First Love | James Hetfield

Later, Alligator!

1984

"Hey Curly, how's it goin'?"

Mick greeted her when she entered the restaurant, striding toward the back room. "Good, I guess..." she muttered, opening her locker.

"You guess?" he raised his eyebrows, leaning against another locker.

Annie snorted. "I'm as good as I can be for someone whose dad just died." she tossed her bag into the small cubby, grabbing her apron.

Mick pursed his lips together, not sure how to respond.

"It's also my mom's birthday."

She mumbled the words quietly as she pulled the apron over her body.

Mick nodded in understanding. "That's the first time you ever mentioned your mother to me."

She shrugged. "It's kinda the first time I've mentioned her at all since I moved here."

"I'm not even sure if she knows about my dad..." she continued with a sigh, smoothing her apron down neatly. "I mean, she must... right? They had to have called her..."

She gulped, remembering the intense argument they had the night just before she left. Even now, it still effected her.

"I don't know, Curly." Mick sighed.

She chuckled softly, swallowing the lump in her throat. "How have things been with you? You're always the one looking out for me, how have you been?"

Mick nodded, a smile growing on his face. "Not too bad. Business is doing well here... we might even have enough to remodel next summer."

She watched as he scanned his eyes around the place in admiration, picturing all the things he would change during the remodel.

"That's great." she smiled, glancing at the watch on her wrist. "I'd love to sit here and talk with you all day, but my shift starts in exactly one minute."

Mick furrowed his brows as she shut her locker. "Was that first part sarcastic?" he frowned, receiving no answer as she shrugs, leaving to the main diner.

Throughout her shift, she became hyper aware of the emptiness that was table nine. Fortunately before she could think too hard on it, the bell above the door jingled, and four lanky men stumbled in, instantly bringing a smile to her face.

James beamed at her as he bounded over. "Table for four, Miss." he pecked her cheek before planting himself in the booth.

"What are you guys doing here?" Annie giggled as they filled table nine.

"What, we can't stop by to see our favorite waitresses?" Lars strolls over with Aurora attached to his side, right before she shoves him away and quickly apologizes to the table she was dragged from.

"Sorry, Lars. Mick said no more free pie, so your bribing won't work."

"Yeah, and I meant it." Mick's raspy voice chimed in as he approached the table behind Annie.

Aurora returned a moment later, standing beside Annie as she glanced at the four men sat at the table, then to her older brother. "Mick, are we doing that thing at your place again this year?" she asked, referring to the Christmas party they hosted every year. She wasn't sure if he was still up for it after last year...

"Yeah, we are. But if any fights break out, that's it, man. Last time y'all almost broke my coffee table." he gave a pointed look at James, who seemed too indulged in a scratch on the table to notice.

~

"Later, alligator!"

Annie shook her head at the cheesy line as a flurry of blond curls disappeared out the door, the bell above it signaling the guys' leave.