Mi Tesoro: My treasure

Chapter 1

The bell at the tavern jingles and I jolt up looking around. It's still dark in my room, the tavern is quiet along with the soft snoring of my flatmate, Inez. I had imagined it. "I've been working too hard" I think as I swing my legs over to the side of the bed and sit up, quietly yawning and throwing my hair into a messy ponytail with the string on my bedside table. I put on my slippers and make my way towards the door just as the roosters begin to cry out and the dawn light pours in through the curtains. It was a rough night so I let Inez sleep in a bit longer, closing them on my way out of the room. I head downstairs to prepare the tavern for the day.

    Just as I'm finishing up, polishing the glasses behind the bar Inez runs downstairs a mess, apologizing profusely for waking up so late. "Please, I can close tonight and you can head in early please just don't tell Señor Carreño, por favor, I can't lose this job!" She looks close to the brink of tears. No makeup, hair a mess and yet she's still one of the prettiest women in this town. "Of course not, Cálmate, I woke up early to do all this and let you sleep in. Go! vamos! Get ready". I give her a giggle and shoo her away. She sends back a smile sweet enough to put me in a sugar coma, thanks me again, and skitters away. I finish up and open the tavern door letting in the warm summer air.

I flip the closed sign to open and stand on the tavern steps watching the boats load up for exportation, the breeze blowing my curls past my face. The ocean twinkles in the early morning light as Inez, now all ready for the day, comes downstairs, the triplets Alejandro, Antonio, Andres follow close behind still fitting on their aprons and boots. Inez begins to open all the curtains and drape them all fancy-like while the twins get started on the grill. I look back towards the loading dock and see him, Señor Carreño, strolling up towards the tavern. He owns the place but doesn't sleep here, he simply just makes too much money and has a family. I run back inside to the bar and pretend to polish the glasses I've already done. Inez looks at me confused and then through the window before rushing to finish curtains. They look prettier when she takes her time.

I slow down to watch her, taking my attention off the glasses and towards those pretty tits of her bouncing as she jumps up to reach something on the shel- "Julietta!" I jolted up, now staring at the tall, fair man in front of me. His breath smells of tobacco and alcohol. Inez looks over at me concerned and I turn away to put the glass back on the shelf. "Good morning Señor Carreño! I was just finishing up the last glass." I nervously laugh off as he walks away grunting. Inez lets out a little giggle I only I could hear and I shoot her a dirty look making her stick her tongue out at me.

The smell of bread and eggs fill the tavern as I run upstairs to touch up my hair and makeup. Adjusting my corset a little tighter, ultimately tying a hip scarf over my waist in a desperate attempt to fully cover the extra tummy sticking out. I fix my boobs, making them pop out of my blouse more and look at myself in the mirror. I let out a disappointed sigh and walked out of my room with a big smile on my face. I can hear the people already filling the tavern. "Who's Hungry?" I call out as I come down the stairs to many cheers around the room. Inez, who looked like she was already going to explode, looked up at me to smile and then back down to take the man's order. I grab a list of orders from her to hand off to the brothers and carry back plates of hot food to different tables around the tavern.

After breakfast I sat behind the bar pouring drinks and flirting with the sailors for extra tipsy w.  Ww. Inez had been serving to the remaining few tables and I was in a deep conversation with this one sailor rambling about a pirate boat he had encountered overseas. Pirates always scared the shit out of me but at the same time interested me more than anything. Over the rumble of the tavern I could hear an argument getting a little heated and looked past the man I was talking to. Inez is frantically trying to calm down a drunk man demanding to sleep with her. She doesn't do those kinds of services, I heard her attempt to recommend me instead or the town brothel but wasn't he a persistent one. I apologized to the kind sailor and told him I would return before signaling the triplets and heading towards the table. I put on a sweet smile "Hi there, what seems to be the problem~" I lean over pressing my boobs against his chest and try not gag from his breath. "I- well- uh-" He stutters, turning bright red. "You see my friend here doesn't really do all that but I can get you... serviced." I drag my hand down his face, twisting my finger in his beard.

He snaps out of whatever trance he's in remembering his original goal and pushing me off of him. I fake a gasp and roll my eyes, crossing my arms. "I said I didn't want a walrus of a woman!" He stumbles out of his seat and grabs Inez's wrist hard enough for her to yelp. "Let her go." I grab her arm with my left hand and step in front of her, shielding her the best I can. He begins slurring some nonsense before the word "Mulatto" slips out. Inez tries to reach for my shoulder with her free hand but it's too late. I punch the drunk square in his nose and kick my boot as hard as I can right between his legs. He screams like the little bitch he is and falls to his knees. "You fucking wench! You aren't worth the shit under my boot!" I go to kick him in the face for good measure but Inez grabs me and pulls me back. The tripletes attend to the drunk, now laying out on the floor, pick him up and toss him out of the tavern, leaving him on the side of the street.

I shrug off Inez turning around to check out her wrist. "It's just a little red, doesn't hurt that much.." Go ice it for a bit, I'll take over, it's not too busy. So she did and I went back to my conversation pouring the occasional beer for new customers.