Across the Veil: Open Eyes (Book 1)

Chapter 7: Ringing of a Bell

Willow sipped on a coffee as she looked over some equipment she'd packed up the previous night. Her plan was to go to the bar and get measurements of the floorspace before any customers began to trickle in. Her housemates still couldn't believe she'd taken the bet, but they were willing to help in whatever way possible. Savio had allowed Willow to use his key to get inside in the event that it was still locked up.

Her friends were a wealth of information regarding the aesthetic preferences of the The Blue Shoes' owners. Madame Celeste was extremely fond of maintaining a more natural look when it came to anything wooden. She also had a preference for warm colours it seemed. For a place called The Blue Shoes, the burlesque had more of a warm colour scheme made of reds, purples, and greys, with blue to serve as an accent. If Willow had to summarize the feeling that Madame Celeste was going for, it would be creative, warm and cozy.

Memphis, as one would expect, was all about the spectacle and splendor. The bar was a close replica of an old speakeasy from the 1920s. The furniture and bar were made from primarily dark wood and the lights were basically small, electric chandeliers. Even the windows were tinted to look like sheets of amber in order to create a more secluded atmosphere. Of course, he had included televisions and some more modern art in order to liven up the place. Once a week he even had a live band come in to play some music.

When Willow asked her friends why he and Celeste chose "The Blue Shoes" for a name, they explained that both owners had their own reasons. For Madame Celeste, the lively and previously thought 'radical' style of Elvis had intrigued her since she first arrived in Canada. Celeste had actually introduced Memphis to Elvis Presley's music, and he took to it like a bee to sugar. He enjoyed the music and the fact that Elvis had been so controversial during his time.

Bruno had added that he was pretty sure it just gave Memphis another reason to wear a pair of old blue leather shoes he was especially fond of.

Willow could work with that. Classic style, keep it flashy and maybe throw in a bit of attitude. Easy enough, she supposed.

***

As she strode into the empty establishment, she was greeted by Memphis who had just arrived and was heading into the kitchen to set up for the day. Behind the bar Willow spotted a woman she'd only briefly seen the previous night. She could have sworn the woman was a bouncer, but it looked like she had a few roles within the bar. Her eyes lingered on the woman, taking in her calm, sharp, deep blue eyes and confident posture. The woman glanced up at her and smiled broadly as she emerged from behind the bar, moving with grace and purpose.

"So, I take it you're the one who made a bet with our dear ol' devil Memphis." She grinned playfully, nodding back at the kitchen door. She extended her hand, "Name's Rayne by the way."

"Kind'a feeling like a deal with the devil right now." Willow admitted as she reached out to take Rayne's hand. Rayne's grasp was firm but not intimidatingly so. Her eyes met Rayne's for a moment before flickering away, a slight dust of pink touching her cheeks, "I'm Willow."

"Ah, yes! Bruno and Savio have told me a lot about you." Rayne winked, "Don't worry, it's been good things. Anyways, don't you worry about ol' Memphis. He's not too bad of a guy." She flipped a small notepad from her pocket, "So, what can I tempt you with, sweetheart?"

Rayne smirked as Willow's face turned a darker shade of red.

Picking up a menu from a nearby table, Willow tried to look casual as she scanned her options. Tried being the key word. Rayne offered a soft chuckle as she watched Willow bite the corner of her lip in embarrassment.

"Will buying something help keep Memphis off my back while I work?" Willow asked, clearing her throat and attempting a casual smirk of her own.

Rayne tapped the end of her nose, "You're a sharp one. How's about a drink to get you started?"