Liquid Lucidity (A Novella)

Chapter Nine

After a week of working in the bar, Hannah managed to get a handle on things. David weeded out the tasks that weren't working and replaced them with new ones. She eventually got used to the dining area, wearing her headphones to remain in her own little world. Hannah would fill the bus tubs, a server would take it into the kitchen, and she'd wipe the table down at sweep beneath it. As the dinner rush slowed, she'd sit in the corner table and roll silverware. 

Once the kitchen closed, she'd wipe down all the surfaces and mop the floor, then clean out the dining section again. There was an in between time where, if the bar was slow, Hannah would hang out with Meggie or David would teach her something new. If it was busy, she'd go upstairs and nap or watch a movie until close. Then she'd go downstairs and clean up the bar, sweep and mop, then head home with David.

It all became less overwhelming as time went on. While it wasn't work she particularly enjoyed, Hannah was well aware that her options were limited and did feel like once she got a handle on her tasks, she was being of some use to David and making others jobs easier. 

One thing Hannah did notice about her time there was the Meggie wasn't entirely exaggerating about David at the bar. He seemed like the opposite man she'd come to know while he was there. He was moody and ran a tight ship. Though his attitude toward her hadn't changed, she could see why Meggie had called him a prick all this time. Him being a hard-ass was putting it mildly. 

He didn't put up with crap from drunk patrons, never gave out a free drink, wouldn't allow employees to waste downtime and generally always to appear on edge. Though David had the attitude and look of a bar owner in a sketchy part of town, Hannah wondered if he was this way because he was in the wrong business. 

David had brought up opening a restaurant someday, which is where his true skills would probably flourish. But if he remained in this business for much longer, Hannah didn't doubt it would beat his remaining spirit down and his dreams would never become a reality.

"So, your parents are due on Tuesday, right?" Meggie asked from behind the bar.

Hannah nodded. "Dav—id and I are pick—ing up dec—or—a—tions and food to—mor—row, then he's going to h-help me put up the big stuff on Sun—day, and I'll stay home on Mon—day to fin—ish up."

"I haven't seen your parents in forever, but something tells me they won't like you working in a place like this." Meggie ran her fingers through her hair, exposing the neck tattoo of a series of colorful stars. 

Meggie had always been a bit of a rebel, but her rebellious attitude appeared to have kicked in high gear when she moved away after high school. Like David, Meggie had a beautiful heart that she showed to few, hiding it behind a tough as nails exterior. 

Hannah looked around the building. It wasn't as bad inside as the neighborhood surrounding it, But Meggie wasn't wrong. Her parents would have a few choice words about where she was now employed and probably about David himself. 

Her family were upper middle class. They weren't haughty about it, but they did occasionally get judgey and Hannah was aware this would likely be one of those occasions. Despite David living in a house that rivaled that of her parents, he was still rough around the edges. His hair was shoulder length, sometimes pulled back and other times in his face. He was scarred, probably more than she already knew about. He wore permanent tattooed sleeves. He had a mouth that would cause a sailer to blush when he working. 

There were other things about David that would fit right in with her parents, though. Not just his incredible house, but his good nature and talent in the kitchen. 

Hannah was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the front door open, but did hear the whistle come from Meggie's mouth as it went from a high to low pitch. "Boy, did he take a wrong turn."

She turned to see a man wearing an expensive suit, hair freshly cut and face freshly shaved. Not just any man, however. But the blonde haired, brown eyed man who'd stolen her heart her sophomore year of college.

"Shawn, what the hell are you d-doing here?"

"I told you I'd be in Seattle for business," he explained as if were an actual explanation of why he was standing in the bar she worked in. "Asked your parents where you worked and here I am."

Hannah shook her head. "You're act—ing like that's a half hour drive, Sean."

He shrugged the comment off. "Wasn't too bad. I stopped to see a couple of friends on the way. I was hoping I could crash with you tonight, then head back in the morning, if it isn't too much trouble."

Trouble putting him up? No. But the rest of it reeked of trouble. "Why not stay with those friends you s-stopped to see?"

"They don't have a spare room and just popped out a baby. I don't want to get in the way."

The kitchen doors flew open and David stopped when his eyes landed on Shawn. "If you're here sellin' bibles, we ain't buying."

"I'm here to see Hannah, actually."

David had already let his feelings known about Shawn coming to visit her and while it was her life to live, Hannah knew he was right. As long as it was only physical space between them, Shawn would never move on and always find ways to close that space. But she also knew that even though she discouraged him from coming to see her, she couldn't just show him the door. There was still a friendship there she didn't want to lose forever. 

"I take it you're Shawn."

"That's me." Shawn's casual tone only seemed to rile David up, who shot him a heavy and frightening glare in return. 

"Why don't you go sit down at one of the bo-booths," Hannah told Shawn. "I'll be there in a min—ute." She waited for him to make his move, then walked over to David in the hopes of diffusing the situation. "I didn't know he was com—ing. I told him not to."

"Guess he can't take a hint." David's eyes were still firmly on Shawn as he sat across the room. 

Hannah moved his face with the palm of her hand and forced him to look at her. "He wants to spend the night."

David pressed his lips together tightly and blew out a heavy breath through his nose. "I can't tell you what to do here, Hannah. I ain't your daddy and you got every right to have a guest over, but this shit's got trouble written all over it."

"I know," Hannah confessed. While a part of her would always love Shawn, she stopped being in love with him years ago and thought when he proposed to his girlfriend it meant the same for him. But Shawn had never moved on completely and Hannah worried about giving him hope. "But it's get—ting late and I don't want him driv—ing back."

David shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and did a sideways glance toward Shawn. A few beats went by and Hannah couldn't tell if he was pouting or really did have nothing to say. But he didn't have to say anything more to know exactly how he felt about the situation. He'd already made it clear and his opinions matched her own. 

"I know you don't like this, Dav—id. I don't eith—er. But he's been a part of my life for sev—en years. I c-can't just turn him away." She could walk away from her relationship just fine because of the dark place she was in at the time. But she was no longer in that dark place and didn't want to hurt him anymore than she already had. "So w-would you mind if I slept at your place to—night?"

David unclenched his fists and he leaned against the wall beside the kitchen. "No, Hannah. I wouldn't mind that at all." He ran his fingers through his shoulder length brown hair and glanced once more toward Shawn before turning his attention back to Hannah. "Why don't you cut out early and drive with him to the house? I'll try to get out of here as soon as I can."

Hannah nodded and placed what she hoped was a comforting kiss against his cheek. "Thank you."