23 May 2012
the bar was almost empty now with only the few people for whom a work schedule was not an issue remaining. The music seemed louder now that there were so few conversations taking place in the room, Holly finished neatly stacking the polished glasses on a square shelf behind the bar and leant back on the rear counter. It was her who decided to break the silence first, mainly to remove the tension which had been clearly building since she couldn’t stop staring at Belle with anything other than an apparent disdain. “So how do you know Felix then?” It was the same question she’d asked Carlo when he’d sat in the same position, the only difference now was that she knew the answer already. Belle’s eyes moved without her head moving from its perch, they fixed on Holly and before replying she squinted as though to get a better look at her. “We’re just friends. Weren’t you the one serving us in here a few weeks ago?” “That was me, I seem to be working here all the time recently.” “I thought you looked familiar, anyway I wouldn’t worry, it sounds like you might be about to move up in the world anyway. Everyone gets shat on in the beginning, but not everyone can get away with charging some business uptights a thousand pounds for the privilege of sitting at a table, so kudos. We should celebrate.” Holly smiled, “I’m not sure I can get away with drinking on the job but what do you want?” She stepped over to the end of the bar and reached a bare arm underneath the countertop, the lights all around the bar dimmed. The reds became deeper and the shadows grew longer to envelop those few who still remained engaged in conversation. Turning back to Belle she said, “I prefer it when we’re like this, the evening ambience, it always makes things more interesting.” “I prefer it like this too, much more fun. Anyway as for this drink, you can’t leave a girl drinking alone while the boys are off playing. Don’t worry about Felix I’ll vouch for you, let’s have a couple of those things that he drinks all the time, then how could he possibly disapprove?” Holly laughed but was clearly convinced as she started piling lime wedges into a pair of tumblers, scooping on a god dose of sugar and pouring on some syrup to boot. Once this mixture was pressed together she scooped a small mountain of crushed ice into each glass with her left hand, while diligently pouring from a long clear bottle with the other. Holly then slid in a spoon which she used to mix each drink before sliding one back across the bar to where Belle was sitting. Two straws materialised from somewhere that Belle couldn’t see and one was shoved into each glass. “Thanks.” “No problem,” Holly raised her glass and pursed her lips around the straw. “I get the feeling you don’t like me very much.” “What? Why would you think that? We only met five minutes ago.” “I know but since we walked in you’ve sort of been giving me the eye.” “Oh well I’m sorry if you think that, I haven’t been doing it on purpose.” “Come on, we’re women we never do something like that unless it’s on purpose, we just pretend to.” Holly shifted uneasily behind the bar, drink in hand, she knew there was nowhere she could run to and she didn’t want to be rude outright to this woman, she may not have liked her but she also knew she had no real grounds for her dislike. “I...Just....” She faltered unsure of whether she should continue to say what was in her head or whether she should make a serious effort to change the subject, she’d never encountered a woman who was so forward, it reminded her of her mother in one of her moods. “You know Felix is married don’t you?” Belle opened her eyes wide in apparent shock, then closed them again back to their normal cat like stare. “Yes I am aware of that, what’s your point? Are you friends with her or something?” Holly was lost, she didn’t know why she’d said it and now she had nothing to follow it up with. “No nothing like that, I don’t know, sorry I’m a bit funny like that, I just say things without thinking.” Belle wasn’t ready to let this drop, it was bad enough being talked to once like she was nothing by Felix but she wasn’t prepared to let this girl do it to her now. “Well no, please explain how it’s any of your concern what your employer does in his free time, I’m just trying to understand.” “It’s not... I was just saying that’s all. I know it’s not my business I...I’m just expressing some female solidarity you know, looking out for my fellow woman.” Belle didn’t reply she just continued to stare at her quizzically while she drank, she felt there was something awry but knew she wouldn’t get it out of Holly no matter how hard she pushed her. By the time that the drinks were almost gone Caleb and Felix resurfaced from the office, Holly and Belle hadn’t said another word to each other since their conversation. Holly had busied herself with making sure that all the stock was up to date in preparation for the evening to come while Belle had concentrated on her drink and her mobile phone to stop herself asking any more questions. Felix came and stood behind her and ran his fingers down her back. “Are you ready to go then or do you want to stay here?” Belle craned her neck around to look at him and said, “no, no let’s go somewhere else, give you a chance to check out the competition anyway, see what you’re lacking.” “Clearly not lacking anything my dear,” he raised a hand to wave to Holly and Caleb who remained behind the bar. “Be good you two! And, Cal you’ll do what we talked about yeah?” Caleb nodded in reply, Belle picked up her bag from the seat next to her and she and Felix walked out of the door. As soon as they had left Caleb turned to Holly, “Well that was pretty surprising, wasn’t expecting them to walk in together were you?” “No, I wonder what’s going on there. Did Felix tell you anything about it?” “Nothing, I tried asking him but he was having none of it.” “So what did he want?” “Oh well apparently he’s having an executives only night in a few months and I need to get in some outside staff to work it on hire, what a pain in the ass!” “Executive night?” Holly enquired, “what does that mean?” “I think it basically has something to do with that guy Carlo, they only invite some personal friends and people, fill the bar with some women, basically I just get the impression that anything goes and that they make a lot of money.” “Hmmm sounds fairly shady to me.” “Ah I wouldn’t worry about it, it’ll be fine.” “You better make sure I work that night then, I bet tips will be amazing.” Caleb gave her the Felix grin which he had almost perfected now, “and what’s in it for me if I do? You realise I’d be risking life and limb by employing someone who Felix knows for that night don’t you.” “Oh shut up, I’m the girl, it’s me who’s supposed to be the dramatic one! Anyway, will you?” “I’ll see what I can do, but you will owe me a favour, Holly, don’t you forget it.” “I won’t, I won’t”
Outside in the street Belle and Felix walked hand in hand into the West End, the skies were as clear as his conscience, both rare events in themselves though the latter particularly given the circumstances. When they were a safe distance from the bar Belle brought up her conversation with Holly but Felix seemed nonplussed by the entire matter, Holly’s justification had satisfied him and he didn’t see the point in dwelling on it for even a minute. As far as he was concerned he was going to enjoy today come hell or high water because no doubt tomorrow he would have to atone for his sins.
Daddy's Gone 8.1 • Opuss № I