by E. Earle
The team meeting didn’t fare much better. I allowed Brynn to do most of it. As soon as I gave him the nod that it was ok to spill the beans, he took the lead. I couldn’t believe how much I suddenly relied on him in the past twelve hours, and for some reason I hated it. I don’t know why I didn’t like to seem so vulnerable to him- I think maybe it was because I was trying to prove myself and the situation with Rino just made me feel weak. I didn’t want to be a weak link.
But if Brynn saw me as such, he never let on. He had saved me from drowning, saved me from my mother, and now he was saving me from admitting to my team that a wanted criminal could or could not be on his way to finish the job.
He wanted Craggys to succeed- whether it had a nutter for a boss or not. I grimly agreed I had to give him credit for that.
The team sat in awed silence before Jack broke it. “That is crazy, man!” he yelped, waving his hands in the air. “You got shot?!”
“Yep.”
“Can I see it?”
“Nope.”
Brynn’s eyes were on me, noticing how my hands were covering my side. I frowned and pulled them away. I couldn’t help it sometimes.
Weak, weak, weak! That nasty voice hissed.
“Look, this is nothing to worry about,” I said, forcing my hands by my sides. “But if he was ever to come here, you call the police, ok?”
Jessica was frowning. “Are we in danger?”
I paused. I didn’t know. I didn’t even know if he would come here. Opening it, I closed my mouth, not knowing how to answer. Luckily, Brynn was there.
“No, Jess, you’re not,” he said sternly. “The police are in the area; we’ll give them a call later and notify them. The guy’s face is all over the news. He doesn’t even know where Ellena is.”
I frowned. I didn’t even know that either. I found it difficult to trust the police, considering some of them had been on the Principle’s side during the winter. Corruption came in many forms, and unfortunately in many of the protective systems.
“He won’t even be coming here,” Brynn continued. “He’ll be more concerned with getting out of the country.”
I hoped that was the case. My mind started to wander as Brynn continued to answer questions and soothe the team. I don’t think they were too worried about themselves- they seemed more concerned with finding out the story. I knew they would Google it as soon as my back was turned.
I hated that.
Sighing, I stood. “Guys, it’s been a really long day.” I picked up Ben, feeling bone weary. Too much had happened in such a short space of time. “I’m going to go to bed, ok? I’m really sorry about all of this- but I promise- you won’t be affected.”
Lies, lies, lies…
My eyes fell on Brynn’s as everyone started talking, yawning and stretching, announcing that it was probably time for their bed too. Brynn was looking at me strangely and I shifted uncomfortably under it. What he must think of me.
I nodded to him, hoping he knew I was grateful and walked out of the room, feeling lower than I had in a long time.
Ben was curled up against my stomach, mumbling about Juniper. He was happy about being a dad and wondered if they would like to see the seaside some time. I don’t think he realised that they wouldn’t all be able to stay with us- they were Emily’s kittens as well, and we had yet to discuss what we were to do with them. There were four kittens in all, and I was pretty sure that Emily wanted to keep one. The other three, I had no idea. I wondered if they would be able to talk, but Ben reassured me that wouldn’t happen.
“How do you know?” I asked, tickling his chin.
“What have I told you about questioning everything?” he meowed. “It’s how it is.”
Ben knew that I wouldn’t let Emily sell them. I would take them all if she decided to do that. They weren’t exactly kittens now either- they were pretty big, and I think five cats in Emily’s house were getting a bit too much.
“What are we going to do about them?” I asked Ben.
He was quiet. “What they’re supposed to,” he announced. “They need to pick someone to take care of.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Does it work like that?”
He nipped my finger, reminding me of my questions. “It’s what we do, Ellena.”
“So you don’t just find someone to feed you?”
“I found you, didn’t I?”
I raised an eyebrow in the dark. “Barry found you.”
“And in turn, that enabled me to find you,” he explained. “I was never Barry’s, Ellena.”
“You were mine?”
He snuggled closer against me. “Always.”
I grinned. “And I’m yours, Ben.”
“I know.”
Chapter Four
I was up early the next morning. I stared at my reflection in the mirror and sighed. My skin was pale, and my eyes haunted. I lifted up my shirt and forced myself to stare at the silvery red wound on the side.
Look at it, I snarled at myself. Look at it!
It had healed well, but it would always be there. I was the only person I knew with a gunshot wound. I frowned at it, never managing more than ten seconds and pulled my night shirt back down.
“It’s a permanent reminder that I nearly died,” I told Ben, depressed.
“It’s a reminder that you survived,” Ben corrected.
I sighed again, trying to slow my heartbeat. “When will this get better?”
He knew I wasn’t talking about the scar. Not the physical one anyway. “In the future,” he said.
I looked down at his smug feline face and shook my head. Forcing myself to care about my appearance for once, I decided to shower. I could still taste the salt from the sea and pushed that memory as far from my mind as possible.
I still hadn’t properly talked about why I had jumped. Ben hadn’t discussed it, and I was glad. He didn’t need to know why I jumped- he knew. I just hoped Brynn wouldn’t bring it up. What happened had happened- I couldn’t take it back. All I could do was be grateful that Ben had found Brynn, and Brynn had the foolishness to jump in after me.
I realised twenty minutes later that I was sitting down, my arms wrapped around my legs, the water now cold on my skin.
I did that sometimes. I’m sure everyone did at some point. Sometimes the day sucked beyond even standing to wash. Feeling the water drum against my skin was a small comfort- I don’t know why- maybe it was just laziness. But it was what I needed.
Forcing myself to get out and stop feeling sorry for myself, I hobbled to my room in my towel and set to getting ready for the day. We were expecting lodgers that day, so I rushed to the local shops to buy flowers, eggs, bread and milk. I always liked to see flowers in the guests’ bedrooms- it may have been an extra expense, but it was cheap enough to make the room pretty without trying too hard.
Flowers always made me feel better.
Jack had gone further and beyond with his handicrafts to make things for the bedrooms. He made wooden sculptures to go into the room out of driftwood with Jessica covering the old wooden headboards in intricate seashell mosaics. I was shocked and touched that they would go to such effort to make Craggys a better place. We had colour coded each room with a bright throw and pillows and gave the rooms names like Triton, Selkie, Mermaid, Leviathan and other water-themed names.
I wanted to make it personal.
“You look nice,” Jessica said as I came around the bar.
I blushed, not used to the compliment but enjoying it all the same. I had pulled on a black dress and braided my hair into a crown around my head. I was feeling slightly Grecian today so was wearing bronzer and gold earrings. “Thanks,” I smiled.
Ben was sitting in his usual seat with the sunbeam on his back. He liked to oversee everything, still hoping for the odd titbit. He was still chubby, despite my best efforts to try getting the locals to stop feeding him.
The door opened, letting in a huge breeze. I couldn’t help scowling as I looked up. An unshave
n man walked in, taking his sweet time in shutting the door. I didn’t recognise him, but that wasn’t surprising- lots of new people came in and out nowadays, locals I still hadn’t met, travellers, walkers- everyone. The man looked unwashed, and old. I don’t know whether it’s because he was a drunk or just because he had poor hygiene, but I swore I could smell him from where I was standing.
I glanced at Jessica, to see if she was thinking the same, but she had vanished to collect people’s plates, taking the advantage of me stepping behind the bar.
Now, I had been a barmaid for years before, so I knew how to serve people, and I also knew of who to and who not to serve.
“Pint a’ Stella,” he grumbled, his mouth twitching as he stumbled to the bar. I smiled falsely, wondering if he had a speech impediment or if he really was in fact a drunk. It always made me uncomfortable when I’m faced with calculating people.
“Right O’,” I said. “Won’t be a moment.” I turned quickly and went to the kitchen.
“Jack, there’s a guy out there- and you know- I’m not good with the locals, is he known to you?”
“What does he look like?”
“Dirty, old, shaky- but I dunno if he’s like that from a past stroke or what,” I said, pulling a towel from the side and putting it over my shoulder. “My height, shoulder length greasy hair- beard. About fifty something? Wants a Stella.”
He raised an eyebrow at my description. I always like to be thorough. Jack poked his head out of the kitchen to see for himself and frowned.
“That’s Old Marley,” he said, not looking pleased. “He usually drinks at Buddy’s. Must have been thrown out or something.”
“Should I serve him?”
He shrugged. “It’s your call.”
I rolled my eyes, thinking he was no help at all. “Fine,” I sighed. I returned to the bar, deciding that I needed Old Marley’s money more than I wanted to admit. As long as he didn’t cause trouble, he could drink here as much as he liked.
I poured the pint of Stella like I had done anywhere else a hundred times before. “There you are,” I said brightly setting it down before him.
Old Marley was staring at Ben and Ben was staring right back, his eyes narrowed from the sunshine, making him look light he was grinning at the old drunk.
I cleared my throat to get his attention.
“That’s a cat…” he mumbled, surprised.
“It is.”
“He your cat?” I watched him take out a tiny leather wallet and pour the contents on the bar.
God I hated it when they did that. “He would tell you that I’m his,” I said, finding it too painful watching him counting out his coins and started to do it for him myself.
Old Marley gave a sudden bark of laughter. “That’s good that is,” he coughed suddenly, as though he wasn’t used to laughing.
“Sure is,” I said popping the coins into the till and giving him his change.
“I used to have a cat and he…”
I waited for the rest of the statement and then realised it wasn’t going to come. Old Marley was staring at Ben with adoration.
A sudden pang of pity shot through me. Jessica returned to the bar, wrinkling her nose at the smell of Old Marley. “His name’s Ben,” I told him as I walked out from the bar. “He can stay as long as he behaves,” I mumbled to Jessica as I passed. “Might need to spray some air freshener…”
Brynn had returned from the surfing session soaking wet with a laughing couple behind him. I raised an eyebrow at him dripping water everywhere, but I suppose that’s why we constantly had sand on the floor. One big litter tray for Ben. It had taken some explaining to him that it was there not for that intention.
“Ellena, can you get a couple of drinks in for Georgie and Helen, please?” Brynn called.
I bristled at being told what to do- I don’t know why. He seemed to have that effect of me.
I looked up, raising my eyebrows and grinned suddenly. George and Helen was a lesbian couple. I loved surprises. I had seen the name on the booking table and saw George there. They were tall, slim and obviously so in love with each other. Georgie was dark all over, olive skin, near black eyes and long black hair to match whilst her partner was red all over. The sun had been unkind to her fair skin, but at least it matched her bright red hair.
“No problem,” I smiled.
I set about pouring everyone some drinks whilst they went to their rooms and quickly got dry. They were down within a minute, besides from Brynn, and a pitcher of Sex on the Beach was before them. Brynn hadn’t been sure of my idea of cocktails- but they were a sucker with the travellers. They loved the cliché and so did I.
My eyes flicked up at the clock. It was half eight. I had been chatting with the couple and they had bought me a drink. It had cheered me up to no end- I couldn’t even smell Old Marley anymore. He was sitting reading a Stephen King novel- another thing I had introduced into the shack. I had bought a load of bookcases from carboots a few miles down the road and had stacked them full with books for everyone to read. I don’t know why but it made the place seem more inviting to me.
Old Marley seemed happy enough, Ben in his lap and a book in his hand. I smiled, enjoying the effect Ben had on so many people.
“Good cat…” Old Marley was muttering under his breath as he turned the page. “Good cat…”
Come half nine- Jessica had convinced me to start drinking.
“First vodka- then tequila,” she said.
Jessica and I had gotten to know each other more over the past week or so- we were both creative and had spent a lot of time trying to make the best of Craggys. I was grinning by the time I had finished pouring a pint of Guinness for a local, Pete.
That was what I enjoyed about working behind a bar- you got to talk to people and they got to know you- people did care, and I was surprised when people asked how my day was. I missed the interaction. George and Helen asked me if I was in the mood for a few drinks tonight. I nodded. And a bloody good dance.
I brushed my hair from my face as the door opened. Two tall strangers walked in. The sound from the pub was sucked dry.
Beer split onto my boots, as I realised Jessica was gripping onto the Carlsberg lever.
I raised my chin. They were both dark haired and unerringly alike to Rino from the cold cruelty in their eyes. I watched them take in their surroundings in one glance.
I could feel my jaw locking.
Get out.
“Hello,” I said, inclining my head slightly. “What can I get for you?”
They looked at me only once and then ignored me. They were staring at the old man at the bar.
They looked no more than thirty. Dark hair combed back. Tall. Wide shoulders. I didn’t like it, and I very much doubted that Jess and I could take them. I swallowed.
“Is that him?” The taller one said to the other, his voice gravelly.
He nodded.
The old man continued to mumble under his breath to Ben, oblivious to the atomic bomb that had just walked in.
Of course they would ignore me. I was soft, pliant, pathetic blood and bones to them. Why would they ever take notice of a mere little barmaid?
But I wasn’t just a barmaid. I was owner to this place. Jessica jolted me out of my annoyance by dropping a glass.
I narrowed my eyes and grabbed a broom to start cleaning it up, hushing at her not to worry. My movements jumpstarted her into motion, and suddenly Georgie and Helen had moved further down the bar.
“Just chill,” I said to Jessica, grabbing her elbow. “Where’s Jack?”
Her mouth worked and she looked around panicky as if she could find him. I remembered then that he had finished his chef’s shift an hour ago and he had probably gone home to his caravan.
“Don’t worry- I’ll sort this out,” I told her.
“You,” the taller thug said to Old Marley. “You’re coming with us.”
My drunk made no acknowledgement, his shaking old hand constantly stroking
Ben.
I watched the thugs exchange glances.
The shorter one grabbed Old Marley’s shoulder and pulled him off his chair in one easy motion, Ben hissing and spitting as he fell to the floor.
“Hey!” I shouted, not noticing the volume of my voice until my throat started to burn. “Get off him!”
They froze. Everyone froze. My breath dragged through my lungs sharply. They turned to stare at me, their cruel eyes burning through my skin, as if searching for the source of madness that caused me to speak out against them.
“This is none of your concern, sweetheart,” the taller smiled snidely.
The word sweetheart had been said many times to me, and usually it had a positive effect. Not this time.
“Get out,” I said through my teeth, sure that the broom would shatter under my grip.
The taller one raised an eyebrow. “With pleasure.” He hauled Old Marley up from the floor, his toes skimming the surface. The old man made a panicked cry as they started to drag him with ease towards the door.
“You’re not taking him anywhere,” I growled, coming from around the bar, shoving the broom at Jessica.
Some insanity raged through me like a disease, poisoning sense out of my body. They stared at me, as if summing up whether I was really serious or not. They dropped the man into a crumpled heap at their shiny black shoes, and took a step towards my way.
Ben jumped in front of me, a low rumbling meow curdling from his lungs at the two men.
They laughed and kicked him.
I drew in a breath, and brought the broom down with such force against one that it snapped. I didn’t know where it fell, but I aimed somewhere that would definitely need to work if he wanted children, and the next thing I knew, Brynn was holding me back.
Thug#1 was on his knees grasping his junk in one hand, his eyes rolling back in agony. Old Marley was back in the other’s grip, both looking as bewildered as each other at what I had done.
Ben hissed again behind me, so I knew he was ok, but it didn’t matter. Brynn’s arm was iron around my waist and soon I was shoved behind him.