Lead The Way

Chapter 1

Tonight, like every night started off dull. She weaves in and out of tables, wiping down the empty ones and servicing the patrons of the occupied ones whilst gently humming to herself. A small smile etches itself on the corner of her mouth as she begins her nightly musing. Is she doing the right thing? Should she stay? Or should she sell this place and travel?

She doesn’t know.

She never knows, and that is how the girl likes it. Never knowing where life will take her, just living day- to- day; caught up in the wonder of every moment.

By 9pm, the place reached its capacity, people stepping in off the rainy street to take shelter and meet with friends, but never taking heed of the sign outside. The café used to be a thriving metropolis – a speakeasy in its day, but eventually, the piano in the corner of a raised platform became more of an ornament than an instrument; the speakers subtly hidden in corners providing the musical and relaxed atmosphere. Things were picking up, but it wasn’t a fantastic night; though; though, this allowed her to turn the music up a little louder and to dance behind the counter.

At 10pm, people has started to leave in dribs and drabs, braving the Sunday night snow to get home; there were half a dozen regulars in the TV lounge watching the replay of the Saturday night football game, not noticing the loud-ish music and the girl swaying her hip in time with the music. She looks up, self-satisfaction radiating from her; satisfied with the polished wooden floorboards, the eclectic mix of coffee tables, booths and lounges scattered throughout the room; the vast collection of books that covers a wall and the inviting light that fills the room with a pleasant glow. Content, she resumes the nightly lockup.

“Scotch, neat please.”

“Table or booth?” She asked the man waiting to be seated, jerked back to reality as she raced to lower the music. She had never ever had a customer this late on a Sunday night, the abnormality shocked her.

“Either, it doesn’t matter.”

Upturned eyebrows and a slight waver in his voice cast the air of forlorn misery about the man, so she seated him in the nook near the piano, where fairy lights cast a glow over his warm skin tone.  She bought the scotch over and placed it on a coaster.

“It’s on the house; you look like you need it.”

“Thank you..?” a quizzical look washed over his face, unsure of how to react.

“You can put the music back on, I don’t mind”

“Local radio okay?”

“Yes.”

His accent was puzzling – it was more than a mixture of British and American; nevertheless it gave his voice a musical lilt. She resumed her position behind the bar, preparing for tomorrow. Lost in her work, she didn’t notice that the man had silently walked over to the abandoned piano and had sat, tinkling on the out of tune keys.

The lounge did not close until 1am, but she turned the lights off in other sections until the only lights that were on were above the raised platform that the piano occupied and the main bar. Reflections bounced off the wooden and stainless steel surfaces to the bookshelf that took up an entire wall, filled with book for customers, creating a homely warmth.

Curious to hear what the man was playing, she turned the radio down. A melancholy tune was being wrought from the ebony and ivory keys, it seemed foreign and familiar at the same time.

Too familiar.

He stood up abruptly; before she could offer him anything else and almost stalked out the door.

Realising he had forgot his coat; she grabbed it and ran out into the pouring sleet.

“Excuse me!”

She called, but he did not hear her; he was trying to escape the sky’s onslaught too. Speeding up, she called louder.

“Sir! You forgot your coat.”

He whirled around and pegged her in place with the intensity of his gaze. It made her uncomfortable to see that much conflicted frustration and grief in a person; reluctantly, she edged a little closer.

“Here, you may want this.”

“I’m terribly sorry; I’m not having a very good day.” He stumbled over the words as he took the coat back.

“The lounge is open 7 days, 8am till midnight; stop in whenever”

“I’ll remember that, thank you.” The storm cloud looming over his head seemed to shrink a little

“Don’t mention it.” She whispered with a tiny smile, which he reciprocated before he hailed a cab.