Blood and Silver (On Going)

Chapter 6 ~ Aisha

The next several days melted together, the hours passing in a haze of habit and anxiety. Levi stayed a ghost, whirling in and out of the house devoid of even a word. He was always late, his eyes clouded and far-off when I did see him at the bar standing watch at the door. Mom and Dad observed the shift; the house seemed empty, and the once-warm and vibrant dynamic between us was reduced to stressed silence and avoidance. What had once felt indestructible, now felt weak and alien.

"Aisha, after your shift, do you need me to pick you up?" Mom drove up to the curb outside the bar, her voice cautious and worried. The entrance of the bar seemed more intimidating than normal as the headlights sent lengthy beams into the deepening gloom.

"No, I'll find a ride home," I said, trying to smile as I got out of the car. The evening breeze bit into my flesh, and I wrapped my arms around myself.

Mom leaned toward the window, her eyes searching mine, trying to find the daughter who used to be so easy to read. "You realize you can call either your Dad or me, right?"

I nodded, the smile withere as it failed to reach my eyes. "I am aware, thank you for the ride." I closed the passenger door, the soft thud felt heavier than it should, and I turend toward the bar; the neon sign that said 'Jaded Fox' was softly buzzing above the door.

I passed by our other bouncer, Sam, who nodded at me as I walked in. Though he was smaller than Levi but reliable, he was more laid back and dependable at work. "Hey, Aisha," he said, his smile somewhat more brilliant than I felt capable of returning.

I forced a smile. "Hey, Sam," I say pushing open the door then started inside. The familiar din of the bar struck me, the conversation, the clink of glasses, and the background hum of music. Though all the same, everything felt different.

I took a deep breath and stepped behind the counter, my eyes automatically flicking to the entrance where Levi should have been standing but wasn't. Without him, the room felt smaller, and the weight of that emptiness pressed down on me, reminding me just how far apart we had drifted.

The bar seemed to be running fast-forward, with customers entering and leaving with barely a pause. Every few minutes, my eyes veered to the door in search of Levi, but he never materialized. My mind ran in circles over the gnawing concern about where he was, or who he might be with.

"Excuse me, miss?" A soft voice drew me from my thoughts. I turned to find a young man seated at the counter, his hair a tousled shade of dirty blond and his eyes a warm, striking brown that appeared to hold a story. He looked immaculate, wearing a black suit with a dark gray jacket; the top two buttons on his shirt were undone, exposing his collarbones and a slothful of his chest.

"Yes, what can I get for you?" I asked, leaning slightly against the counter, attempting to ignore the lingering thoughts about Levi.

The man tilted his head slightly and wore a charming smile. "I'll take an Old Fashioned," he said, the demand flowing naturally with a laid-back grace.

I returned the smile, feeling a flicker of relief that someone was pulling me out of my head. The motions were familiar and steadied, I grabbed the ingredients and started to prepare the drink. "Is this your first trip here?" I asked, adding a big cube of ice to the glass and gently swirling the concoction.

His eyes tracked my hands, a careful look crossing his face before he locked his eyes with mine. "No, but I've been gone for a few years. Just passing through now."

"Oh, where are you headed?" I asked, trying to lighten my thoughts by drawing him into a bit of conversation.

"A couple of towns over, nothing too far," he replied with a growing smile as I placed the drink in front of him.