he had already tried to put his usual vest on, but then later removed it. "Where's your vest, Felix?"
"I didn't feel like wearing it tonight." He replied, with a simple shrug.
"Okay. Fair enough then." She said, finishing cleaning the last of the mugs. They were ready for opening more than half an hour in advance, thanks mostly to Garet helping Jenna clean up after he got home early from his successful job hunt.
Felix looked around the main bar room. Everything was still in place. Jenna was behind the counter, and Garet sat on a barstool in front of her, his nose buried in the morning's Tolbi Sun newspaper. Ivan had his head down, dozing on one of the tables their guests would be sitting at later that night. Felix wagered that the young Jupiter Adept had spent all day looking for a job, and was tired from all of his walking. Sheba sat across the table from Ivan, her paper and pencil in front of her, quietly scribbling away on whatever project she decided to pick up that day. Isaac, of course, was at his piano, looking over and silently reading his music in his head. Felix didn't even know why the piano man bothered to even look at his sheet music anymore. He knew almost all of it by heart, and he even had an ear for improvising his own music if the need arose.
In fact, Isaac himself didn't know why he bothered either. It was all the same to him. He knew every last sheet down to the time, the octave, the note, and the beat. Sometimes he didn't remember the piece completely, but then again, he had played so many different songs during the course of his life, sometimes they ran together, especially on nights like tonight. The piano man's mind blurred with the events of the day. A few employers he looked at did not gracefully turn him down. In more than one place, he was belittled and mocked openly for being so quiet. He refused them a reaction in person, but his blood was hot stew in his veins. If he had no fear of the repercussions, the Venus Adept would've probably slugged his interviewers.
The worst denial he received came at the hands of a Calvin Steel representative. Isaac's physical size was demeaned, and he was branded with a child's build and was mocked by not only his interviewer, but by his assistant and a pair of employees as well. Isaac never fancied working in a steel mill, but if they were hiring, he couldn't afford to be picky. Still, he wished he could've received a more polite dismissal. Needless to say, Isaac had a distinct distaste for the Calvin Steel Company now. A dislike that would probably never be done away with.
He sighed as he set down his music. He wanted another cup of tea, but he also didn't want to trouble Jenna for it. He had already been rude enough when he got home. He felt the need to apologize, but he preferred waiting until everyone who would tease him about it were gone. He rose from his seat and walked over to the counter, content with getting a cup of water to quench his thirst.
As he turned his back, he failed to notice the sly nod that Jenna gave to her fiancée. Garet folded up the newspaper and set it on the counter and took a deep breath.
"Now, I know you all have had busy days today." Garet announced, his voice clear, but not loud. "Jenna and I have something important to share."
Sheba's eyes immediately darted up, but her head did not. Here comes the hurricane. She thought, turning her eyes back to her work while prodding Ivan's ankle with her foot to rouse him from his light sleep. The purple eyed Adept awoke groggily, and gave off a quiet yawn before Jenna continued.
"Yes. It's something of a big announcement."
"It'll probably change how we live here somewhat."
"What?" Felix asked.
Isaac looked over to Garet and Jenna. Something big was coming up. What could it be? Why were they making the announcement together? They were already engaged…
"What are you guys talking about?" Ivan asked.
"The change?" Jenna responded.
"Well? Is it good news?" Felix asked.
"It certainly is." His sister replied.
"Very good news." Garet piped in.
Felix's face visibly paled, and twisted into a stunned shock. Ivan's eyes grew wide. Isaac merely turned all the more inquisitive.
"It's a big deal. Quite a major change coming up." Garet nodded.
"Is it what I think… it is?" Felix stuttered, his face whiter than a fresh snowdrift.
"Yes, it's a major addition to…" Jenna replied, but she was quickly cut off by a collective cry.
"What!" Felix, Ivan, and even Isaac said simultaneously.
"You've gotta be kidding!" Ivan said, dumbfounded.
"Good thing you two are already engaged." Felix stated, resting an arm against a nearby wall.
Isaac said nothing further, but he was floored. Boy, this certainly came out of left field. Who would've guessed it?
"So you're telling me I'm going to be…" Felix started.
"The proud recipient of Garet's new paycheck? Yes." Jenna smiled. Immediately, Isaac, Ivan, and especially Felix looked completely dumbfounded. "Garet got hired as a postman today! He's got a new job!"
"Whoa. Wait, back up here. An addition?" Felix scratched his head.
"You didn't let me finish my sentence, you chowder head. I was going to say 'it's a major addition to our financial budget.' Damn, what were you guys thinking we were talking about?" She replied, folding her arms.
Garet couldn't contain himself any longer. He immediately burst out laughing, slapping his leg. His face quickly turned red, and he rolled off his barstool. He banged the ground with his fist, trying to curb his fit of laughter. By this point Jenna had joined in as well, her laugh and his overtaking the bar. Sheba wasn't long later, because she knew the whole thing was a ruse from the beginning. It was true, the looks on the faces of the boys were priceless. Once Ivan got over his confusion, he started laughing as well.
Isaac cracked a sly smile from his position at the piano. Garet and Jenna hadn't changed at all. They loved pulling this kind of stuff even when they were young children, and to tell the truth, Isaac still found it amusing. Though he didn't burst out laughing like almost everyone else, the moment was enough to bring a little joy to him for a time. Though he didn't change his posture or composure, he still smiled slightly, knowing that no one in the bar was going to notice it anyway.
Felix, on the other hand, looked completely dumbstruck, like he had been blindsided by a battleship. Some color returned to his face, but he looked on to Garet and Jenna with a sort of brotherly anger and love at the same time.
"That was rich!" Garet gasped, trying to catch his breath. "Felix, you should've seen your face! It was a riot!"
"Yes, I suppose it was." He said, walking over to where his future brother-in-law lay on the ground. "But that was a horrible thing to do." The Venus Adept chuckled, turning to his sister. "Just remember, my dear sibling… the payback is always worse."
"Yeah, right." Jenna laughed. "I'll remember that."
"So, Garet's got a new job as a postal worker then?" Ivan stated. "Sounds decently safe. Though it's probably going to be murder on your feet, Garet."
"Yeah, I know." He said, sitting up. "But it'll be worth it, even if it's just a small amount of pay. It'll go a long way to making sure everything will be okay here."
"It will." Felix smiled. "It'll make a big difference. For now, let's celebrate Garet's success. Jenna, do we still have any of that root beer left? You know, the stuff that was delivered here by mistake?"
"I think so." She said. Disappearing under the counter, she rummaged around looking for anything that resembled the non-alcoholic beverage Felix mentioned. She finally emerged, pulling a small box out with her. There were six brown bottles in the box, all of them capped and still fresh. "Yes. This is the last of it, though."
"I thought as much. We should probably order some more of that now that we can afford a little treat now and then." Her brother replied, giving a sly congratulatory wink to Garet. The big Mars Adept smiled, slightly embarrassed, but did not make a worded reply. "Now then, chill those drinks quickly, Jenna. I think we can delay opening just a little tonight. Isaac!"
The Venus Adept turned to Felix like a clockwork man.
"You know what to do."
A nod came from Isaac, and with a crack of his fingers, he did what he did best.
The late night hours drew upon them too quickly as they closed up shop for the night. The customer load was surprisingly light that evening, with only the regulars showing up for their traditional drinks. Ivan and Sheba had long since gone to bed, and Isaac was the next one to depart. Felix, Jenna, and Garet were the only ones remaining in the bar after the closing was finished.
"That was certainly a good night." Felix said. His eyes were sagging, crying out desperately for sleep.
"You look exhausted, bro." Garet stated, looking over his friend. "I think you'd do best to go to bed. Jenna and I will do the last of the cleaning up. It shouldn't take too much longer."
"Nah. I've been here this long, I might as well help with the rest." He replied, until he caught an icy stare from his little sister. It was the kind of stare that no man could deny if they were smart. It was the type that sends a shiver of fear through even the stoutest of wills, scaring even the bravest man away. "Okay, okay. I'll go to bed." He sighed. "You two get some sleep as well. I sincerely doubt tomorrow night will be as easy as tonight was. See you in the morning, and congratulations again, Garet." The Venus Adept quickly disappeared upstairs, his shoes making soft clunking noises as he dragged his feet in fatigue.
"That was beautiful tonight. It worked better than I ever expected!" Jenna giggled, wiping down one of the tables, struggling in particular to remove some now stale beer off the top. "Felix's expression was priceless. I don't think I've ever seen him look like that before!"
Garet laughed quietly. "Yeah, it was pretty classic. Though I can't help but think we might've… gone overboard?" He scratched the back of his head absent-mindedly. "I mean, that was pretty cruel what we did to him."
"It was all for the sake of comedy. Garet, I think I even saw Isaac smile through that. "You know we've done something right when that happens."
"I suppose that's true." Garet agreed, helping Jenna clean off the final table. "Man, the guy never smiles. I can't remember the last time I saw him smile even just a little."
"It was weeks ago."
"The weeks have just been running together lately, dear." He sighed, polishing off the last little fresh stain off the tabletop. He took his rag behind the counter and tossed it in the small bin that held rags up for wash.
"I know what you mean. Time's flying and standing still all at the same time. It's like we're alive, but we're… a dream." She approached Garet, and wrapped her arms around him. "But if it is a dream, at least it's a good one."
"It certainly is." Garet replied, hugging Jenna back. "I don't know what I'd ever do without you, Jen." He felt a slight jab into his stomach from Jenna's fist.
"I told you not to call me that." She smiled up at him. Garet's face looked slightly winded, and she knew she had made her point.
"Of course." He coughed. "Though, dear… I've really never said thank you to you for always being so supportive. Sure, we may fight sometimes… but I know you're always here for me if I need your help. Thank you, Jenna." He said, kissing her on the forehead.
"You're very welcome, Garet. Naturally, though… I should say the same to you. You may be a klutz sometimes, you may be forgetful, and even hopelessly dense at others. But you've always been there too."
"Hey, does that mean I'm a knight in shining armor?"
She laughed. "Hardly shining. But you'll do just fine. I wouldn't want you to change. Ever."
"I wouldn't change you either."
"Even though I'm stubborn, overbearing, and frequently bad tempered?"
"Well…maybe we could lose the temper." He laughed, and then soundly he received another blow to the stomach. "Ooh… I felt that one."
"Good, you were meant to." She replied, with her evil smirk that Garet had come to both fear and love at the same time. She turned away, and headed for the stairs. "Come on, dear. We have to get some rest for tomorrow." Jenna took the first two steps up before she turned back around to the sound of Garet's voice.
"Do I have to sleep on the floor again for making fun of you?" He joked, bringing up one of their most infamous and absurd, fights subtly. He approached her carefully, in mock fear.
"I'll think about it." Jenna replied, the same smirk still crossing her lips. A good dream indeed.
