46: Convincing

Jesse

 

      Erin looks uncomfortable. I don't want to be the one to tell her this, but this actually makes her a better target for that fucker.

      The second I walk up on the boards, I can tell a subtle difference in the way Marie acts. It's like she knows I'm here without looking. The thought makes me smile in spite of the fact that I want to beat Simon's face to a pulp. He's mixing Erin a drink. Perfect.

       I walk over and lean back against the railing to watch Marie, knowing that she has to come over and take my order eventually. I still harbor a weak hope that I can get her to come over tomorrow.

     I have to work three times harder than normal to keep from laughing my head off when Bryce arrives and immediately goes into 'jealous-boyfriend' mode. Oh Erin, this is just perfect! I think as, on some tiny level, I feel a little bad for doing this to Bryce. Still, the shoe needed to be on the other foot in order for him to be able to realize that it was wrong to accuse me of sheer jealousy when I saw Marie in someone else's arms. If Marie had wanted that attention, then I couldn't do anything about it, but she didn't want it. And that makes all the difference.

     Oh, I don't expect Bryce to fire him on the spot, not after what I saw today, but I just want Bryce to see Simon in a new light. Maybe then he'll begin to see that he's got to go.

     Marie has still not come over to ask me what I want to drink. I wonder how long she plans on ignoring me.

     Not much longer, actually, I notice, when I see her sigh and walk over to me. She never carries around a notepad. I admire her amazing ability to remember everything in an order.

     "What do you want tonight, Jesse?" she asks resolutely, looking incredibly tense. 

     Normally, I'd have a lot of fun with this type of a question, but I don't think now is the time for that type of flirting.

     "I just want to know if you're okay," I say. "Are you?"

     "I'm fine," she says automatically and a little too fast.

     She needs to quit, I think as I stand here and watch her.

      "Jesse," she says in exasperation, "either make an order or let me get back to work."

      I look around at the happy bar patrons. "Looks to me like everyone's fine." She turns around to look and see that I'm right. Of course I am. If anyone else needed anything, she wouldn't be over here talking to me. "Well, except one person," I point out. Who's in complete and utter denial about how upset she is.

     "Who, Bryce?" she asks, I guess realizing she might've gone over to ask Bryce if he wanted anything when he showed up.

      "You."

      "I told you; I'm fine," she reiterates, and I decide to drop directly asking her how she is for now.

      "Has he tried anything else?" I ask and watch her expression closely for any hint of that shithead bothering her again.

      "No," she says defensively.

      "Marie, you aren't doing anything wrong by admitting how uncomfortable you were earlier. You can't keep working in this environment."

     I keep talking, "It scares the crap out of me."

     Simon leaves Bryce and Erin to head back to the now very-crowded bar. I guess flirting with Erin distracted him from doing his job.

     Marie stands there and actually looks worried for me. The irony of that isn't lost on me... only it's not funny. I almost wish she'd not look at me like that because it makes me want to grab her face in my hands and kiss away the worry. That's not something she needs right now, and I have to repeatedly remind myself of that.

      "I can take care of myself, Jesse. You don't have to be scared for me," she says as quietly as she can and still have the words reach me. They reach me a little better than usual due to a lull in the music.
       I love how she says my name.

      Simon looks like he's playing catch-up with all the drink demands he gets. I see him shoot Marie angry glances every once in a while, and I decide not to point this out to her. I want to piss him off.

    So, since most of the remaining customers all gang up on Simon at the bar, I stand here and talk to Marie for several minutes about whatever topic interests her. I learn all about her little brothers and how one is an artist and the other is big into sports like she was as a kid. Surprisingly, she talks about the artist brother much more affectionately than the younger one. I wonder why.

     "I always wondered what it would've been like to have siblings," I say.

     She smiles and laughs a little, also rolling her eyes before she says, "It's okay as long as you're not the constant babysitter because of your mother's drama."

     Just as I ask her to elaborate to keep her talking, Simon walks up behind her and interrupts us.

      He gets her attention, and she turns around. "What the hell, Marie? You abandon me at the bar where I have to fill everyone's orders while you stand over here and flirt?"

     I watch as her profile looks upset when she looks around the bar. "I didn't see any customers in the bar seating that needed help. I don't know what to do when they're up at the bar."

     "You could've at least come up and taken their orders so that they weren't all standing around staring at me, wondering why I wasn't fixing their order first. This isn't social hour."

      I can almost see his point if it weren't for him doing the exact same thing with Erin earlier. 

      I also can't help but snort as I think If only Marie was flirting with me...

      "I'm sorry. You're right. I could've come up and done that," she says with her head bowed.

      "Right," he says. "You're not paid to flirt."

      I can't stand it. "Neither are you," I say darkly.

      His beady eyes snap over to me as he hisses, "Just what the hell are you talking about?"

      "With Erin earlier," I explain.

      "I was entertaining a new customer as far as I knew," he retaliates.

      "Well, Marie was entertaining this customer," I snap, pointing to myself. I have never liked this guy, and I used to avoid coming here when I knew he was working. Today, he's pushed that 'not liked' to loathing.

      "Bullshit, Jesse. I'm not an idiot."

      I walk around Marie and get right in the little shit's face. He takes a step back.

     "Really?!" I ask, incredulous. "You sure could've fooled me! So, it's okay for you to go off and focus on just one customer when it suits your purpose, but to have Marie do the same thing is against the rules?" Everything that happened today has started to pile up, and I know I'm losing it. I don't care though.

     "You weren't even ordering anything as far as I can tell, so I can only assume you're trying to pick her up. She needs to be reminded to get back to work. Haven't you interfered enough today?"
      I feel my temper get the better of me. "Interfered?! Interfered?!!! It's lucky for her that I showed up when I did with your greasy hands all over her!" I'm about two seconds from punching him.
     Then the sonofabitch smiles and asks, "Jealous?"
     Out of nowhere, Marie reaches up and blocks my punch. I'd been aiming right for his stupid grin. "No, Jesse," she pleads as Simon skips away.

    "What's going on?" Bryce asks from behind me. I wonder how long he'd been standing there as I step aside since he appears to ask Simon the question and not me.
     "Just Jesse distracting Marie from doing her job," Simon answers.
     Bryce scowls and stays quiet for a few seconds. "Simon, I've been debating the idea of reorganizing the business, and I'm afraid you have no place in it. Not with your behavior."
     "You're firing me because I made pass at your friend's crush?"
     "For your unprofessional attitude and actions," Bryce answers.
     "You've gotta be shitting me!" Simon looks at Bryce like he's waiting for him to say he's joking. When he sees he's not, he gets mad.

     "I've worked for you for three years! You start acting different, and then I come back from vacation and you're some stranger. You never cared about anything that went on with Bernadette." Simon snarls. What?!
     "Excuse me?" Bryce asks, his eyebrows raised. "What are you talking about?"

     "I thought she told you."
     "Get off my property, Simon," Bryce states with deadly calm.
     No wonder Bernadette quit.

    Bryce turns to Marie while I stare a hole into the scumbag, wondering why he hasn't left yet. "Marie, I'm truly sorry I didn't do something like this earlier today, and I hope you continue to work for me." I feel that was a little formal, but sometimes that's what's needed, I guess.
     Simon's beady little eyes go back and forth between Marie and Bryce.
     Marie nods silently, and Bryce thanks her.

     Simon walks off, mumbling about how he's going to see Bryce in court. Bryce merely laughs and tells him, "Good luck finding someone better than Desmond to represent you."
      I laugh a little too, realizing that Desmond is good for something besides laughing at after all.
      Then, Bryce looks up at Marie and says he'll help her close up as soon as they don't have any more customers or closing time, whichever comes first. I can feel the relief radiating off Marie as Erin and I help the two of them clean things up.

     Not much time goes by before the bar empties of everyone but the four of us, and I somehow magically convince Marie to let me walk her home again.


     Just before reaching the edge of her building, I gently pull her out towards the beach. She hesitates a little with a confused expression as she lets me lead her, holding her hand.

    Just before we reach the sand, she pulls a little harder on my hand, pulling hers free. I decide this is far enough and turn to face her.
    "What is it?" she asks me in a wary voice.
    "Now that all that crap is over, I'm going back to my original plan and begging you to come to my party tomorrow night. I'll even come and pick you up beforehand so you don't have to walk or call a cab," I plead.
     "Jesse..." she lets her voice trail off in an exasperated way. She's frequently exasperated around me I've noticed. "Why?" she asks.
     "Because I want you to," I answer simply. "It's not like we'll be the only ones there. Everyone, well, except Bryce and I don't know about Erin, will be there. You don't even have to talk to me if you don't want to," I add at the end.
     "Right," she says, not believing me for a second.

    I can't help but quietly laugh now, and again, I notice more tension leave Marie from the way her posture changes. "Okay, well, yeah I guess that's getting a bit ridiculous." I laugh again before I get a little more serious. "I really want you to come, please?" When I don't get an outright no, I keep trying. "Please, please, please, please, please?" The adorable begging: I hope it works.

    She does another one of those sighs and closes her eyes.
    "You don't have anything else planned, do you? Why not come over and meet the group?"
    "I suppose I can," she breathes, and I work hard to keep from jumping up and down.
    Yes!
     "Thank you," I grin, and she finally opens her eyes.
     "You don't need to come pick me up; I can make my way over there myself. You live behind Bryce I'm guessing?"
      Observant. "Yes," I answer. "Are you sure you don't need me to? I mean, it's no bother at all."
      "No, that's not necessary. What time?"
      As soon as you can get there is when the party really starts. "Around seven. Pretty much any time around then. If you want to show up early you can. I mean, I'm off tomorrow too." On purpose. "Maybe we could go do something before the party?" I hold my breath. You're pushing your luck, Jesse.

    "No, I have things I need to get done."
    "Well, you don't have a car. I could just play chauffeur. You know, if you need to go to the grocery store or something."
    "Laundry," she explains in a one-word sentence.
    "Oh," I answer lamely. Then I get a little playful. "I could come help with that. I'm very good at folding towels."
     "Jesse..." she growls in warning, and I can't contain the laughter anymore. "And I can walk to the store," she says.
    Seeing a few openings, I take them. "But what if it rains? And the walk home is a bear with all those bags."
     "I'm sure I'll be fine."
     "If you change your mind, you'll give me a call, right?" I ask, grinning and hoping for what she might say next.
     "How can I do that when I don't have your phone number?" she asks.
      Oh this is too easy. "Are you asking for my phone number, Marie? Sure, I'll give it to you. Hand me your phone, and I'll input it myself." I bite the inside of my mouth to keep from laughing again as I watch her glare at me.
      "Walked right into that one, didn't I?"
      I'm so glad she doesn't look pissed, more resigned. There's a small glimmer of hope.
      "I'm afraid you did," I answer with a grin and obstinately hold out my hand for her phone. I text myself immediately after she gives it to me: Marie's phone number
      "What did you just do?!" she asks in a shocked voice when she hears my phone buzz in my pocket.
      "Well," I quickly explain while turning and keeping her from getting her phone back, "how else am I going to know it's you?" I go into her address book to put myself in and list myself in her favorites.
      "May I have my phone back please before you reprogram the whole thing?" she asks, trying and failing to show how she can't help but think this is funny.
     I grin. "Geez, no need to get your panties in a wad. It was you that asked for my phone number after all. I was just saving you the trouble of having to put it in yourself," I say teasingly, thinking of where her panties lay hidden in my room. I grin as I hand her back her phone.

    "All kidding aside-"
    "You know how to be serious?" she asks facetiously, interrupting.
    "- you'll call me if you need anything?" My mouth drops in mock shock as I take in what she said. "What do you mean by that? Of course I can be serious!" I pretend to act wounded. I can be very serious if you'd just let me. I say a little quieter, "For instance, I'm seriously happy you're coming to my party tomorrow." I take a step closer to her. We get quiet, and I wonder if she'll let me kiss her again. Maybe?

......

    "Jesse, if you try to kiss me, you'll wind up in a painful ball in the dirt," she says evenly and with a slight amount of warning in her voice.
    "What if I'm willing to take the risk?" I ask seductively.
    "They're your balls after all," she brazenly points out.
    I pause for a second before have to take a step back because I double over in laughter.
    "Shh!" she urges. "People are trying to sleep!" After a short pause, she adds, "And I need to be one of them."
    I decide I've pressed my luck enough tonight, probably even gone too far considering the day she's had, so I don't ask her if I can join her. Instead, I tell her goodnight, making sure to in no way make it look like I'm going to kiss her, and head back to the bar to Martha. Before I get there, I get a text:

thank you for your help today