Lou and I

Chapter 3

"So many people tonight." I told Kevin who trained me when I first started. "Yeh. Gonna be a good night for tips." he said it with a peace sign. I chuckle. He is such a dork. Someone's phone is ringing. "hello." Kevin answers it. "of course I did.... Sure.... Okay. Bye." He then tell me "boss is coming back soon." I'm surprise. Lou calls Kevin. They barely talks when she is around. 

"What did she said?" 

"she asks if I look after the club. And I told her of course. Then she wanna make sure the girls knows what to do with the vodka and water." 

I'm confuse. "What's that mean?" 

he seems surprised when I asks. "you didn't know?" he then whisper in my ear. "we watered down well vodka." 

Oh. I see. I give him a nod. "this club is shadier than I thought." I joked. "so, when is she coming back?"

 "she said soon. But I'm sure she's fine. She just has to take care of some old stuff." 

I hand over a beer to a customer. "I thought she went to work." 

"no, her friend got into jail. So, the boss has to take care of whatever she left." Kevin then said, "its been rough for the boss, she never really recovers." 

"were they dating?" I'm just curious. "I think so. I don't really know. I heard most of the stuff from the others." Interesting. I thought Lou doesn't do relationships.

After a busy night, it's just me left in a club. It's been like this for a couple of days. Its quite nice actually. I can listen to music while mopping up the floor. And most importantly take my time. While enjoying my time alone, the main door suddenly opens. I thought someone lost their wallet again. So I turn around, but all I see is Lou. A Lou who I never seem before. Her eyes are red, the walk is kind of wobbly.

 "Boss, are you okay?" I goes to her in rush. 

"Jesus, how many time I have to say, call me Lou!" okay she is definitely drunk too. "okay Lou. Why don't you come sit over here and I get you some drinks?" 

I starts to walk toward the counter. However, Lou suddenly holds me from behind. "have I told you, you're really short?" really. This drunk woman just holds me still for this. 

"do you wanna a drink or not?" she let's me go and put one arm around me and said "I want." 

Then I basically carry her and put her in a seat. "no water." Lou looks at me like a five years old. 

"well then, here." I hand over a glass of ice water. I looked at her as she tries to wrap her head around what is happening. "just drink it." I said, "it's not just 'water'." 

Lou hesitated but she drinks it anyway. "so where did you went?" I asked. Lou look up and eyes darken. "an old place... I shouldn't go there." 

I can see her eyes started to tear up. Lou is always cool and calm. I've never seen her like this. All broken. 

"hey." I whisper. And reach out to her hand "it's okay. Whatever happened, it's the past." Lou pulls away. "you wouldn't understand." 

Maybe I won't, and normally I don't really care. But this time, I want to hear Lou's story. 

"try me." 

"you want to know?"

"yes." 

"then give me a beer, I can't do this sober."

"fine. Here." I sit next to her as Lou started to tell her story "Well. Her name is Debbie Ocean."