Usually once a month, we took Deliveries on Monday mornings to replenish from the Weekend. I already had the deposit from the bank ready to go, just waiting on one more vendor, Phil was running late, which was not like him at all..he was more often that not the first arrival.
Daniel had come in with me, knowing it would take me forever to carry everything that needed to go down to the basement. Yes, it was our first day off, we should still be in bed, but Bar Manager had responsibilities. Pam counted on me, I never wanted to let her down.
Clipboard in hand, I'd been counting cases as they came in, everything was in order, and each driver wheeled their deliveries to the back room. At the pace we were going, if Phil showed soon, we'd be done early and still have most of the day off.
Daniel was taking extra cases to the basement, as I stocked what I could at the bar, I heard the door open and popped up, my back to the door "Phil, holy hell, you okay? You're running really late today?" teasing him I turned with a grin. The face became devoid of all color, the grin falling as quickly as I began to tremble, the hair on the back of my neck standing up. "What are YOU doing here? Where's Phil? Why are YOU here?" my voice raising an octive with each question, backing up as far as I could, up against the register and coolers. Taking a deep breath I reached to the small of my back to grab my Glock, and then recalled that it was in it's lockbox, Daniel was with me, I didn't need to carry to accept deliveries, not with him here.
{Greg} "Violet, what a pleasant surprise! I didn't know you were still working here..I have a whiskey and rum delivery here for you, sorry about the delay, I haven't been on this route very long." He stood there smiling, as though we were old chums.
"Where is Phil?" I bit out
{Greg} "He's out sick today, that's why I'm here." Standing there, his little air of impatient starting to show. "Can we get this over with, I have two more deliveries after this one."
Nodding slowly, swallowing the lump in my throat, and trying to control the trembling in my limbs. I came around the bar with my clipboard, checking down my list, "Okay, still missing 6 cases.."
{Greg}"Yeah still need to run back out to the truck.. Where do you want these?" gesturing to the cases on the two wheeled cart.
Pointing to the back "There's a back room, straight back to the right, past the VIP area, just leave them there, we'll take care of them from there." Nodding he walked past me, he had the light scent of copper on him, that's when I noticed that his rolled shirt sleeve on his left arm was coming undone. There were red stains, that I knew to be blood. Gods knows after all these years, I knew the scent of blood. Kicking myself again for not carrying, I had a sinking feeling that Phil wasn't sick. Clearing my throat " Um.. Greg? Where did you say Phil was today?"
{Greg} "He had the day off today." that fake ass smile of his sliding into place.
As he wheeled the cases back into the back room, Daniel, thank heavens had come back up. I knew he probably could sense I was scared as hell, I knew he had to smell the blood on Greg as well. {Daniel} "Vi, you okay Baby?" I nodded stiffly, though I was still struggling to compose myself. Daniel turned to Greg "Where's Phil?" His voice low and angry, wondering what the hell was going on, knowing that I was scared, he wanted to take him out.
{Greg} "Family emergency, just helping with the deliveries today man." He extended his hand out to Daniel "Name's Greg, actually I'll be in town and NOLA for a little while." Winking with a grin "Violet and I are old friends." Daniel didn't shake his hand, I knew he was gathering every scent he could off Greg, and the snarl that crossed his face, I knew he'd gathered some information. {Daniel} "Been sick, sorry, let me help you get the last of the cases, so you can be on your way." Rage crossed Daniel's face, his cheeks flushed, slightly shaking, he strode out the door ahead of Greg.
I sat down on the floor, hiding for a few moments behind the bar. Trying to slow my breathing, try to gain all the rest of my composure and not freak out. I heard Daniel's light steps ahead of the cart, standing back up, I checked off my list. Delivery was complete. Daniel stopped at the side of the bar, Greg following him, handing over a clipboard to me {Greg} "Just need your signature, and I'll be on my way." Snatching it up, I scribbled across the bottom of the slip, ripping my copy out. My white copy had a red smudge next to Phil's name, it crossed out and replaced with Greg's handwritten name. Handing it back over to Greg, I spoke with curt biting voice "Thanks for the delivery, have a good day."
I turned to Daniel who still stood by the side of the bar "You going to be ready to go soon love?" Daniel nodded stiffly {Daniel} "None of these need to go downstairs, let me throw them in the back, and we can go."
{Greg} "So Violet, do you think maybe we could grab a drink or go out for a bite sometime? Catch up, it's been a while hasn't it?"
I heard Daniel throwing cases in the back, and the sound of some glass breaking. Making sure my voice would carry "It hasn't been long enough for me! Hell NO, there will be no drinks or food, ever! I'd rather you not be on this delivery route either, I'll be calling the vendor to ensure that won't happen!" Shaking with anger,as it started to peak out, long ago buried. "I'm in a very healthy, happy, loving relationship,anyways!"
{Greg} His tone low and very deadly "You might want to change your mind, Vi" {Daniel} tossed the cart to him "GET OUT!" The trickle of power sliding over my skin, raising every hair. {Greg} "I will be back, think about changing your mind."
He walked out the door, as Daniel gathered me within his arms. Trembling, not knowing where to start what to say, my mind was jumbled with all the assulting memories I'd hoped to never see again. Daniel just held me, his shaking rage slowly coming back down, as he calmed me.
We spoke at the same time "We need to talk...."
Daniel had come in with me, knowing it would take me forever to carry everything that needed to go down to the basement. Yes, it was our first day off, we should still be in bed, but Bar Manager had responsibilities. Pam counted on me, I never wanted to let her down.
Clipboard in hand, I'd been counting cases as they came in, everything was in order, and each driver wheeled their deliveries to the back room. At the pace we were going, if Phil showed soon, we'd be done early and still have most of the day off.
Daniel was taking extra cases to the basement, as I stocked what I could at the bar, I heard the door open and popped up, my back to the door "Phil, holy hell, you okay? You're running really late today?" teasing him I turned with a grin. The face became devoid of all color, the grin falling as quickly as I began to tremble, the hair on the back of my neck standing up. "What are YOU doing here? Where's Phil? Why are YOU here?" my voice raising an octive with each question, backing up as far as I could, up against the register and coolers. Taking a deep breath I reached to the small of my back to grab my Glock, and then recalled that it was in it's lockbox, Daniel was with me, I didn't need to carry to accept deliveries, not with him here.
{Greg} "Violet, what a pleasant surprise! I didn't know you were still working here..I have a whiskey and rum delivery here for you, sorry about the delay, I haven't been on this route very long." He stood there smiling, as though we were old chums.
"Where is Phil?" I bit out
{Greg} "He's out sick today, that's why I'm here." Standing there, his little air of impatient starting to show. "Can we get this over with, I have two more deliveries after this one."
Nodding slowly, swallowing the lump in my throat, and trying to control the trembling in my limbs. I came around the bar with my clipboard, checking down my list, "Okay, still missing 6 cases.."
{Greg}"Yeah still need to run back out to the truck.. Where do you want these?" gesturing to the cases on the two wheeled cart.
Pointing to the back "There's a back room, straight back to the right, past the VIP area, just leave them there, we'll take care of them from there." Nodding he walked past me, he had the light scent of copper on him, that's when I noticed that his rolled shirt sleeve on his left arm was coming undone. There were red stains, that I knew to be blood. Gods knows after all these years, I knew the scent of blood. Kicking myself again for not carrying, I had a sinking feeling that Phil wasn't sick. Clearing my throat " Um.. Greg? Where did you say Phil was today?"
{Greg} "He had the day off today." that fake ass smile of his sliding into place.
As he wheeled the cases back into the back room, Daniel, thank heavens had come back up. I knew he probably could sense I was scared as hell, I knew he had to smell the blood on Greg as well. {Daniel} "Vi, you okay Baby?" I nodded stiffly, though I was still struggling to compose myself. Daniel turned to Greg "Where's Phil?" His voice low and angry, wondering what the hell was going on, knowing that I was scared, he wanted to take him out.
{Greg} "Family emergency, just helping with the deliveries today man." He extended his hand out to Daniel "Name's Greg, actually I'll be in town and NOLA for a little while." Winking with a grin "Violet and I are old friends." Daniel didn't shake his hand, I knew he was gathering every scent he could off Greg, and the snarl that crossed his face, I knew he'd gathered some information. {Daniel} "Been sick, sorry, let me help you get the last of the cases, so you can be on your way." Rage crossed Daniel's face, his cheeks flushed, slightly shaking, he strode out the door ahead of Greg.
I sat down on the floor, hiding for a few moments behind the bar. Trying to slow my breathing, try to gain all the rest of my composure and not freak out. I heard Daniel's light steps ahead of the cart, standing back up, I checked off my list. Delivery was complete. Daniel stopped at the side of the bar, Greg following him, handing over a clipboard to me {Greg} "Just need your signature, and I'll be on my way." Snatching it up, I scribbled across the bottom of the slip, ripping my copy out. My white copy had a red smudge next to Phil's name, it crossed out and replaced with Greg's handwritten name. Handing it back over to Greg, I spoke with curt biting voice "Thanks for the delivery, have a good day."
I turned to Daniel who still stood by the side of the bar "You going to be ready to go soon love?" Daniel nodded stiffly {Daniel} "None of these need to go downstairs, let me throw them in the back, and we can go."
{Greg} "So Violet, do you think maybe we could grab a drink or go out for a bite sometime? Catch up, it's been a while hasn't it?"
I heard Daniel throwing cases in the back, and the sound of some glass breaking. Making sure my voice would carry "It hasn't been long enough for me! Hell NO, there will be no drinks or food, ever! I'd rather you not be on this delivery route either, I'll be calling the vendor to ensure that won't happen!" Shaking with anger,as it started to peak out, long ago buried. "I'm in a very healthy, happy, loving relationship,anyways!"
{Greg} His tone low and very deadly "You might want to change your mind, Vi" {Daniel} tossed the cart to him "GET OUT!" The trickle of power sliding over my skin, raising every hair. {Greg} "I will be back, think about changing your mind."
He walked out the door, as Daniel gathered me within his arms. Trembling, not knowing where to start what to say, my mind was jumbled with all the assulting memories I'd hoped to never see again. Daniel just held me, his shaking rage slowly coming back down, as he calmed me.
We spoke at the same time "We need to talk...."
