“Hey, Ryan. Is there anywhere that I can put my jacket for the night?” I asked.
“Yeah babe just throw it under the bar on that shelf for now,” he replied quickly. Taking that as my cue I hurried up and shed the jacket and got to work. Ryan made my job easy when he was serving everyone. The bar was starting to get packed though and I was getting this weird feeling in my gut that was telling me something was wrong. Sure enough, about ten minutes later I was making my first drink of the night and in walked none other than my dad. My hands started shaking immediately and I ended up dropping the glass and making a scene. All eyes turned to the commotion I had just caused.
“Hey you alright over here?” Ryan wondered.
“Ah yeah I am good just thought I saw someone I knew,” I muttered to him. I tried to keep out of sight of my dad but it was hard because he was so damn obnoxious and loud. He was sitting with a group of guys that look just as sleazy as him. Fuck I really hated this life sometimes. Ryan went to take his ten-minute break and made sure that almost everyone was served before leaving. A few people ordered some easy things that I knew how to make but my mind wasn’t in it now.
When Ryan came back he told me I could go for my break through the back door past the restrooms. Walking back I reached for my phone and immediately dialed Ryder. He picked up after two rings and his voice calmed me right away.
“Hey babe. How is your first night going?” Ryder asked. I took a deep breath and told him, “Everything was going great. Ryan the bartender is nice. He has been helping me a lot tonight.”
“Malia are you okay? You sound nervous.” This was asked by Asher.
“Well, it seems I can’t escape dear old dad. He walked in a little while ago and…” that is as far as I got when Grayson exploded, “What the fuck? Malia, do you want us to come there? We can make sure he didn’t try anything.”
“No! No, Grayson I will be fine. I know how to defend myself. If anything happens I will call you right away I promise. He hasn’t even noticed me.” I tried to comfort them with this assurance.
“Fine we won’t interfere but I swear on everything I love Malia if something happens to you there will be hell to pay.” This was Ryder back on the phone. I got off the phone with them a couple minutes later and walked back in to finish my shift.
I really wished that I had been paying attention to where I was going because maybe I would have seen him coming.
“Malia” I heard my name being growled. Shit I guess he found me.
“Yes, father dearest.” I sniped at him.
“What in the ever-loving fuck are you doing here of all places?” he yelled.
“Please don’t cause a scene. I am just here working so I can help with the bills. I need this job dad and I really don’t want to lose it.” I pleaded with him.
“Malia you cannot be here. This place is not a good place for you to work at. Please go home or wherever you have been staying,” he almost sounded like he cared.
“Why do you care all of a sudden? You hit me the other night and called me names. Now you want to act like you care. Please just stop and let me get on with the night.” I practically begged.
I went to walk past him and he grabbed my arm in an iron grip and muttered, “Malia I apologize for that. I was in a bad state that you usually didn’t catch me in. You don’t know how badly I have been beating myself up for that. It won’t ever happen again. I love you and I don’t want you here please.” Now he was the one begging.
“Dad for the last time I need this job. Now I am late for my break. Thank you for the heads up. I will keep my eyes and ears open. Have a good night dad although I don’t even know how you are paying for the booze tonight when we don’t have any money?” I pulled my arm out of his grip and went back to the bar. The night went on without a hitch after that. As it got later in the night everyone started to trickle out and go home.
18.
Baby Doll
Malia
Ryan and I were cleaning the bar and it was around one am.
“So how was your first night Malia?” he asked me.
“It went alright. Could have been worse.” I replied trying to answer nonchalantly.
“Hey can I ask you a question?”
“You just did Ryan.” I giggled at him. The night has gotten better especially since Ryan was such an approachable person. He was like a really nice gust of fresh air in this otherwise stale air.
“I’m just joshin’ ya Ryan go ahead ask me I am an open book.”
“Well, I noticed that an older man was watching you tonight. He is new around here. I have only seen him a couple times here. It wasn’t like a creepy stare just kind of protective of you,” he told me softly.
“Yeah, that was my dad. He is a drunk. If he is a problem I will take care of him.” I offered. Ryan suddenly looked uncomfortable.
“Oh well I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Is there any reason that he would have warned me away from this place?” I inquired.
“I mean besides the few sleazy people that come here almost every night that is the only reason I could think of,” he told me honestly.
“I am pretty much done here Malia if you want to start heading out.
