Just the three of us...

Chapter 18 Mel

"Weeeellll, I guess it would be nice if I could touch your body! I know not everybody has got a body like you oo oo..." Tag's off tune crooning bring a smile to my face. It's been a long shitty shift and knowing Tag and Alice were here meant it was nearly over. I look across the bar and see Alice giggling as Tag serenades her, shaking his ass up against her. She really is beautiful when she smiles, I've noticed both me and Tag are always competing to see who can get her laugh the loudest, the most often. Tag and Alice sit down in one of the booths and I take over some shots.

"I'm sure your singing has actually gotten worse over the years Tag." I push his head slightly, and he grins at me. 

"You love it, babes!" He knocks down the shot, and then the one I'd put in front of Alice noticing how she'd wrinkled her nose at it. I throw my towel down behind the bar, and pour her a glass of wine. She shoots me a little smile when I put it down in front of her, and I kiss her lightly on the forehead. 

"ALICE MARY JANE KENT!" Alice freezes, eyes wide. We all look round, and there's a old guy stood in the doorway of the bar, looking like he's about to have an aneurysm. He's kinda short, with white hair, and as I look at him I can see where Alice got her grey-blue eyes from. "Get your things from this...this place." He spits out through clenched teeth. "You're coming home young lady."

I feel Alice shaking next to me, and I put my hand on her thigh. Tag stands, and takes a step towards Alice's dad. Her dad doesn't seem to notice and walks over to us, grabbing Alice's arm. I can smell the booze on him now he's closer, can see the redness in his eyes. Alice flinches as Tag grabs her dad's arm and pulls him off her.

"Look, man, don't fucking touch her." He hisses, pushing him back. He stumbles slightly, but manages to regain his balance. I stand too, both of us blocking Alice from her father's touch.

"So you're choosing to stay here in this cold, infested, rat hole, with these degenerates..."

"You threw me out!" Alice's voice shakes with tears. 

"And you got it wrong old man." Tag smirks, folding his arms. "She's living with us."

"And we're looking after her reeeal good. If you catch my drift." I sit back down next to Alice and pull her close, flashing my best shit-eating grin. Her dad goes even redder, before huffing and storming out, nearly breaking the door behind him with the force that he swung it open.

Alice deflates next to me, then turns and buries her face in the crook of my neck, her arms tightly wrapped round me. I hear her sniffle and feel the shoulder of my shirt get damp. Tag sits down on her other side and rubs her back. I catch his eye and raise my eyebrow. He grimaces back at me.

"I don't know if we made that better or worse..." Tag finishes off Alice's wine and slumps back on the fake leather seat.

"I don't care." Alice lifts her head and wipes her eyes. "I've never had friends who would stand up for me like that. I'm so happy I found you both." I squeeze her hand, and press my lips to hers. She slips her tongue in a little. When she pulls away, she turns toward Tag and repeats the kiss. Then she giggles, cheeks going red. Tag looks over at me and mirrors the grin I know I'm wearing.

The next day I get both Sammy and Kelly asking what happened last night. Sammy because he's a gossipy bitch, but Kelly because she actually genuinely seems to care about Alice. Alice had tossed and turned all night, keeping both me and Tag awake, so I feel like the walking dead today. I think I've been wiping the same bit of the bar for the last twenty minutes, but my brain has shorted out.

"Excuse me, pet?" A northern English accent jerks me out of my reverie.

"Sorry sweet. What can I get for you?" I stifle a yawn. In front of me is a slightly plump middle aged lady, with short grey hair and large gold rimmed glasses on, clutching a brown file to her chest like it's the holy grail.