Molding Stone

A Happy Perspective

Happy POV:

Brick was thanking the bar wench and slipping her some money as Tig pleded with me.

"Come on, Hap. Drinks here or drinks at the club it's all the same." I rolled my eyes, but headed to the bar. The rest of the club was mounting their bikes and riding off while Tig all but skipped to the bar. The bar wench was opening the break in the counter to walk out from behind the bar when we took a seat on the stools at the bar. She looked surprised and shut the hatch as she walked back toward us.

"Need something?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Two whiskeys." Tig orders and she nods as she pulls a bottle of whiskey off the shelf behind her and got out two shot glasses. She poured two generous shots before sliding one to each of us. She set the bottle behind the counter and then went back to what she had been doing before we sat down. She walked out from behind the bar and behind us. I heard keys jingle before the click of the keys in the locks of the doors and then the signs that had been buzzing in the windows were turned off and lastly the juke box silenced. Tig was rambling on about how he was disappointed about how he'd been sent here and then the fighting had gotten over fairly quickly. I answered enough to keep him from getting pissy. The bar wench came back behind the bar and poured us another round before walking to the other end.

At least she had the sense to keep her nose out of our business. I'd been in too many bars where the bar wench would try to include themselves in the conversation or stood close enough to eavesdrop. This one seemed like she couldn't care less about what we were talking about as she went about something behind the bar, she only came over with the clink of the empty shot glasses hitting the bar before going away again. I liked that, a woman that knew her place, plus she wasn't bad on the eyes. Long dark hair, slim, but had enough meat on her to hold on to, and a decent size rack. She was pale, but so were most of the people in Washington. She had a small diamond stud in her nose, several piercings up her ears, and a bandage on the underside of her right wrist, most likely covering a new tat.

When she filled our glasses for the fourth time she put the bottle back on the wall and went back to the other side of the bar to the cash register, she printed something and came back, laying two pieces of paper on the bar in front of us. One glance told me it was the check, she was cutting us off.

"We're not done yet." Tig said and I could hear the edge in his voice, he was irritated just like I was, but I was also a little impressed with her gall. She leaned against the counter and stared Tig in the eyes.

"That may be so, but I don't deal with drunk bikers in my bar. You want more, you can go somewhere else." She stated. Despite how laid back she acted her back was tensed and her face was set. She was standing her ground and it was obvious that she had no intention of giving in to intimidation. I watched curiously as she and Tig stared at each other for a long moment before Tig cracked and smiled at her, the irritation that had been in his posture and tone disappeared.

"I like you, you got fire. What's your name, doll?" Tig asked, some of the tension melted away as she straightened up.

"Jade."

"Jade, that's a pretty name. I'm Tig and this is Happy." Tig introduced. She didn't say anything, but I saw her brow twitch as she looked at me. Tig laughed, used to the reaction people gave to my name. Most assumed it was an ironic nickname and I didn't bother correcting them.

"It's his real name, trust me, I checked his license myself." Tig said and she nodded.

"Is Tig your real name?" She asked as Tig threw back his last shot and I did the same.

"Nope, real name's Alex." She raised an eyebrow. My name was much easier to understand then his nickname.

"Yeah I know, got the nick name while I was in the Marines. Guy told me I reminded him of Tigger and the guys just started calling me Tig." She smiled at that. Chicks tended to like his explanation, thought it was cute, but that wasn't why the name stuck. Tig liked to use that explanation instead of saying that it stood for trigger man, made the girls smile and fit with the model of the club being 'harley enthusiasts' instead of gang members.