"DID YOU FORGET ABOUT YOUR WIFE, STEVE HARRINGTON?"
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THE SYNTH SOUND OF WHATEVER NEW AGE POP SONG that was playing on the radio seemed like a whisper inside Al Forno as the girls behind the counter giggled about the cute guy that just walked in. The little restaurant inside the mall was packed to the brim full of families, mall workers on their lunch breaks, and teens who ordered sodas just so they could have a place to sit in the busy building. Frankie Walsh rolled her eyes at the girls chatting away before grabbing her pad of paper and pen out of her smock.
"Sorry, girls but he's in my station." Frankie teased with a wink as she started to walk away.
"Oh, please Franny, you have to let me have this one! You can have my tips from my last table. Please!" One of the older girls begged the brunette, her hands laced together and eyes staring wide.
Frankie just put her note pad back into her smock and nodded over to the table with a grin.
"Thank you Fran!" The girl whispered in thanks as she smoothed out her hair and walked out from behind the counter. Frankie just shook her head lightheartedly before leaning against the counter to watch the girl attempt to flirt with the guy who sat cooly in his booth.
"You just love messing with them, huh?"
"I wouldn't call it 'messing', more like friendly teasing." Frankie grinned at the blonde as the two continued to watch their coworker spill a cup of water all over the cute guy's table. They winced as she started to panic, but neither girl went to help.
"Well... it's not like you would have made a move on that guy even if you didn't give up your table."
"What do you mean?" Frankie asked with a raised brow as she began to refill the napkin holders. The blonde sighed before going to do the same.
"Did you forget about your wife, Steve Harrington?" The blonde raised an eyebrow as Frankie's whole body stiffened.
"That's not funny Tabatha." Frankie said with a roll of her eyes as she made her way to the back to check on the pizzas that were heating up in the oven.
"Listen, I know I just moved here and I don't know you two that well, but whenever we go into that lame ass ice cream shop, that boy falls apart as soon as he sees you." Tabatha groaned out as she trailed behind the taller girl.
"It's not like that, Steve and I are just friends." Frankie explained hurriedly trying not to talk about Steve anymore. "Besides, I think he has a thing for the girl he works with, Robin."
"Trust me when I say she's not his type." Tabatha smirked. "But, you are!"
Frankie looked at her with a frown. "Yeah? What makes you so sure?"
"Uh, you're gorgeous, funny, somehow good with kids, and you can put up with him in that dorky sailor costume." Tabatha finished with a smug grin which made Frankie laugh.
The brunette looked down at her foot, flashes of what happened last year racing through her mind. She had thought about her and Steve once and it never happened, day dreaming about it more wasn't going to help anyone.
"Batty, I-"
Suddenly the overhead lights turned off. Tabatha and Frankie quickly found one another in the dark and looked around in confusion. Eyes finally adjusting to the dark, the two made their way out of the kitchen and into the front of the restaurant. Tabatha tugged on Frankie's hand that was laced in hers.
"Look."
Frankie tried to look but all she saw was pitch black. The power seemed to shut off in the entire mall and Frankie wasn't sure what was really happening.
"Do you think they'll let us out early?" Tabatha joked from beside Frankie as the two tried to ignore the sound of some random kids screaming. The powers off, you're not dying.
"Doubt it."
As if nothing happened, the lights turned back on. Random dads in booths started to clap and Frankie tried to stifle a laugh. Tabatha rolled her eyes and made her way to the back knowing that they'd get a wave of people after that little scare and wanting to be nowhere near any customers. Frankie, not wanting to continue their conversation stayed at the counter and put on a fake smile as some random kid came to ask for their third free refill of the night.
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Two hours later and Frankie was finally leaving for the night. Thankfully, she didn't have to close, so she just put on an oversized sweater and grabbed her bag so she and Tabatha could leave. The two walked towards the entrance and out to the parking lot. Frankie frowned as they walked up to a group of thirteen year olds surrounding her car.
"Don't you guys have bikes?" She asked with a frown as she unlocked the trunk and lifted it up.
"We took the bus." Lucas said with a grin as he jumped into the trunk to the back seat so he could open the doors for the rest of the party.
Mike shrugged as he struggled to lift his bike into the trunk of Frankie's car. "I didn't have quarters."
Frankie looked at Tabatha with a frown to say 'sorry'. The younger girl shrugged before going around to the passenger seat, Frankie following suit. Sliding into the driver's seat, Frankie turned towards the back where the four kids had managed to all fit comfortably.
"Seat belts."
A chorus of groans echoed from the back making the older teen roll her eyes.
"Or you're taking the bus."
Hearing the sound of clicking as she started the car, Frankie looked towards Tabatha who was sporting a shit eating grin.
"Good with kids, what did I tell yah?"
"Oh can it!"
AUTHORS NOTE
thank you all so much for the love that you've given this story and dfwtb! It actually reached 200k and I'm still in shock at the reads climbing and the fact HoL has reached 2k just with the description and soundtrack alone! I'm beyond grateful for all of you and you're the main reason I write. I hope you all like this chapter and I hope you like Tabatha bc you will be seeing a lot of her in the future! Love you all and no Steve yet for a few chapters but trust me when he does show up it'll be worth it!!!
