Where Two Collide

Chapter Eleven - Cat

Chapter Eleven

Cat

            I wasn't in the mood for my shift at Mi'lady's Velvet Room. Vickie had been insistent that I came in, having missed my last shift when I found Alice in the bathroom.

When I found Alice, my screams had sent our parent's into panic-mode. They drove Alice to the hospital, with my dad carrying her out to the car, her body limp in his arms. It was like one of those hospital dramas, where a guy carrying an unconscious girl runs into the emergency room crying out for help.

Once Alice had been assessed, it turned out it wasn't as bad as she'd looked. She'd ingested a lot of dirty water and it had caused a knock-on effect to her immune system. She'd basically vomited it all out over the cause of the day, leaving her body fatigued and dehydrated. She'd need to be piped full of antibiotics for a while, but she was going to be okay.

The image was still fresh though, and the thought made me feel sick and really really angry. I pushed back the memory, shoving it deep down where I wouldn't have to be reminded. I shook my head as I trudged along the streets, kicking my boots against the pavement. Today was the first day where I'd have actually just preferred to have stayed home curled up in bed.

We'd gone to visit Alice in hospital earlier that day. The second time in two days, but this time she wasn't in the emergency room, she had been placed on a ward to be monitored. It was difficult to imagine how she'd even gotten herself into that position. It was so unlike my normal, boring sister.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my sister, but she was boring. She didn't do anything that would fall short of her squeaky-clean image. It wasn't that she was trying to fit in that shoe box, at least I didn't think she was, it was more that I didn't think she knew how to step out of it. Perhaps she was stuck in her comfort zone. Then again, if this was how she was going to step outside of her box, maybe I should have shoved her back inside and taped it up.

I paused on an empty street, checking up and down it briefly. It was just me about which is exactly how I liked it.

I drew in a long breath and then let out a loud scream. Just to get the frustration out. I let it be free to be whisked away with the wind, then took another deep breath and kept walking.

Emotions were crazy things, especially if you let them rule you, and not the other way around.

I arrived at work on time, even with my slow stride subconsciously pulling me away from the club.

"My girl!" called Kieran as soon as he saw me. "I missed you, where were you at yesterday?"

I hovered in front of him, pleased to have a reason not to go inside just yet. "Family emergency," I said with a shrug.

"Aw shit," he said, genuine concern flashing across his face. "I hope everything's good now?" He was nice like that, a kind man, though I expected having four daughters would bring out the sweetness of any man. They were all young too, between the ages of three and nine, it must have been a handful and taken a whole lot of patience. Kieran had told me about how his wife worked part-time in the afternoons so he would collect them from school and ferry them all around their respective afternoon activities before making them all dinner. They had co-parenting seriously down to a tee.

"Yeah maybe." I glanced away from him, noting the presence of someone else on the other side of the door.

Kieran followed my gaze and grinned a toothy grin. "Ah yes, you haven't met the new girl, have you?" He waved a hand in her general direction. "Let's see how long she sticks around, eh."

The girl stepped forward under the pink glow of the lighted door. I noted her neat braids hanging low over her leather jacket. Her skin glowed caramel under the light, her eyes were large and were like melted honey.

"Hey there," she said, a hand reaching out for mine. "Honey, is it?"

I smiled at the irony and took her hand without much thought. It was warm, just like her voice. "Yes, that's right."

She withdrew her hand and hooked her thumbs into the pockets of her jacket. "I'm Addie, and I plan on sticking around for a while."

Kieran laughed at that. "I love the optimism."

"Damn right," she said, wrinkling her nose as she lifted her hand up for a high five. When Kieran slapped it, their hands made a gratifying smack.

Their high on life attitudes were a bit much for me. Nice to look at from a distance, don't get me wrong, however not entirely my style. I arched a brow and moved to the door between them. Now I was ready to go inside.

"Hey what about my high five," said Addie, and I looked up to see her arm hanging up in the air.

I pushed open the door with a half-smile, and as I walked through, I looked back over my shoulder and said, "physical contact isn't really my thing."

Considering I'd just shook her hand a moment ago, it must have seemed odd, but she let her arm drop. "Sure thing, Honey," she said high-five-less, as the door slowly shut behind me. "Maybe next time."

Once inside, I got to work. Me and Shelle were a great team, working in unison as we slid around behind the bar. We were still down one glass clearer, so I tried to bounce between both jobs to keep on top of the work. I'd only been there six months, but I knew what I was doing, and the job was easy for me.

A couple of girls approached the bar. They were possibly college girls, I guessed from how much makeup they were wearing and how short their skirts were. Or at least maybe they were dressed up like that purposefully trying to look that age. Then again who was I to talk. They decided on a jug of pornstar martini between them, which personally I wasn't a fan of. I didn't really like the taste of passionfruit, or any fruity drinks really. When I drank, and that wasn't often as it had been a while since I'd bothered to attend a high-school party, I was more likely to go with an ordinary vodka and coke, whilst the other girls got excited over mixing up their own concoctions.

I felt the presence of eyes on me and glanced over my shoulder, seeing Vickie stood behind the bar watching me with her arms crossed. Oh god what have I done now. I slid the finished jug over to the girls with two cocktail glasses and they squealed, dancing off with their drinks.

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