Rough Draft

Somewhere in My Broken Heart

Tina's hand twitched as she flipped the burger, making it land awkwardly on its side and roll towards her on the grill; spitting hot grease the whole way.

"Ow, ow." She snapped, slapping the thing back down.

"Geez, Tina." Gene leaned lazily through the serving window, his long hair pinned back to show off his undercut. "What Fry Gods did you insult today?"

"I don't know..." She whined, pulling the toasted bread from the oven and plating them, arranging the vegetables, cheese, and mystery ingredient Rudy had picked out. Pickled beets, surprisingly good with Havarti and pepper jack. "I think maybe it's just nerves."

"Over her hot date!" Louise teased from the stairway door, arms full of produce.

"Oooooh a date?!" Gene rushed around to the back, "Dish!"

"I am." She joked as she placed the patty on its bed of lettuce and mayonnaise.

"Tina." Louise clucked. "That was a terrible pun."

Tina shrugged, "My readers like them."

"That's different and you know it!" Gene accused, grabbing the fry basket and seasoning the still crackling potato slices. "So...?"

"It's Zeke." Tina nearly whispered into the food as Louise snatched the plate and moved to serve it, adding a mound of fries with practiced efficiency.

"Zeke?" Gene rubbed his stubbled chin. "I can see it. He's attractive, and not objectively."

"You guys were friends for a while." Tina reminded him. "Remember the two-butt goat?"

"Oh yeah!" He smiled, then frowned, "It died years ago."

"She has a grandgoat with the same genetic deformity." Louise offered through the window. "We can visit any time you like, Gene."

"Jimmy Jr was really jealous of your guys sudden friendship." Tina reminded them, getting the conversation back on track.

"Yeah, so?" Gene sat back, leaning against the wall as Louise moved to greet a customer. "I can still think he's attractive Tina. That's the point of being human. You can look at other girls and say they're sexy or gorgeous and not wanna fuck 'em." He stood then, cocking a hip out and flipping his hair dramatically, "Besides, there can't be two bears in a gay relationship."

Tina's eyes widened, "You think you're a bear, Gene?"

"That's awfully narrow minded of you." Louise added when she returned. "If two grizzly bear men wanna do it, more power to them."

He laughed, "I'm more like Winnie the Pooh!" He patted his stomach, "Besides, the girls I date like the extra cushion." He paused, thinking. "The guys do too though."

"And yet you're single." Louise sighed. "What a waste of biological pillow." She turned to Tina. "One order of the daily special with fries, one cheeseburger with pepper jack and no onions, side of fries. One large side of fries with Havarti on top."

Tina moved to the fridge, pulling out two of the patties they had made that morning. Gene was already grabbing the raw potato slices from the bucket and adding them to the fryer.

"I sure do love that smell!"

Tina felt her grip on the spatula slip. Her gaze pinned Louise, landing on the impish grin with horror and shock.

"Your boyfriend's here, Tina." Louise smiled, her eyes narrowed.

"And just in time too." Rudy's gentle voice floated over as his hands wrapped around Louise's waist and pulled her from the window.