𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 ~ 𝗞𝗹𝗮𝘂𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗲𝘀

~ Chapter Thirty Two ~

"You know, you got some sticky fingers, boy," Buck said, noticing Klaus trying to take the keys to his pickup. It was at that moment the junkie knew he screwed up. "And crazy IBS. I mean, it's a miracle I'm sitting down-" Without warning, Buck punched Klaus across the face, making him crash into a nearby table. Luckily, the keys to the pickup were still in his hands. "Give me my damn keys!"

Klaus stood back up, glaring at the guy as he held his arms out, wanting to conjure Ben to scare them. "Showtime, Ben," He muttered. Ben's ghost came into view with blue light, and he stared at his brother, disappearing after a few seconds. "Nah, I'm good. You're so independent, go fight your own battles," Klaus was surprised by his dead brother's actions but quickly ran out the back door towards the parking lots as the Texan gang was on his trail. "I bet you are loving this!" Klaus sighed. "I'm not hating it," Ben smirked. Shit, which one?

"Get your ass back here!" Buck shouted after him. Klaus quickly rushed to a random pickup, praying to God it was the right one. To his luck, it was. "Give me back my truck, asshole!" Buck said as he reached inside to take the wheel. Klaus continued to steer, leaned forward, and dug his teeth into Buck's wrist, making him scream and let go of the wheel.

"So long, suckers!" Klaus shouted, turning onto my main road, feeling as if he was on Cloud Nine.

*******

After her performance had wrapped up and someone else took the stage, Dusk sat at the bar, feeling a bit parched. "Never usually see a woman in a bar. Mostly drunk assholes," The bartender commented as she made eye contact with him. "Can't imagine being in your shoes," she slightly chuckled and taking a shot of whiskey. "I'm Jack, nice to meet you," He extended his hand to the raven, and she gave it a slight shake. "Nice to meet you, Jack. I'm Dusk," She smiled, introducing herself to the blonde man. The two talked for a while about their upbringing and what they wanted to do with their lives.

"You were remarkable up there. You sounded a little like Ella Fitzgerald," Jack commented when they got to the topic of her singing. "She's one of my favorite jazz singers!" Dusk smiled. "No way! What's your favorite song by her?" Jack gaped. "The Lady is A Tramp. It will always be my favorite," To her surprise, Jack's favorite song was the same as hers, and the two began to sing at the bar, catching the eyes of some patrons. 

"I like the free, fresh wind in her hair. Life without care, I'm broke, it's okay. Hate California, it's cold and it's damp. That's why the lady is a tramp," They sang in tandem, breaking out in laughter soon after. "I should probably head out," Dusk said after a moment of awkward silence. "You sure you can't stay for a little while? I get off my shift in about 20 minutes," Jack questioned. "Nah, one drink is fine. I have to get back and make sure everything's alright at home," Dusk assured as she stood up, reaching into her purse to grab a dollar bill.

"It's on the house," Jack gave her a final smile before she walked out and got back into the car. She cut the headlights as she pulled up to the house, fearing that it would wake James, as his room was right above the driveway. She quietly entered and opened the fridge, taking out the milk jug and drinking from a glass. "I got James already tucked in bed," Dusk looked over to see Mary sitting on the couch, sipping from her own glass.

From a distance, it seemed like the single mother was indulging in spirits. "You alright, Mary?" Dusk questioned, sitting next to her. "It's just been hard for me, you know? Since Greg died, I've started to reconsider my life choices. I don't know if I'm cut out to be a mother anymore!" She sniffled. This had happened a few times before. Dusk would wake up in the late hours of the night, finding Mary crying and sniffling as she looked at the photos of her and her late husband.

She felt sorry for the widow, especially considering the circumstances of his death. "Listen to me, Mary. You are a great mother. I've seen you take care of James in the morning and play with us in the afternoon. Greg would be very proud to see you take care of that boy," Dusk consoled, rubbing her arm comfortingly. "You really think so?" 

Dusk nodded, giving her a reassuring smile as she set the glass down on the table and embraced her. "You're such a kind girl. I'd probably do something stupid if you weren't around," Mary muffled. "And you're a kind woman, Mary," Dusk returned the compliment as they slowly pulled apart. "But enough about me and my problems. Let's talk about you. How did it go at the mic night?" 

Dusk's cheeks turned rouge as she remembered all the eyes on her when she was performing and the conversation she had with Jack the bartender. "Ooh, seems like someone is starting to catch feelings," Mary teased. "I wouldn't say that. I think that we'd be good friends. I've had a few male friends before and they were nice," Dusk clarified. Mary raised her eyebrows at the raven, silently telling her not to play the bluff card.

"He seems like a good guy and all, but I already have feelings for someone," Mary reached over to the counter, taking a sip from her glass of red wine. Talking to Dusk helped her get away from the pain of losing her husband, and surprisingly, talking about Dusk's interactions with men didn't affect her depressive state. "So, who is this mysterious guy you like?"

Dusk took a sigh before meeting Mary's gaze. "His name is Klaus. He's funny, and let's just say he means the world to me. And I'd hate for him to get hurt," Dusk admitted. Mary pressed a hand to her chest, letting out a small aww at her words. "Well, should you ever reconnect with him, I'd love to meet him," She smiled.