Copyright 2013 by Stephanie Nicole Norris
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author except in the case brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. The events and characters described here are imaginary and are not intended to refer to specific places or persons dead or alive. Any resemblances are purely coincidental.
The crowd at Hot Stakes Sports Bar and Grill was down to three people; the owner Joey Rubble, the maintenance man Simon Jones, and the new girl Melissa Moore. It had never been slower than this but it got close one time last month. It was Sunday November 4, 2012 many cars passed up and down the street but none stopped by, it’s almost like they didn’t notice the place. The look of concern spread across Joey’s face was that he wouldn’t make enough money this month to pay the bills. A sigh escaped his lips and he grimaced. The prices were as low as he could afford and images of bankrupt signs danced through his head. Maybe he should just give it all up, he could barely afford to pay Simon, what made him hire a new girl? But Joey knew all too well what made him do it, hopefully once the men saw a new pretty face they would want to stay longer and spend more. However, Melissa didn’t have the chance to make a difference before worry lines creased his forehead. Joey glanced at his watch, it was ten o’clock.
“Melissa!” he yelled.
She put the cleaning rag into the bucket made up of Mrs.Meyer’s Surface Scrub and hot water. Earlier Melissa wondered why she needed to clean at all since they have a maintenance man; but everyone knows part of the waitress job is to clean tables so she let it go.
“Yes sir?” she said.
He motioned for her to come to him. Melissa was no fool, she noticed during the interview Joey couldn’t keep his eyes off every other part of her but her face. At times she would clear her throat to bring his attention back and he would talk about how pretty she was. Her light skin and straight shoulder length hair always made the men pause, then once they focused in on her honey brown eyes and full lips the staring started. They would point out how cute her up toned nose was and the mole that sat next to it. Her boyfriend Jonathon constantly fiddled with her chin; it made her feel fat even though she was nowhere near it. She would fuss constantly and swat at him but his hand would just end up back on her chin. He would laugh and talk about how perfectly round it was but Melissa didn’t think so.
“How many tables do you have left back there that need to be cleaned?” Joey asked.
“Actually I’m on my last one.”
“Good, when you’re finished go to lunch.”
“How long is lunch?” she asked.
“Indefinitely if we don’t get some business,” He muttered under his breath.
“Huh, what was that?” Melissa asked.
“An hour,” He said and retreated through the double doors to his office.
At the front entrance the doorbell chimed and in walked Latasha, Melissa’s best friend. In a short red dress, Latasha’s long brown legs smooth and recently shaven complemented the matching red four inch heels.
