Baudelaire's

Baudelaire's: Part III

  

In true professional form, Cattleya Baudelaire made sure the show went on, despite the slight hiccup of  a brawling drunk soldier.
    Claudia couldn't help but be impressed as she doctored his wound as well as continued playing  MC and gracious host to her establishment.  She kept him comfortable in a more private area of the dressing room, away from the other performers readying themselves.  She brought him more drinks, just to soothe the pain, which he paid in full.
At first, Cattleya eyed the money Claudia offered, and made no move to take it.
"No," he said, pushing the money at her, "Let's not play that game."
"What game?" she asked, tossing her hair off behind her ear and looking away.
"I know you need this." Claudia replied, "Quit acting as if you don't."
Cattleya's eyes shifted back to his face, and she delicately took the money. "I'm offering care and hospitality," she explained, "Before the war, it was in my nature to be generous, but now I have mouths to feed."
     "Oh, children?" Claudia asked, then wished he had thought better of it. He was assuming.
     "No, none of my own." she answered easily. "I'm just doing my best to keep these girls. . . and boy from brothel work."
    Claudia understood and nodded.
    "Another drink, Lt. Colonel?" she offered.
   Claudia lifted his hand to signal a halt. "No, I've had enough. Anymore and I'LL be the one getting my tail hauled out."
    Cattleya smiled prettily. "Very well." she stood and bowed, "If you'll excuse me, then, there's work to be done for closing."
    Claudia began to move, but Cattleya rested a hand on his arm. "Please stay, Lt. Colonel. There is much to discuss."
     Claudia immediately thought of the warning he made to his first lieutenant of accidentally disclosing classified information.  No, he wasn't THAT intoxicated, but then again, given Cattleya Baudelaire's gift of probable beguiling charm, Claudia knew to remain vigilant.
    The Dance of the Veil girl along with two barmaids came to the dressing room in an apparent huff.  They all three wanted to talk all at the same time.
    "Benedict decided HE should have the bigger cut of the tips!" cried the Veil girl.
    "And that is so not fair!" cried the other two in unison.
    Cattleya looked at Claudia apologetically.
"The children. . ."
     Claudia nodded again and grinned, then immediately winced from the sore jaw.
     Benedict was reared back in a chair in the now empty tavern, his legs crossed on top of the table in front of him, arms resting behind his head. In the middle of the table was the just nearly full tip jar.
     He smiled at Cattleya. "Haven't seen it this full in, well, EVER thanks to me, shaking my tail feathers."
Cattleya glared at the boy, hands on hips. The Veil girl, the two barmaids, plus two other performers followed suit, which made Benedict's smugness waiver a bit.
He straightened up in his chair. "You know it's true." he replied defiantly.
"After borrowing MY feather fans and headdress!" shouted Veil girl.
"And MY boots!" shouted the tallest of the barmaids.
"You know the policy here. The tip is split among you equally ALWAYS." said Cattleya authoritatively. "If you don't think that's fair Mr. Gorzinski, then feel free to go back to tending bar."
"Aw! Not back to the bar tending!" Benedict sulked, "I rather enjoy performing, especially in these boots." He plopped his legs up on the table again, admiring his stilettos. "And don't call me Benedict Gorzinski anymore. My new stage name is to be. . ." Benedict threw out  his arms as if mentally seeing his name big on a marquee. "Benedict Blue!!"
     He said this with such flair that the girls merely stared at him.
     "Well, that's stupid." Veil girl finally said, which made the argument erupt all over again.
     Cattleya sighed. "ALL OF YOU JUST SHUT UP!" she shouted. 
    They all looked at her.
    "Now," she continued, "We did well this evening for one reason, the Leidenschaftlich army.  We can stand to continue to make good gratuity IF we focus on good performances, IF we do good service, IF we hold to our standards.  And we can only accomplish this IF we support each other."  She turned on Benedict. "You have no more in this than anyone else, young man, so adjust your attitude before we decide to boot your little ass out on the street where there is nothing and no one to give a DAMN about you!"
    Benedict had by this time sat up in his chair properly, with hunched shoulders, careful not to look at Cattleya.
       "Now, back to business. Benedict, you are to sweep up the floors, Angelica, wipe down bar and tables, Gabriella, you're on glassware. Beth and Diana, take care of the dressing rooms. By the time you are done, I'll have the money counted and be given to you."  She plucked up the jar, and returned to the Lt. Colonel.
        "You run quite the tight ship, Ms. Baudelaire." Claudia commented, as she poured the tip jar money onto a small table and started sorting.
"I have to, Lt-"
"Just Claudia." he said.
       Cattleya made a confused face, and Claudia rolled his eyes. "I know. Odd name. Claudia Hodgins."
     "Mr. Hodgins, then." she smiled, counting coins, her fingers working quickly.
      "So, what's your story, Cattleya?"
      "Story?" she giggled lightly, "Which one, Mr. Hodgins?"
        "The one you're comfortable telling somebody who is living this war, too."
        "Hmm. Yes. That one. Well. . . My great grandfather was a riverboat man and never wanted to be too far away from it. He always wanted to keep up with the 'river talk' after he was no longer able to work on a riverboat, so he bought this crumbling building and made it into a river tavern. I grew up here. I've known nothing else."  She looked up at him, now that all the coins were stacked and divided to give to 'the children', and smiled pleasantly.
      "Mind if I ask if you are married?" Claudia ventured to ask.
      At this question, her smile faded just slightly. "When the war broke out, the man I was engaged to felt that neither army deserved his life, and he fled."
      "FLED?"
       Cattleya nodded. "Yes. Fled from Capria. Fled from me. . .but not before begging me to leave with him.  And I just nearly did."
      "But, you couldn't."
      "No. Although I must admit. . .there were times I wanted to. Capria has been struggling since the beginning, being as far north as we are."
"I'm sorry for your struggle." Claudia replied.
"I know you are, but I would like to think that now your forces have gotten a foothold, there just might be a light at the end of the dark tunnel."
Claudia wanted that to be true. The Leidenschaftlich army of the higher ranks knew the reason why they were able to take the city of Capria, but that was classified. . . and the stuff of nightmares.
"If my regiment ends up were the infantry has already been to secure the perimeters, that is a good sign. So, yes, I think there may be a tiny light at the end of that tunnel."
"Then I suppose the next stop is just north in Intense. . ." Her eyes were questioning.
"That's classified." he said.
"Of course." she replied.
But they have their secret weapon with them. Claudia wanted to confess. Gardarik might have the fortress cathedral and the numbers, but Major Baugainvillea's got. . . It.
Claudia walked out with Cattleya and the money was distributed. The girls looked at Benedict triumphantly. He merely scowled, arms folded haughtily.
The Veil girl walked passed him and smiled seductively. "Keep shaking those tail feathers, Benedict BLUE."
Benedict rolled his eyes, and refused to look at her by tipping his nose in the air.
After the girls were well out the door. Benedict stretched and yawned.
"Good night, then, Lt. Colonel." Benedict Blue said to Claudia, giving him a lazy salute then draping an arm about Cattleya's shoulders. "Let's go home, Kitty Catt."
Claudia stared at them, rather taken aback. A couple?? No, surely not, but. . .
Benedict stared at him as if to challenge, but then Cattleya shrugged him off, annoyed.
"He is a stray puppy that keeps following me home and sleeping on my couch." she explained. This made Claudia breathe easier.
"A small night cap, Lt. Colonel Hodgins?"
Claudia thought about it and grinned. "That sounds rather nice, actually."
Benedict Blue rolled his pretty sky blue eyes and sighed.