Battles Bar and Grill

"Are you with me?" She stood there holding out her hand to her. This was certainly different from the last time Reets was in the office . . .

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"What I am trying to tell you, bitch, is that you either start treating my special friends' right or you can find yourself another fucking job in this town."

"I'm not a whore, Mark!"

"You're a fucking waitress! Get it through your thick head that you could make a ton more money if you just give out a little for pay what you been giving out for free all these years."

"Fuck off Mark!"

She stormed out before he could get his drunken ass up and tried to hit her the way her ex did -- once. She went home in tears and was determined to quit. A week of searching the papers for something a non-high school graduate who's only been a waitress, or server in the new more politically correct view. "I'm not a hooker -- no matter what Mark thinks! Just 'cause I'm a single parent he thinks I am some sort of slut!"

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She took Myn's hand and stood up at the same time. "I am, boss-lady, I am!"

"Great! You on tonight, right?" Reets nodded. "Well too late to change things now. But look at the coverage and how we can improve on it. The phone rang.

"Hi . . . good . . . any issues . . . great! My name on the bills! Thanks!"

"Shirl is going to be OK, but she might not be working for a couple of weeks. Work that into your new schedule."

"Is her not working going to be a problem?"

"Not to me. She gets paid a flat rate on sick leave. It might not be as much as she makes with tips, but it's not bad. I want to know about her boyfriend."

"Myn, that's none of your business. She has to deal with it."

"He hurt one of my employees, it's my business."

For a moment she looked very dangerous then the room seemed to lighten up as she grinned. "OK, just tell her if she needs any help dealing with the asshole legally -- I know some good lawyers. Try and get her to press charges, OK?"

"Me?"

"I figured you would be going over to see her before your shift, am I wrong?"

"No, you're right."

She escorted Reets to the door and there someone else waiting with some papers. "Call me later about Shirley, OK?" She reaches into her pocket. "In fact . . ." She hands her a cell. "Call back here on this. You're a manager now; a phone is one of the bennies."

Reets walked out even more shell shocked than when she went in. There was still a small group who were obviously waiting on her. Before the questions started she held up her hands.

"Easy now, first of all the lady is serious. She's changing everything and I think I am happy about it."

Two other servers looked less happy and she had a pretty good idea why. They were going to have to work for the first time in their lives. Looking pretty wasn't going to keep their jobs!

"Second of all, Shirley is over at the hospital, her asshole boyfriend. Myn had Chris go over there and handle the medical paperwork right away. If she ain't serious she's doing a damn good imitation. I think she's for real."

"So we work for you?" called out one of the two servers not overly pleased at Reets' new elevation.

"Yes! If you have a problem with that then either wait 'til I fuck up and get fired or quit yourself. As the lady said I am a part owner of this place and I aim to see it succeed! Once we gets in full swing I'll want to see the whole floor staff to get better organized. But I will tell you no drug dealing or using and no more fucking hooking! The least she will do is fire your ass, I'll kick it! 'Battles' is a new place as of right fucking now!"

There was a mix of positive and negative in the murmuring.

"OK, I am going to check up on Shirl. I'll let anyone who's interested know how she's doing later. OK, good luck when you talk to Myn, she's moving at light-fucking-speed."

Reets left and once the sunlight hit her she paused to let her eyes adjust, even more to let her mind adjust.

Her visit to Shirl was brief. She was pretty out of it. The nurse, a good friend and former lover, told her that Shirl had a concussion from hitting the floor after 'someone' punched her right in the cheek. She held her hand up to her own cheek remembering the one time her ex hit her. "Why does the cheekbone hurt so much when you get hit there?" She also knew Shirl might not be working for more like a month to let the bruising fade. She was going to have a magnificent shiner, and knowing her, she was going to be hugely self-conscious about it.

She passed the word to Chris who didn't blink an eye at the idea of someone missing a whole month. Then Reets went home to crash for a few hours before starting her last night as a tip earning waitress. There was too much in her head for her to enjoy it right now. As she dozed off she remembered that surprisingly large number Myn flashed on that paper to her. Just as she fell asleep she knew she would reach one goal of buying her daughter a house!

Caryn had come in to wake her up and saw her sleeping so peacefully that she couldn't resist stripping down and joining her. Knowing how deeply Reets could sleep she climbed on the bed and slid her legs up Reets, pushing their pussies together, tribbing her.

Reets woke up to the most delightful feeling. Caryn had scissored her legs between Reets legs and was slowly rubbing their pussies together. It was the best way to wake up!

"Ummmm, yea, lover!"

"I thought that might wake you up."

"Don't stop!"

"No way."

Caryn pushed up Reets' leg up and knelt straddling her other leg, she pushed firmly against her and started rocking her hips, rubbing her in small motions.

Caryn smiled at her lover. Reets was a creature of habit, and that was one of the things she loved about her. Getting up at 7 to get her daughter to school wasn't a problem, Reets loved doing it. But the instant Rei got on the bus, Reets was back in bed. Getting her out of bed for a morning meeting was hard, but getting her blood going at 3PM was much easier! She loved to wake up nearing an orgasm and Caryn was just the girl to do that

They had been a couple since Caryn graduated, much to the displeasure of Caryn's folks. They weren't homophobes, not with a daughter like Caryn, but they thought Reets was beneath her. They didn't understand that despite a lack of education, Reets was one of the most intelligent women Caryn had ever met. Smart, sexy, and a loving mother and she loved Caryn with all her heart.

After showering, Reets gave Caryn the scoop, minus the new salary. She wanted to surprise Caryn and her daughter with that!

"You're shitting me?"

"You know for a college educated girl, I expect something better than 'You're shitting me'. "

"It must be all the low life, red neck, biker bitches I hang around with, present company included."

"The red neck, low life, I can understand, but these tits are too firm for a biker chick."

Caryn laughed and Reets smiled at her. Reets kissed her and then saw her daughter getting off the school bus through the dining nook window; and decided all was right with the world. She got to spend a couple of good hours with Rei until it was work time. As she walked out she paused to watch her baby doing her homework while Caryn cleaned up from dinner. All she could do was smile, a smile that lasted all the way to work for a change.

That shift was interesting. They had the same old clientele and many of them were looking for the sisters. Reets never realized how much 'trade' they must have been doing. Chris hadn't mentioned Curtis, the new bouncer, but after the first guy got a bit violent when he learned that the sisters weren't working there any longer, Reets was very glad Curtis was there.

She worked the shift and had a normal night's tips. Not too many bruises from guys thinking all waitresses want their ass pinched. She only dumped a beer in one lap, usually for a full shift she needed to dump two or three. She could tell the others were all thinking about the changes like she was. Several already asked for special times off for this and that. Reets found herself in the office working on a new schedule already. Chris checked over her work.

"You've got some 10 hour shifts for a couple of folks here, you sure?"

"With the ones Myn let go, we need it. I think we need to hire on one or two new servers if I can't keep the roster full up for Saturday."

Friday and Saturday were without a doubt the busiest nights at Battles. The rest of the week could be busy if a special party was going on, or a big sporting event, but usually three servers could handle things. Monday Night Football required a full group and Fri and Saturday nights almost always needed a floater on call.

"Good job!"

Reets sat there for a second as Chris entered the schedule in his computer. "Soon we'll get your a computer and you can do this yourself. Would you rather a laptop or desktop?"

Reets couldn't answer him right away.

"Laptop so you can take it home or a desktop?"

"That's not it, did you just compliment me?"

"I think so. You did a good job on your schedule, got coverage where and when you need it, took into account some server requests. When I asked about the overtime, you defended your decision. You did good and I like to tell people when they did good."

"I'm just not used to it, not here."

"Well trust me, when you screw up I'll tell you that too. The first time I come in and it's crowded and one poor server is running her ass off, I will hold your feet to the fire while Myn stokes it!"

Reets smiled at that picture and nodded slowly. "A laptop I think. My daughter will love it! She might be teaching me how to use it."

"How old is she?"

"Just turned 8, in the 3rd grade over at Green Primary."

"She live with you?"

"Yea, do you have kids?"

"Two boys, a little older than your girl. They live with their Mom."

"Divorced?"

"Yea, you?"

"Yea, but I am living with someone."

Chris laughed. "I was just making conversation, Rita. Myn would hand me my walking papers if I made a pass at you. Right now, you work for me and if it's one thing Myn is dead on is even the perception of harassment!"

Reets went back on the floor and made sure things were moving well. The college basketball game was going to end soon and the crowd would start to break up. All in all, a good night!

It was the start of a terrific month as well. Reets fell into handling the servers easily. What had never occurred to her was that she really had been doing that stuff all along. Mark and the previous managers would toss some piece of shit schedule together and she would make penciled changes each week to make sure things were covered. Now she was doing it ahead of time on her very own laptop computer! There was a little shake up in the folks. a few of the less willing to work hard left and a few new hires replaced them and fit right in. Her first check hit the bank and nearly caused her heart to stop! She hadn't told Caryn or Rei yet, but she'd engaged a realtor to find them a house in town, somewhere near Rei's school! Oh to give her daughter a backyard instead a long walk to the park made her tear up!

Myn was as good as her word and Chris was a godsend. The only small sticking point was Myn herself. Oh she was nice and really professional, but there was an attraction there that bugged Reets. What she didn't know was that it was bothering Myn as well!

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"OK love, what's up?" Sally said to Myn one quiet afternoon. They had just finished a bit of cleaning in their upstairs apartment and were just sitting together on the sofa in one of their favorite positions. From the beginning they two of them fit well together, It was also one of their most relaxing poses, but Sally felt a tenseness in Myn that normally disappeared once they were curled up together.

"I think you know me all too well."

"It took long enough, didn't it?" They shared a quiet laugh over their shared memory of the past few years. Sally had seen Myn enter a bar one evening and her life hasn't been the same since. Before meeting Myn she always thought of herself as straight, one look at Myn and she just couldn't look away. Myn was a little slower to open up all the way, but Sally's endearing nature came to the forefront and the two of them never looked back. They shared an apartment on the top floor of a three-story brownstone Myn owned. They also had a smaller apartment they used more like an office on the second floor and Sally kept her old garden apartment on the other side of town. They rarely stayed there, but used it for friends and guests when they wanted to entertain. The apartment they were in saw very few visitors, it was their place!

"Now, lover, since you attempted a very lame subject change, what's up?"

"Remember how we met?"

"Of course I do! You walked in and I fell for you!"

"It wasn't quite that simple."

"From my part it was. Oh it took you a little longer because you were nervous about getting involved with a straight girl, but you wised up soon enough."

Myn smiled and snuggled closer to Sally. "One reason, love, is that I had trouble swallowing the whole love-at-first-sight thing. I mean you were straight as an arrow, not even curious about making love with a woman and you were just staring at me. I wasn't sure to talk to you or get all freaked out."

"I remember, baby, I remember. I think you made the right choice. So what's the deal?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I think I know now exactly how you felt."

Sally stiffened a tiny bit. Oh she was secure in their relationship, but something like this coming out of the blue sounding worrisome.

"OK, I take it someone struck you the way you struck me. Let me guess, someone at the bar or the restaurant?"

"How did you know?"

"Because, love, ever since you bought them, you've been more than a little distracted. I figured it would even out eventually. When it didn't -- I guessed an employee. Is she pretty?"

Myn hung her head a little. "Very! And smart as hell too. I bumped her up to managing the floor service in the bar and she's been great! But she's such a damn distraction."

Sally actually laughed. "You like her!"

"I do! More than I thought when I first met her. The weird part is I think you would like her too."

"So what's the big deal, invite her over. We've had friends here before. Remember Ashley?"

"Ashley was different. She needed us in the worst way, even if she didn't know it at the time."

"You know that didn't matter."

"And neither does this."

"She's got a lover."

"And that didn't stop us with Beth and Tracey?"

"Dammit Sally!"

Sal hugged Myn closer and smiled in her hair. Myn was such a good person that she just didn't know how to handle such feelings.

"Myn, love, it's OK. Believe me; I know what you are feeling. I had to face such feelings years ago and again every time I look at you."

"But she's an employee!"

That made more sense as to why it was bugging her. Sally knew if it was simply an attraction, Myn would have invited her over and let things happen how they might. Sally loved the open part of Myn for that. It did lead to some interesting times, especially with Ashley -- some really spooky times with Ashley as well. But Myn had some very specific rules about employer-employee relationships and being attracted to this woman was less of a problem than her being an employee. There was something in Myn's history that she hadn't even shared with Sally. It didn't bother Sally, after all there were still things in her past she hadn't shared with Myn, sort of a Chely Wright Back-of-the-Bottom-Drawer thing.

"We'll figure it out Baby. You could always fire her?"

Myn held Sally close. "I thought of that already -- but you know I can't do it. She's great at her job, one day I expect her to be running the place when I pull Chris out to manage a trouble spot -- not just yet mind you, she needs more experience, but she's got the talent for it."

"I still don't really see the problem. Invite them over. We'll see what develops."

"She's a single parent, apparently a doll of a daughter in 3^rd grade." Myn said it very quietly.

Sally froze for just a second, which told Myn more than enough. Earlier this year the two of them thought about raising kids and had a few medical tests. Myn wasn't interested in being pregnant, but Sally learned she might never conceive. It had hit her pretty hard and it was something they hadn't worked all the way through, it was still a sensitive point.

"So invite the three of them over."

Myn hugged her Sally tightly knowing how hard it was for her to say that. "No need, we're having a picnic/business gathering and you'll get to meet them -- at least I hope Rita will bring her lover and daughter."

"Rita -- pretty name."

"Like I said, I am sure you will like her."

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One change Reets did make, she continued to work the floor frequently. Not enough to cut anyone else's hours, but she became the lead floater and would work whenever it was needed. Most of the other servers appreciated it because having to be 'on call' was a pain on a Friday or Saturday night. It didn't completely alleviate the need, but it cut down on it for other folks and made the schedule more predictable. As it was everyone worked full shifts and the quieter shifts were doled out as fairly as she could.

She also started a tip pool which at first annoyed some people, but when they realized she was putting her tips in, the grumbling died down. What they didn't know was what was happening to her tips, since she wasn't taken her share of the pool, but then she didn't know that Chris realized what she was doing and had her share set aside. As it was most of the folks still ended up with more than they anticipated and it made it easier to include the bar, bar-backs, and busboys in the mix. One of the things she always hated was the inevitable argument between servers and the others if someone thought they got slighted. Bartenders were pretty bad, but some busboys would try and rip the tips off if they thought they weren't getting a fair cut. What also annoyed Reets was how often the servers would have to bus tables and the busboys still whined about their tip cut. The pool made it simple, one collection, shared by a known quantity by each person based on position and hours worked. Plus there were enough eyes to keep everyone honest!

So far so good! Reets was surprised when Myn suggested it, but the mechanics were working out well. What also helped was more and more folks were paying with charge cards. Battles used to be like 90% cash, but today it was 50-50 and looking like it was heading toward more plastic than paper. Tax time was going to suck, but Pat had already started talking to folks about it.

The only sticking point for Reets was Myn herself and it drove her nuts. Her body would betray her anytime Myn came close. It was like she was reacting as if Myn was Caryn. Her scent, the way she moved, her eyes and certainly her smile. There were days Reets could barely look at her. She got into the habit of looking away and focusing on Myn's voice which was different enough from Caryn's to make it a little easier. The problem was that her throaty contralto was also a damn sexy voice. It was slowly driving Reets insane!