Getting Elsa Off The Job - Part Two

I pushed through the kitchen doors and came ’round the coffee station. It was Scott all right. He looked disheveled which was normal. I grinned and walked over to his table in the middle of the room.

“Elsie! I found you! That Ben. He’s…he’s quite a guy.” One eyebrow went up. “Friend of yours?”

I stared.

“Well, I like him. But he’s weird. I can see why he’s your friend. You always did like the weird ones.”

I smiled.

“Did you make this coffee? Because it’s pretty good, Elsie. It’s good, just like you.”

I didn’t answer. I just smirked and let him roll.

He looked around the empty restaurant. “I’ve never been here before. Nice place. Do you own it?” he asked.

I laughed.

“I came to see you, as you know. Your friend probably told you, back there. Did he tell you? He asked me why I was here and I told him I was here to see the Elsie-babe, of course. You’re lookin’ good, Elsie. You always do. I like that uniform,” he said in a way that was vaguely lecherous. Scott has a Venus, Mars, Pluto conjunction.

I just stared at him. Partly to mess with him, and partly because I hadn’t seen him in awhile. So I was seeing him, if you know what I mean. What is altered? What’s the same? I was scanning him.

“So are you mad? ‘Cause if you are, I can leave. I’d miss out on this coffee though. Did you make it? You must have, because it sure is good,” he said smugly.

I stared, and he waved his arm around the completely empty dining room. “I probably shouldn’t have come here. You’re way too busy to be bothered, aren’t you? The food here must really be spectacular,” he said grinning wide. “The place is packed.”

I smiled. “The food is shit,” I said. “It’s glorified, though. This is supposed to be a nice hotel. Till you walked in here, that is.” I laughed and he smiled.

“I should tell Jimmy to come in here. Liven the place up. Your friend Ben was kind enough to get me this great cup of coffee. He’s your friend, right? I think he’s gay.” He cocked his eyebrow. “He’s gay, isn’t he?”

Ben was utterly and obviously gay. Out of the closet since he was ten. “He may be gay,” I said. “Yes, it’s possible he’s gay.”

“So he’s your friend, not your friend, right? That’s good if you’re me, because you know I’m in here…sniffing around, baby. But we can talk about that later.”

I stared.

So Elsie, tell me. I have to know. Are you still mad at me? If you are, go ahead. Go ahead and yell. I should have shown up a lot sooner, so you could yell at me. I know how much you like to yell. Especially at the ol’ Scotty boy. So go ahead. I’m sorry you had to wait, but I’m here now, and I’m ready to take it like a man,” he said, raising his forearm as if he might have to deflect a blow.

“But I wasn’t mad. I was glad to see him. I figured he knew it and if not, fuck him. I scribbled my current phone number on my waitress pad and gave it to him. “I’m done at two. Get out of here.”

He looked happy. “What? No breakfast?”

I glared.

“Take it easy, Elsie. That’s a joke.”

“I’m going back in the kitchen. Be gone when I come back out, would you?”

“Yep. Okay then. I’ll call you. And I’ll leave hungry. I should probably lose a few pounds anyway.” He patted his stomach.

I shook my head. “Get the fuck out of here, Scott. Would you? And for chrissakes, don’t come back! Go! I’ll see you later, I said. 2!”

“Okay Elsie! 2:05! I’m gonna call you. I’ll set my watch. I won’t forget you can count on that.”

I waved at him and headed back to the kitchen. I shook my ass on the way, because I knew he’d be watching.

To be continued.

skip to part three…