~~*^*~~ by wretched

That first night Joseph had waited at the bar until most of the crowd had left to speak to Alexei. At first the crowd only slowed and Joseph’s friends became restless, so with a few short word’s he said his goodbye’s and headed for the bar alone to wait. Crushen came and went swiftly to fill Joseph’s order then left him sipping down a concoction called remembrance, while imagining what he could ever say to gain Alexei’s interest in conversation.

Hours passed but still she never showed. He started to wonder if she was in different company at the moment, for he was sure he was not the only man to have taken notice of her. As soon as his hopes dwindled on the chance of seeing her, she appeared, coming out of a storage room next to the bar dressed back into her work clothes, in the process of fixing her hair up off her neck. Coming to an opening along the bar she placed her hands on the counter and hoisted herself up then spun her legs around smoothly to hop down behind the counter. Joseph noticed Crushen give her a sideways glance then continued on filling an order Alexei immediately picked up an old rag hidden beneath the counter and went to cleaning the bar that she had just hoped over.

“Did ya return the dress?” asked Crushen as he delivered the drink to a weather beaten old man a few stools away from Joseph.

“Uhuh!” “Ms. Mill’s also said that if we ever need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask.” This was the musical voice Joseph heard earlier, even when she talked she seemed to sing.

“Well she’s a nice woman but that’s what they all say, cause then if you keep asking they know that they can ask you in return.” Crushen now started pulling out stained glasses and set them on the counter for Alexei to clean.

Alexei broke into a smile and only shook her head. A long silence fell between Crushen and Alexei, Joseph thought if he could just get her attention then he would have his chance. Quickly he lifted his glass and pored the remembrance down, burning every inch of his mouth while he tried his best to swallow. Once down Joseph slammed his glass down to catch some attention.

Alexei looked up at Joseph with a start at the sound and stopped her wiping of the first glass that she held between her fingers. She gave him a curious look and Joseph thought it good to speak. Yet when opening his mouth he only coughed.

“Sir? Do you need a drink? Water maybe?” Joseph’s mouth was dry and he could feel his face turning red from the still burning sensation. He tried to speak again.

“Yyyyyeah” in a whisper was all he could muster up form his parched throat. Alexei kept her glass in hand as she turned to the wooded shelves behind her that held the multiple bottles of drinks. Looking quickly with her eyes she started scanning the labels of each container. On tip toes she reached her slender arm up to the highest shelf pulled down a dusty brown old bottle with no label. She set her cup down and un-did the cork top and pored the contents it in.

“Here, its just water” and she shoved the glass into Joseph’s hands. Joseph didn’t say a word, his throat felt as if it was drying up like a slug under salt. He picked up the glass and drank slowly.