Chicago (GXG)

Part 6

Here I am again, sitting near the café door. No one other than grandmas and grandpas have come in or out and I'm starting to get frustrated. Is she really not going to show up? No, I can't give up yet.

I didn't even bother to look up from my drink when the bell above the door rang, signaling that someone came in. I'm too distracted in my self-loathing and hopelessness.

Then I heard her voice. I got so excited, all this waiting has finally paid its price, the only downside being that now I have to figure out how to approach her. Maybe I should sneak out and walk back in as if I wasn't here already? No, if it backfires it's going to be really embarrasing.

I decided to wait until she was sat in a booth and then went to throw my cup away near the register in a trash can. Then I "accidentally" saw her sitting there when I turned to walk out.
She made a face of recognition and I took it as a sign to go talk to her so I made my way over. Now to try to seem normal and casual.

"Hey, aren't you Joanne's friend? The bartender?" I said, acting like all this was a coinsidence. Heh.
"Oh, yes! You are the girl she introduced. Jessica, right?" She said with a smile on her face.

Her smile isn't basic or bitchy or fake. It's actually kind of shy and genuinely nice looking. It holds sincerity. Her posture is kind of sloutched, indicating that she might be bad at socializing. I wonder how she can be a bartender if she isn't outgoing?
"Yea, uhm. Can I sit or...?" I don't even know what we could talked about but here I am, taking the lead. I'm tired of waiting around and I am NOT letting this opportunity slide.

"Sure. So uh, are you a student of Joanne's?" She asked with her slighty raspy voice. Her voice is the nice kind of raspy, NOT the kind where it sounds like she needs to cough.
"Yea, Ronnie and I are in her english." I said.
"Oh, how were you in the club? How old are you?" She asked. Oh no, I forgot about this...

"Yea, I'm 19 actually..." I said and I could tell that she was about to comment on my age.
Before she could say anything I needed to come up with something quickly. "So last time I saw you here you had a kid with you, where's he?" Oh no, that was too personal. MAYDAY MAYDAY.

"Oh uhhh. Yeah. He's my son, Jonathan. You didn't mention seeing Jonathan before." She said after she chuckled a bit at my creepiness. She doesn't seem annoyed or scared, just a bit taken aback. I can still save this!

"Yes, well I don't know. Felt too personal in the middle of a work day, right? Haha..." I said. Maybe a compliment will help? "He's very cute, how old is he?" I said, proud of my save.
"He's 8. And uhh actually now that we're speaking about him, I have a weird favor to ask. I wouldn't ask you, but no one else is available..."

Now this is a jackpot!

"Go on, I'm free so I'm sure I can help." I agreed, perhaps a little too fast...
"I need someone to watch Jonathan for a bit, and I would prefer if it was at my house and nowhere else, so you would have to come there..." She looked at me kind of sheepishly, clearly a little bit embarrassed to be asking a stranger.

"Sure, I'll do it! When though?" Now I just need to score this...
"Tomorrow actually, 1 to 4, I know it's kind of short notice, but I can pay you?" She broke eye contact to look around in her purse.
"No, no. I'll be there and it'll be fun, I'll take care of him." I said and only then realized that I'd have to skip class. It's worth it though, can't say no to her big pretty eyes.

"Great, I'll write you a note with the address." She said, grabbing a napkin from the table and taking out a pen from her purse.
We chatted for a bit about what I have to do to take care of him and agreed that she would show me the ropes before leaving to where ever she was going. I have to be there an hour early to have the time for that though. Fine by me.