Valentine's Day Curse

The next few minutes were more embarrassing than having to take the sobriety test in front of the entire neighborhood. Emily was a pro ranter. She could remember every stupid thing I did as a kid growing up and she wasn't above listing them in detail when she went off. She started doing just that.

"Okay, I get the point," I said when she finally took a breath. I felt bad. For her to go off like that she must really have been really upset. "And you're right. It was a stupid thing to do. I'm sorry. Can we drop it now?" I thought she was going to continue on despite my plea, but then Rebecca interjected.

"It's getting late," she said. "And I have some papers to grade. Why don't you all go home and cool off for a bit? You can always continue this tomorrow." My sister eyed the teacher carefully for few minutes, possible reading more into Rebecca's comment than was warranted.

"I should get the boys home," Emily finally said. "They need to get their homework done before dinner."

"Speaking of dinner," Timmy said. "I get off around four. Maybe we could..."

"I don't have a babysitter for tonight," my sister interjected, but then relented and added, "Although, you're welcome to come over if you want. The boys know you so it shouldn't be that big of a deal. We're eating at six."

"I'll be there," Timmy said with a grin as he walked to his patrol car.

"That was fun," Ted laughed as he called the boys back over. My nephews came with his sons.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," Emily said to me. "And try not to talk too much about the Curse tonight. It's bad for your business."

"So Franky keeps telling me," I sighed.

"He might not be the most talkative bartender in the world, but he's smart," my sister replied before giving me a quick kiss on the cheek and then turning to Rebecca. "It was a pleasure finally meeting you Ms. Phillips."

"You too," the brunette replied. "And you can call me Rebecca if you'd like."

"I will," my sister promised. "When we're not on school grounds. I expect we may be seeing a lot of each other that way soon."

"Perhaps," Rebecca replied cryptically. I decided to ignore their interplay. Things were safer that way.

"Well, that was interesting," I sighed as the parking lot emptied leaving Ms. Phillips and me as the last two present.

"If you say so," Rebecca said, shaking her head. "Of course, you're not the one who is going to have to explain it all to Mrs. Myerson."

"I could if you want," I offered with a grin. "I was always one of her favorites."

"She was the principal back when you went here?"

"No," I replied. "She was the middle school science teacher. She was good too. Don't tell her this, but I had a crush on her back then."

"She's a bit old for you, no?" Rebecca asked with a grin.

"The heart wants what the heart wants," I shrugged.

"Interesting," she replied with a shake of her head, but she was smiling too.

"Well, I can't say that the way we met was a pleasure, but on the other hand it was nice to meet you," I offered. She looked at me oddly and smiled slowly.

"Yes, it was." Did I really see some interest in her eyes or was I only imagining it? Worse, if it was there, was it real or just the Curse?

"Stupid Curse!" I grumbled, causing her to laugh.

"I thought you gave that idea up?" Rebecca stepped away from my car and began walking toward the entrance to the school. I think she planned that to be rhetorical question, but I answered anyway.

"You can't give up something that's a proven fact!" I called after her.

She just continued to laugh as she disappeared into the building. I watched her until she was gone. I couldn't see much considering the conservative clothes she was wearing, but what I did see, I liked.

"A school teacher?" I mumbled to myself. "It has to be the Curse!"

********

There was a knock on my office door. I sighed and looked at the clock. It was a little after nine. Usually the place would be quieting down about now and we'd be closing in less than an hour. After all it was the middle of the week. Of course, it being Valentine's Day we were still packed.

"Busy means money coming in," I mumbled to myself. "And that's a good thing." Still, I found myself wishing everyone would just leave.

I had to extend my normal business hours until midnight because whether I liked it or not, I couldn't afford to turn away the business, but deep down I felt that by doing so I was aiding and abetting something ominous. Valentine's Day didn't end for almost another three hours and it was like the damn Curse wouldn't be denied its full allotment of time to wreak its havoc.

The knocking repeated so I sighed and called out, "Yeah, what is it?" The door opened and Sally walked in. She was my best waitress. She was also a bit of a wiseass, but never to the customers so I dealt with it.

"Still hiding back here?" she teased, but then added before I could reply, "Actually, it's probably a good thing. Carol Hendricks is out there with some friends and she's asked about you at least five or six times. The more she drinks the more often she asks."

"Great," I sighed, but then added, "And I'm not hiding. I'm catching up on some paperwork."

"Boss, you keep telling yourself that," she snorted.

I wasn't hiding in my office no matter what Sally thought. On the other hand, I hadn't gotten much paperwork done either. My mind kept wandering back to this afternoon. There were definitely a few things I would have done differently, but that not what kept me distracted. No, my distraction had to do with a certain new teacher. I couldn't get her warm smile and cool grey eyes out of my head. Stupid Curse.

"Is there a reason why you're back here?" I prompted. Sally's expression turned serious. That didn't bode well because it sure as hell wasn't my tone that did it, not with Sally. That meant I wasn't going to like the answer to my question.

"Tommy O'Neil."

"Christ, who let him in?" I snapped, standing and moving around my desk.

"I don't know," Sally shrugged. "But it wasn't me. That boy gets grabby when he drinks."

"And let me guess, he's drunk off his ass and refusing to take a cab home?" I had a relationship with both taxi drivers in town and I'd forewarned them about tonight, not that they needed it. They both did a brisk business on Valentine's Day. In fact, they did so well that even in a mile square town like ours it was sometimes a ten or fifteen minute wait.

"Got it in one," Sally replied. It wasn't particularly difficult to figure out. Tommy liked to drink. Well actually, he liked to get drunk. He also was the type of guy who refused to admit when he was too far gone to drive.

If this were the summer the solution would be easy. Unless he was in really bad shape, I would simply take his keys. It would be up to him if he took a cab or walked home, but it being mid-February and below freezing now that the sun was down I wasn't about to let a drunk walk home.

"Let's get out there before he takes a swing at someone, again." Sally nodded in agreement and followed me out the door.

I groaned when I entered the main bar because Tommy was at the exit making a scene. He was trying to push through Franky and Anthony, the other bartender on tonight, but they were blocking him. The most frustrating part was that sober, Tommy was a good guy, not that I'd seen him that way in a long time.

He started drinking in high school like the rest of us, but it grew worse and worse for him as the years passed. I tried talking to him about it, but it was a wasted effort. It got to the point that I had to refuse to serve him. That sucked on a lot of levels. Tommy wasn't my best friend growing up, but he was a good one. That friendship pretty much died when I kicked him out of the pub the first time.

"There you are!" Carol Hendricks cried as she wrapped her arms around me and tried to give me a kiss on the lips. I turned my head quickly and received it on the cheek instead. She was clearly feeling no pain. I tried to break away from her, but she was being stubborn. Stupid Curse.

"I have to go help with Tommy," I said, trying to get through to her. It was a wasted effort, at least on her. Her friend Nancy, who must have agreed to be the designated driver for their small group, understood and helped me untangle myself from Carol. She was clearly embarrassed for her friend.

"Franky, first you refuse to serve me and now you won't let me leave. I don't care how old you are!" Tommy was nearly yelling. "Get out of my way or so help me..." I shook my head. Franky was probably a good thirty years older than Tommy, but there was no doubt in my mind who would win that fight, even if Tommy was sober.

I glanced around the room and saw most people watching what was happening. That was bad enough, but what really annoyed me was that Tina, the other waitress on tonight and in many ways my 'problem child', was standing there with a hungry expression. It was pretty obvious that she was hoping for a fight. I shook my head and looked away.

I really had to get rid of Tina soon, but definitely not tonight. I'd hired Tina because she was the cousin of a friend and needed a job for the holidays. I figured it would be okay because she was supposed to be temporary help. That was mistake number one. Mistake number two was in not firing her as soon as I realized she wasn't very good, but by that time one of my regular waitresses quit and Tina knew our system. Besides, I didn't have anyone else.

At least I was smart enough to start looking. Ginny could probably handle the night crowd now, but I wanted to give her another month or so on the day shift. Plus, I had to start looking for her replacement otherwise I'd end up getting stuck covering tables during lunch. Ah, the joys of being a small business owner.

I shook my head and pushed thoughts of Tina and what needed to be done out of my mind. Tommy was getting louder and more aggressive. He was actually trying to crowd Franky and Anthony. Dumb ass. He'd better hope Franky held his temper. I only saw him lose it once in all the years we've worked together. It was not pretty.

"Tommy, you're acting like a drunk ass...again," I snapped as I pushed between him and Franky. Okay, so I wasn't giving him my best customer service pitch. On the other hand, I wanted to call him a lot worse than that so I figured it was a wash. Besides, there was only one thing I could say that had any shot of working. I felt ridiculous using it, but so be it. "Are you going to calm down or do I call your mother?" I know, I know, but Mrs. O'Neil was one tough lady and even drunk, Tommy was afraid of her.

"My mother?" he cried. "Keep her out of this! I'm thirty years old!"

"How about you act like it then?" I retorted. "You're drunk and you can't drive. Wait for a taxi. It will be here before you know it."

"Doesn't matter," he slurred, his mood shifting dramatically. That sometimes happens with drunks. "Nothing does." He sounded like he was about to cry. God, please no! I never know what to do when people cried. I mean, girls were bad enough, but guys? No way did I want to deal with that. Still, despite the fact that we hadn't been on good terms in a few years, he was a friend.

"What's up?" I asked, not sure I wanted to know the answer.

"I got fired today. Now what am I going to do?"

"Ah shit," I sighed, more to myself than him. Honestly, I was surprised he held on to his job as long as he did. Tommy needed help, but to date he's pushed away anyone who offered some. I knew from personal experience. I also knew that now wasn't the time to try again. On the other hand, I had to do something.

"Come on, let's get you home," I said, taking his elbow. "I'll give you a ride."

"Are you sure?" Sally asked in surprise. I had a rule about not driving the customers home. I know it sounds harsh, but I wasn't a taxi service and at one point it started feeling a lot like that. After all, I pretty much knew everyone in town. I'd lived here my whole life.

"Yeah," I replied. "He's a friend." Sally smiled and nodded in understanding. Of course, Sally being Sally, she couldn't let it go at that.

"You're just trying to avoid Carol," she teased. I surprised myself by actually laughing.

"That too," I admitted. "I can't wait until this day is over."

"I know, I know...the Curse." Sally said, rolling her eyes. She turned away before I could reply.

"Don't worry boss, I'll handle things here." That came from Franky. I nodded in thanks.

"Keep an eye on Tina." He gave me a look that let me know he was already planning on doing so. I felt bad for leaving considering that Franky had to be tired. He was already putting in a double shift because of the holiday. Oh well, the best thing I could do was get Tommy home and come back as soon as possible.

The ride to Tommy's house was quick, but then I had to help him inside. That was a battle. He refused to give me his keys and couldn't quite get the one for the house in the lock. Tommy lived in one half of a two family home. His mother owned it and let him stay on one side. The other she rented out. She lived across town in a townhouse.

After five minutes I was ready to deck Tommy and take the keys. The wind had picked up and the temperature had dropped considerably since this afternoon. I was freezing and he was clearly making no headway with the lock. Worse, he was getting angry and literally yelling at the door. We were close to wrestling over the keys when the lights from next door turned on.

"Tommy, give me the keys!" I finally snapped. "You woke Mr. Simmons. You know him. He's going to complain to your mother and she'll give you hell for it tomorrow."

"Mr. Simmons...gone. Got...new nghbr," Tommy slurred. It took me a couple of second to translate that last word into neighbor. He actually sounded worse than when we left the bar. That didn't stop him from talking, although I didn't understand half of what he said. The best I could get out of his rambling was that Mr. Simmons had moved in with mother. Or maybe his brother? Something like that anyway.

I heard the other door open. I guess Tommy did too because he stopped talking long enough to look over my shoulder. His eyes grew big before he added in perfect clarity, "You're hot!"

I turned and glanced at his new neighbor who was looking at us from her doorway. I had to give Tommy credit. Even drunk he knew a pretty girl when he saw her. I should have guessed who it would before I turned. I had the distinct impression that the Curse was laughing at me.

"Sorry to bother you," I offered, doing my best to keep hold of Tommy. He was weaving and bobbing pretty badly. I was trying to decide what to do next when Tommy stumbled into the nearby bushes and started throwing up. No surprise there. What did surprise me was his new neighbor's reaction.

"Here, let me help," Rebecca said, moving to Tommy's other side. She was wearing a thick robe and what I guessed were green flannel pajamas. Some guys might be turned off by that. Me, not so much. It didn't hurt than her dark hair was no longer pulled back. It was down and softened her look considerably. Her striking grey eyes met mine as we did our best to hold Tommy between us. I quickly looked away. Damn! I needed to focus on something else.

"See if you can get the keys from him and open the door," I said, thankful for her aid despite my qualms about the Curse's part in all this. "They're in that hand."

I'm not sure how she did it, but a few moments later Rebecca was holding his door open as I helped him inside. Tommy was no longer getting sick, but I had the feeling he wasn't done yet so I led him to the bathroom. We barely made it in time.

"Please forgive him," I said to Rebecca as I stood over Tommy. He was resting his head on the bowl between bouts. "He's had a rough day."

"The Curse?" she asked with an actual smile. You had to like someone who could crack a joke in the middle of all this.

"Not this time," I replied, at least not in regards to Tommy. "He lost his job today."

"Ah," she said, no longer finding anything funny.

"He's harmless enough and a good guy when he's sober," I offered. "Not that he's that way all that often these days." It was time to cut this short. "Thanks for helping, but I've got it from here." She hesitated, but then nodded and left.

I won't bore you with the details of what happed over the next hour or so. Needless to say, eventually Tommy stopped getting sick and I cleaned him up and put him to bed. Then I spent a few minutes washing up before leaving. I'd have to stop by the next morning. Maybe losing his job would finally push Tommy to accept he had a problem. Maybe not. That was an issue for tomorrow.

I pulled the front door closed as I left Tommy's fully planning to disappear without bothering Rebecca again, but although her storm door was closed the exterior door was still open. No one leaves their front door open in this weather without a reason. I figured she wanted to be sure everything was okay. It didn't seem right to slip away without updating her since she was kind enough to help.

Rebecca answered my knock quickly, confirming my assumption as far as I was concerned. I was surprised to see that she was no longer in her robe. She'd changed into a pair of jeans and an off white fisherman's sweater that looked perfect for this weather. Okay, it also fit her very nicely.

"That's a much better look for you," I couldn't resist offering. She seemed surprised by my comment at first, but then smiled.

"What's the matter? You don't care for my flannel PJs?" I liked the fact that she had a sense of humor. I also like the fact that she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself.

"Actually, they're fine," I replied. "It was what you were wearing earlier today that didn't do much for you. Not that you need help looking good." She looked at me with an arched eyebrow.

"Have you been drinking?"

"That again?" I asked, laughing instead of being offended. She joined me. "To answer your question," I continued. "No, I have not been drinking. Sorry for embarrassing you. Let's just chalk it up to the Curse and forget I said anything."

"I wasn't embarrassed." Her voice was far too calm for my comfort. Rebecca was holding the storm door open. The scent of her perfume tantalized me. I decided the safest bet was to change the subject.

"Thanks for the help with Tommy. He finally passed out. He'll sleep through the night now."

"You're a good friend," Rebecca offered, thankfully letting the earlier subject drop.

"Not really," I denied, feeling guilty. "If I were then I would have found a way to get him some help years ago."

"People have to accept help for it to be of any use."

"There is that, but still..." I didn't finish. There really wasn't anything else to say. "I guess I should be going back to work."

"Your place still open?" Rebecca asked.

"Yeah, until midnight because of the holiday. I have someone covering for me, but I need to get back." I had a strong urge to ask her to join me, but I squelched it mercilessly. On any other day, I probably would have asked. Who am I kidding? I would definitely have asked, but there was no way I was giving the Curse that kind of opportunity.

"Great," she smiled. "I'll see you there. I haven't been out since I moved into town and I'm suddenly feeling in the mood." All kinds of warnings went off in my head.

"Are you sure you want to go out now? It's pretty late," I said a little too quickly. "Plus you're a school teacher and the crowd today is a bit much. You don't want to send the wrong message to your students' parents. Mrs. Myerson won't be thrilled if she receives any concerned calls from them. " Wow, did I really just say all that? I didn't quite groan as I replayed my words in my head. Oddly, she didn't seem offended at first.