Here Comes the Sun

Chapter 5

When I arrived back to my house I quickly went inside and got changed for my shift at the Bourbon Room. I put on some black jeans and a over sized t-shirt which I tied to get the excess material out of the way. I also touched up my make up and put my hair in braids so it is out of my face. I walked into the kitchen of my empty house and wrote a note to my mother, that I was going to be getting home late. I grabbed my phone and started to walk towards the bar for my shift. I plugged in my head phones and started to listen to my playlist. 

Walking to the Bourbon Room was always an adventure because of the crazy people I would pass along the way. Sometimes I would see homeless men asking for money on the streets. This one time I walking there was this elderly couple making out on a park bench and just about peed when I saw them. Another time when I was walking there were a bunch of kids skate boarding and they sent their dog down the hill on a skate board. That poor dog. At least the hill wasn't very big so the skate board was barely moving but that poor dog had to deal with those hoodlums. It looked so pitiful.   

About twenty minutes later I had arrived to the Bourbon Room safely with no issues. I walked in to the back past all of the drunk people to tell Dan that I had made it and I was about to clock in. 

"Hey Dan, I am going to get on the main bar, is that alright?" I asked Dan who was doing some filing. 

"Yea kid, you are the most experienced one around here. Hey, and send that new kid Lewis to pick up dishes and wipe down tables. He is a bit of a mess today." he explained. "Alright Dan you got it." 

I walked out of his office and made my way to the main bar, where Lewis was spilling Vodka all over the place. I rushed over and cleaned up the spill. "Its alright, I got it you go out and make sure the tables are clear." I instructed, Lewis nodded and made his way to the dinning room and started to wipe down the tables. I shook my head and got straight to work. 

I took a few orders, but mostly just kept middle aged men's glasses full of liquor. At about 5:30 Dan made his way out of his office and walked towards me. "How's everything holding up kid?" He asked. I laughed a little bit "It's fine just sustaining people's addiction that's all." This made Dan laugh as well. "It's your job, so good. Listen I have to go pick up an order across town will you be okay holding down the fort?" He asked. I nodded, "Yea you go ahead I'll be fine, it's pretty slow so no fights should be breaking out anytime soon." Dan laughed a little bit. "Alright, let me give you the office phone and if I am not back before you leave have Lewis walk you out. We don't want any of these hoodlums trying anything tonight." "Thank you Dan! Have fun and don't get into too much trouble." I yelled out to him. 

Dan walked out of the front door leaving me in charge. Dan does this quite a bit, probably because I am the only one he trusts with this place. He doesn't even trust some of his longest employees to watch over the place. I began to wipe down the counters and restock the front line with the extra beers and limes. I had to walk in the back to grab the extra supplies but when I came back I saw a familiar face. Landon. Its funny how he keeps popping up everywhere. 

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Well, I could ask you the same thing." he retorted. "Well, I work here, if you must know." I tell him putting beers in the fridge bellow the counter. "Really?" he said surprised. "Why are you so surprised? We came in here yesterday and I gave Dan a hug." I asked. "I don't know you just seem like someone who would try to stay as far away from this place as possible." he explained. "Well, as you saw yesterday that isn't always possible, fate has a funny way of pushing you towards things that you don't necessarily want to do." I told him. "Also you didn't answer my question."

Landon sighed "yea you're right, but when we came here yesterday I was reminded of this place and I wanted a drink." "I know you are not twenty one, so no drink for you." I tell him. "And I am pretty sure you aren't even supposed to be able to sell alcohol in a bar." I rolled my eyes handing him the beer in my hand. "What the cops don't know won't hurt them." Landon laughed a little bit and took the beer out of my hand. 

"Edie!" I turned around to see Lewis standing there really close. "What is it?" I asked. "Well Andy is here, and is about to start a fight." I sighed rubbing my forehead. "Jeez its only 6:30. Can't he hold off for a few more hours." I set the towel I had in my hand on the counter and walked over to the issue. 

Andy was drunkenly "yelling"at another drunk man threatening to hit him but the other guy was having none of it.

 "I wwilll hit you -hit ya man. And and you won't even know who did it." I heard Andy call out. Watching Andy try to intimidate this other man was actually quiet funny and I had to hold back a laugh. He looked like a humming bird trying to fight a whole raccoon. 

"Andy" I called to him. "Edith! You're here!" he said excitedly. "Yea big guy. How about you stop drinking and we sober you up some?" I try to convince him.

 "Nah, is your mother here I want another round." I stopped in my tracks when he said this and Andy just threw his head back laughing. "I think you have had enough to drink bud, you need to leave." the man obviously saw how uncomfortable I was and stepped in.

 "No man, I am having a good time." Andy continued to say. "Andy you need to leave." I tell him. I am starting to get frustrated because dealing with drunk people is like babysitting a 7 year old that you can't punish because they aren't yours to punish. "No you bitch I am having a good time and unless your mother is here I suggest you leave." he said throwing back his bottle.

"Andy get out before I call the cops." This made him stop and look at me. "Your a bitch and you will end up just like your mother." I slapped him across the face. This made him laugh even more, like he didn't really care that I just slapped him.  "Get the hell out Andy." I felt someone walk up behind me. 

"Get out before I make you get out." the voice sent chills down my back. Andy looked up behind me and immediately put down the bottle. "Chill out man I am leaving." He got off the stool he sitting on and started walking towards the door. When I saw that he was leaving I breathed out, trying to get drunk people out is really tiring and stressful. I decided to go back to the bar. "Hey Lewis can you hold down the fort for a second I just need a minute." He nodded understanding.

I walked away from the bar into the back inventory closet and sighed. I feel like I sigh way too much for a normal person. When ever someone compares me to my mother or tells me I look just like her I always kind of break down because I don't want to be like my mother. My mother is an alcoholic that would rather get drunk than spend time with me and I do not want that life for myself and for my future family. There is way to much heartache that comes along with that. 

I made my way back to the bar to see that Landon was no longer there but there was a twenty there. "Did he leave?" I asked Lewis. "yea. I told him the beer was on the house but he insisted on paying. If you wanna keep the twenty you can." He informed me. "Nah its fine we will just put it in the tip jar." The rest of the night goes smoothly, no real issues beside middle aged men throwing away their dollars. At about 9:30 Casey comes through the door. 

"Hey kiddo!" He says to me. Casey Davenport is Lily's older brother and is also like my older brother. I have known Casey for as long as I can remember, he is 4 years older than Lily and I. He also goes to UCLA but is back for a week or so. "Hey Casey! I am just finishing up here and then we can go." I told him. I wiped down all the counters and served the last couple of customers before going in the back to give the phone to Dan. He had gotten back a few hours ago. 

"Hey Dan is it okay if I go ahead and head out?" I ask him. "Yea go ahead, your car should be at your house, the keys are in their spot." he told me. "Oh thank you so much for fixing it, how much do I owe you." I ask. "Nothin' don't worry about it, as long as you use that money to help pay for college, you don't have to worry about a thing." I smiled. "Thank you so much, I really appreciate it." I walked over to him and gave him a hug. "Alright I will see you tomorrow." 

I walked back into the bar and made my way out with Casey. "Alright lets get you home kid." I rolled my eyes at the nickname that he gave me so long ago. "Stop calling me that. Its giving me flashbacks from when you used to steal Lily's Barbies and then blame me." He started laughing at this. "I can't believe she believed that you stole them." He continued to laugh. "Yea me either, she isn't exactly the brightest." I got in the car and we started on the journey home.