The morning of the second was no different for Louise than any other morning. She woke up early, right around eight in the morning, and slipped on her favorite green dress, tying an apron around it to protect it. On her head she rearranged her bunny ears, desperately held onto after ten long years. Then she headed downstairs to open the restaurant.
Louise had always planned to stick around Bob's Burgers, scraping by in high school, doing just enough work to graduate on time, not too worried about class ranks as long as she graduated on time. And then her senior year, her mother got sick.
The nineteen year old unlocked the front door and flipped the closed sign to open unceremoniously, then headed back behind the counter, giving her dad a kiss on the cheek through the order window.
"How's Mom doing?" she asked, picking up a piece of chalk and tapping it against her mouth as she contemplated the special of the day.
"Still kicking," Bob replied with a small grin. Louise smiled back at him, trying to make him feel better. Linda had gotten sick with pneumonia about a month ago and it had hit her hard, resulting in her having to be hospitalized. The whole family, save Gene, had come down to visit her at least once in that time.
"So do you think she's gonna be home tomorrow?" Louise asked, a hopeful look in her face. "We were gonna bring the family down, remember?"
"Maybe," Bob said a little hesitantly. "I asked but he's not sure yet. But if I know Lynn she'll fight to get better just so she can see her kids again." The two smiled softly and Louise wrote 'The Don't Go Bacon My Heart Burger' on the chalkboard.
"We have bacon, don't we?"
"Yeah!" Bob called from the back of the freezer, and Louise smirked at the chalkboard. Then she pulled out her cell phone to call Tina.
About a half an hour later, she hung up the phone, just in time for the first few customers to walk in, just before lunch.
She worked through the lunch rush, refilling coffees and taking orders, and the day passed by lazily. Late afternoon, just before the dinner hour, Louise's eyes met with someone walking in the door. Immediately she groaned loudly. "You again?!"
Logan turned in the doorway, smirking at her. "Hey Louise," he greeted.
"Are you here to ask me out again?" Louise almost growled. "Cause I am not afraid to break your nose. Again."
"Hey, today I'm just here for food!" Logan claimed, taking a seat at the counter right in front of Louise. She sighed heavily.
The first time Logan Berry Bush had come into the restaurant for Louise, he was holding a bouquet of flowers. He was wearing a nice button-down shirt and slacks, and asked, impossibly politely, for her to go on a date with him. The whole restaurant awwwwed and cooed, but instead, he had left with a nose full of pollen and a crushed bouquet. No accepted offer.
The second time he asked was less dramatic. He met her after her shift ended for the day, catching her walking between the doorways of her restaurant and her house. He apologized, but asked again. That time, Louise swung her fists and ended up breaking the poor guy's nose.
That had not been the last time he'd asked, however, and Louise was starting to tire of beating him up every time he thought he was being cute by pursuing her.
"So what do you want?" Louise asked him, leaning over the counter just enough to stare him down.
"Gimme a special. And-" he paused, giving her a devilish grin, "-your phone number."
Louise sighed heavily, slowly drawing back her fist as if it caused her great pain, then snapped it forward, leaving the poor kid bleeding.
Again.