Until Next Time, My Lady

Let Your Tears Fall

Her eyes just barely caught the clock as it struck 11:30 am. Rose had left over an hour ago to have lunch with her mother and Luka; so she was unfortunately on her own to open The Black Cat. She immediately stopped stocking the beer and quickly walked over to unlock the door.

Juleka peered out the door as she opened it. Tiny raindrops were just beginning to fall. The scent of the rain swirling around her with the gentle breeze. What she would give just to close up the bar and go back upstairs to listen to the rain on their covered balcony!

After standing there for a few moments, she finally decided to go back to stocking the beer cooler before someone came in. They had been going through a lot of beer lately; which was weird since Halloween was just around the corner. Rose's signature pumpkin spice martinis weren't selling like they used to. Maybe it was time to change it up a little bit. She could purchase that keg of pumpkin ale she had her eye on instead of the replacement pumpkin liquor. She would have to talk it over with Rose later that night before she completed the liquor order.

An awful screech filled the bar as she heard a chair being pulled out from behind her. She cringed as she realized it was probably the old coot that had been insisting for months he could turn her straight. Rolling her eyes, she got up from the floor and gazed reluctantly into the mirror to see the reflection of the room behind her. Juleka's eyes widened as soon as she saw the man sitting behind her.

Instinctively, she grabbed the bottle of Jameson in front of her. Then before turning around, she let out a quiet sigh. Shouldn't he be getting some rest right now? From what she knew, this was his only day of the week to actually get some decent sleep and relax.

"Hey, Goldie, what's got you up this early on a Sunday morning?"

She asked as she turned around to come face to face with Adrien. His eyes were darkened with sleep and he didn't even crack a smile at her nickname for him like usual. She could feel his anxiety start to rise into the air. Something was very wrong.

"Adrien? What happened?" She asked lightly.

"Can I say I don't even know?" He rasped.

"I guess," she shrugged. "But I don't think you came here to tell me that, love. What's going on?"

"Marinette and I slept together last night."

She felt her eyes widen as the answer came so easily off his tongue. Why exactly was that a reason for him to be here? Did she run away from him again? There was only one way to find out.

"Alright, so why are you here with me instead of with her?"

"Because I think she regrets it, but she's putting up a good front."

"Adrien, why would you think she regrets it?" She asked.

"I don't know. I couldn't find her after and I had a mini heart attack waking up without her," he whispered, shakily. "I thought she ran away from me again, but I eventually found her."

"Where is she right now?"

"She left a note telling me she went to her parents and not to worry," Adrien whispered. "But that's just it, I'm not worried though, I'm terrified."

"Of what exactly?"

"Her leaving me."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't she tell you where she was going?" She asked, grabbing a wet towel out of the sanitizer bucket and beginning to wipe down the bar.

"Yeah, but-" Juleka cut him off.

"And didn't she tell you not to worry?"

"Yeah, I guess but-" She cut him off again.