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"YOU ARE aware that your shifts over, right?" A voice spoke up from behind Grace startling her slightly, whipping her head around to the culprit. One of her fellows workers and slowly growing friend, Rachel, said with furrowed eyebrows. Grace laughed gently, collecting the bottles from the bar counter and setting them on the tray in her hands.
"Yes, but it wouldn't be right to leave this mess for you or anyone else to take care of." Grace said while walking around the counter towards the kitchen, Rachel following in pursuit.
"Sweetheart," Rachel began while helping out Grace by taking the bear bottles and disposing them, "you'd be doing us all a favor by getting your rest. You've been here since four in the morning."
"Thanks, Rachel." Grace said gratefully and willingly let Rachel take the tray from her hands. "I'll see you tomorrow night, okay."
"See ya." Rachel said while waving at Grace, her doing the same as she made her way out of the kitchen while untying her apron and setting it on the hanger. Grace walked amongst the tables until she was outside of the airy and dimly lit bar.
The sun hit her exposed legs, long sleeved flannel covering her frame and already heating up. She was walked down the wooden stairs, her brown timberlands echoing underneath her feet. The music from inside drifted away from her ears as she made her way down the staircase, until it completely receded from her ears.
As she was at ground level of the parking lot, she made her way towards her bike which was resting on its stand. Kicking the stand back, she carefully swung her leg over her bike before pushing off the ground. Her feet found the petals with ease and she began to slowly cycle onto the street and down her now normal route.
Although she hasn't even given it a second look before, her eyes were glued to the marina she was vastly approaching. Only yesterday had she met the most outrageous yet incredibly handsome man, Frank. She shouldn't have even given him a second thought because of the way he treated her, but she couldn't help it for some reason. Maybe it was the way they seemed to contradict each other, or maybe it was just because of his looks. Who knew, because she certainly didn't.
Her thoughts seemed to have put her out of touch with reality because she soon found herself already approaching the cluster of small houses. She had moved into the neighborhood, of sorts, almost a month ago and already felt at home thanks to the likelihood of Roberta, her landlady.
The dark skinned woman not only eased Grace into her new home but had even went out of her way to make sure everything was going well. Roberta even volunteered to watch Sunny while Grace was out during a shift which she was extremely thankful for. Today was one of those days.
