8:30. The Blue Orchid was in full swing tonight. Jenni walked in, dressed in a blue and purple dress. Her outfit covered by her coat. "Jenni!" Marley waved her hand ecstatically by the bar. She wore a long red and orange flamed dress. Jenni grinned as she walked over to her friend. The two were led to a table near the back of the smokey wooden restaurant. Jenni placed her coat next to her in the booth. Jenni was smiling brightly tonight. "You look beautiful tonight."
"Thanks. So do you. So, how did it go at Lackadaisy?" Jenni asked, positively suspicious. "Great! I got a job as a waitress." Marley responded. "You seem chippier than usual tonight. Anything happen today?" Jenni asked, eying her friend curiously. "I met someone I really like." Marley said, clasping her hands together, "I think he likes me, and I think I like him." Jenni sighed, "Marley, sweetie. I love you as my sister and my closest friend, but you know how I feel about personal attachments." Marley frowned, "Yeah, I know."
Jenni frowned back but gave her friend a small smile "Maybe this will cheer you up; I got a job at Marigold." "Oh yeah?" Marley said unenthusiastically. "As a protégé." Jenni added crossly. Marley eyed her friend with confusion, "A protégé? For whom?" "Some tuxedo cat named Mordecai Heller. What a stiff." Jenni said with a scoff. "Is he handsome?" Marley asked. Jenni face palmed herself, "Why is it that every time I tell you about a guy I work with, you always ask me if he's handsome?"
"I mean...is he?" Marley smiled nervously. Jenni sighed and closed her eyes, "I've definitely seen worse. He is...elegant...in a stiff and unfeeling way. It's creepy. He won't stop following me around. He's always trying to pry into my business. And the Savoys siblings are no help. The most unprofessional ones I've dealt with. And there's this large cat named Wes Clyde and his partner Fish." "One of your buddies' names is Fish?" Marley said, trying to stifle a smile. "It's a stage name. Possibly an alias." Jenni replied,
"He's the only one who seems to trust me." "Tell me more about Heller Feller." Marley grinned cunningly. "I don't know much about him other than he's Sweet's second in command and my mentor." "So, you'll be spending lots of time with this guy, huh?" "Unfortunately. Hopefully not for long. With his supervision, I'm afraid this job will take longer than expected." A male cheetah with spikey white hair and bright blue eyes came up to the women, "Hey girls." "Kassian." Jenni nodded, "Hey Cuz." Marley smiled.
"So, how have you two been?" Kassian asked. "Not so great." Jenni began, "I got the job at Marigold but there's a small catch." "Uh Oh." Kassian said, "What happened?" "Jenni's got a stalker." Marley muttered. "I don't have a stalker. He's my mentor." Jenni hissed. Kassian raised an eyebrow, "Who?" "Mordecai Heller of Marigold." Jenni muttered. Kassian's eyes widened and he gasped, "No. Not him." Jenni straightened up, "You know him?" "No. But I've waited on some Marigold guys who spoke of him.
Be careful with that one Jen, guy's no joke. He's Sweet's right-hand man. He'll kill you just by being asymmetrical." "What a weirdo." Marley said. "Well, symmetry is nothing to smirk at but I wouldn't kill anyone over it." Jenni began. "That's just what I heard." Kassian said, "Anyway, I have to get back to work. You guys want something to eat or anything?" "How's the lobster?" Marley asked. "It's served with Jalapeno sauce." Kassian grinned. Marley licked her lips but Jenni had a look off disgust on her face.
"Just when I thought they couldn't make seafood more repulsing. I'll just have a slice of cheesecake." "No problem. See you girls." Kassian walked towards the kitchen. "Cheesecake for dinner?" Marley said. "I'm not that hungry. I had a large lunch. Mr. Sweet got us pizzas." Jenni replied, "He's awfully nice for a mobster." "Pizza? Nice Boss? Handsome mentor? You're living it up sister!" Marley said, excitedly, "I'm jealous." "You're not doing well at Lackadaisy?" "Oh yeah. Everyone's super chill, except for the bartender, Victor. Scary guy."
"Is anyone suspicious of you?" "No. I don't think so. We're pretty cool for the most part. Don't really do much of anything. Sad, really" "How are the customers?" "At an all-time low. You should come over and check it out." Jenni glanced over at the front door, "No. No I can't. Thanks for the offer though." "What? Why not?"" Marley asked. "I don't want anyone to think I'm working with them." Jenni answered. "Just for 5 minutes?" "No. Not even for 5 seconds." "Please?" "No." "Pretty please?" "No." "Aww, come on?" "No."
"Who's going to know? That Heller guy?" "It's possible." Marley crossed her arms and smiled at her black-footed friend. Jenni looked at her watch. 9:00pm. She glanced at the front door. "You got a date or something?" Marley asked. "I'm just making sure no one from work is coming. I left a note for my mentor that I was going out with a friend tonight." Jenni explained. "Wow, this guy's got you worked up." Marley smirked. "Yeah, no kidding. I just have to get on his good side." Jenni rubbed her arm, anxiously.
"By the way Kass was talking about him, I don't think he has one." Marley shook her head, "Remember, Heller's Mr. Sweet's head guy. Sounds like wherever Mr. Sweet is, Mr. Heller won't be too far behind." Jenni turned her head slowly towards the window, "Then I'll have to take him out first." "What about your other colleagues?" Marley asked, quietly. "They won't be an issue. The Savoys are too dumb. Fish is too nice. And Clyde's too obsessed with his himself to notice anything. Trust me.
When I'm done with Marigold, Mr. Asa Sweet will be pushing daisies...and anyone who stands in my way." "Oh, Jenni. Always with the drama." Marley said.
