Billie had arrived early to set up the bar. She started a conversion with one of the other early arrivals, which she came to regret. Over the next thirty minutes, Billie learned all about the woman and Sun’s adventures in the financial regulation sector. She lost count of how many ‘whaaat’s’, ‘no way’s’, and ‘that’s crazy’s’ she’d uttered as Sun’s friend went on and on and on.
Worried she might be trapped all night, Billie got a glimmer of hope when Sun walked Ikher into the dining room and out onto the deck. It was now or never.
The next time Sun’s friend paused for breath, Billie jumped from behind the bar. “Hey, if you’ll excuse me, I just saw a friend I haven’t seen in a while.”
Fast walking outside before the woman could say anything, Billie found Ikher looking out at the river. She walked over and leaned on the railing next to him.
He glanced over with his easy smile. “Hey, what’s up?”
He had one of the bottle waters from the deck coolers in his hand.
Billie pointed. “Good man, starting slow. You don’t want to be like Eric last year.”
“I heard about that,” Ikher said with a nod. ”Said you spiked his drinks.”
Billie sucked her teeth. “Please, he had one too many Long Island Teas and leaped the fire pit.”
Ikher’s eyes grew huge, and he looked out at the bonfire pile, then back to her. “He tried to jump over that?”
“No. It was much smaller last year,” she said, holding her hands at shoulder length. “I think they made it larger to discourage shenanigans.”
“Hello, beautiful people,” a voice said behind them.
Turning, Billie’s heart stopped. Katrina walked onto the deck wearing a bright red wrap dress that hugged and accentuated every curve of her body. Even Jewish Jesus, hanging from the cross on her neck, pointed down the dress’s plunging neckline to her cleavage.
When Katrina squeezed her in a hug, Billie barely managed, “Hey, lady.”
After hugging Ikher, she looked them both over and said something that sounded nice in Spanish.
“You look amazing too,” Ikher said.
“Thank you! It’s nice to dress up now and then, no?.” She pointed to his button-up and jeans. ”I like your combination. Dark colors suit you.”
“Can I interest you two in something to drink?” Billie asked.
“Please,” Katrina said and hooked her arms in theirs as they walked back in.
Thankfully, Sun’s friend had moved on, so Billie took her place behind the bar. As Billie poured wine for Katrina, movement by the door caught her eye. When she looked, her heart stopped again.
Katrina’s younger copy, Dahlia, entered the dining room wearing a tight, white one-piece off-the-shoulder dress cinched with a wide belt. The dress’s high thigh split showed off knee-high boots. Wavy mermaid hair rested on her shoulders.
Billie had just enough breath for, “Oh… wow.”
“You look nice,” Katrina said to her daughter.
Dahlia tossed her hair over her shoulder and smiled. “I know.”
Ikher leaned forward and tipped the wine bottle up and whispered, “Looks like your prayers got answered.”
A smile grew on Billie’s face until a tall, light-skinned man with cornrows appeared and put his arm around Dahlia’s shoulders. Katrina had a brief exchange with him before he and Dahlia wandered out onto the deck.
“Dude, that sucks,” Ikher said, looking at Billie.
“Eh, you get used to it.” Billie sighed. Katrina was super straight, so she should have known her daughter was too. “I just need to learn not to get my hopes up.”
An irate little fairy appeared at Billie’s side. “Why’s everyone just standing around?” Sun said and poked Billie in the shoulder. “Put some music on!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Billie turned and opened the stereo cabinet hidden in the wall behind the bar. Taking stock of her current company, she turned the dial to 100.9, Ranola es Amor, and hit power to the speakers. Fast-paced Latin music thumped through the dining room. Her choice got Ikher’s head nodding and Katrina swaying on her bar stool.
“Excellent choice,” Katrina said.
Billie held her hands out and bowed her head. “I like to think I have good taste.”
Katrina hopped down and danced by herself. When she was in the middle of a turn, Billie smacked Ikher in the shoulder and nodded toward Katrina. Ikher shook his head, not understanding. Billie’s shoulders dropped, and she sighed.
“You know Kat,” Billie said over the music. “Ikher here used to dance.”
“Really?” she said, turning to him. “Salsa? Merengue? Tango?”
He did a typical Ikher shrug. “Little bit of everything.”
Katrina smiled and held her hands out. “Come, dance with me.”
Ikher took her hands, and they moved out to the middle of the room. They started slow but it wasn’t long before they found a shared rhythm and spun around the floor looking like a professional dance couple.
Sun’s idea worked. The music drew people to the dining room. Seeing Katrina and Ikher, another couple joined them, then a second pair, but they weren’t as fluid or fast. With the new additions on the dance floor, Billie noticed Katrina and Ikher had become much more physical with each other. Was this part of the dance? It was almost like they were playing with each other.
Katrina’s hands all over him and the smile on her face after he breathed on her neck said they were definitely flirting. That lucky bum.
Eric appeared next to Billie, leaning on the bar. “Wow, look at Ikher go.”
Billie nodded. “Kat’s good too.”
“No, she isn’t,” a voice said from their side. Turning, they saw Dahlia shaking her head. “Momma’s got three left feet.”
Billie and Eric turned back to watch but it looked like Katrina knew what she was doing, Billie glanced back at Dahlia’s pinched mouth and squinted eyes. They must have some kind of history to warrant that reaction.
As the song ended, Katrina spun one last time and ended up intertwined with Ikher. Eric started clapping, causing others to join in. All dancing pairs looked surprised but then bowed; Ikher held his hand toward Katrina. She led him back to the bar where she sat and used a napkin to fan herself.
“I’m impressed, Mister Ybarra,” Eric said, giving Ikher a pound. “I figured Kat knew what was she was doing, but you two killed it.”
“I had a great partner,” Ikher said, drawing a big smile from Katrina.
“Yep, he’s a saint,” Dahlia said as she walked away.
“Oh, I love this song,” Sun said, grabbing Eric and pulling him to the floor for a waltz.
Katrina slid over to sit next to Ikher and they chatted while Billie made a drink for someone else. When she saw Katrina still fanning herself, Billie passed her a glass of water and they watched the couples float back and forth with the softer music. There was a smaller round of applause after this display, but nothing like what the salsa dance received.
As the crowd filtered out, Billie decided to change it up. Eric started chatting with Katrina as she scrolled through the stations. She picked JAM 975 and a fast-paced bass-heavy song came on.
“Awww, that’s my jam!” Dahlia yelled.
Turning, Billie saw her dragging her lanky date to the dance floor. Compared to Ikher, or even Eric, Ricardo had zero rhythm. He stood there, only moving his shoulders and hands a bit. Of course, he didn’t need rhythm the way Dahlia was all over him. She rubbed and grinded herself against him and almost knocked him over when she bent forward and backed it up into him.
Katrina turned, put her face in her hand with an exasperated sigh. “Why does she have to be vulgar all the time?”
Billie laughed. “You weren’t grinding on dudes at her age?”
Katrina smacked the bar with a glare. “No, I was taking care of twins.”
Katrina turned back to Eric, so Billie watched Dahlia dance and noticed something. Mother and daughter were similar, but seeing them both on the dance floor highlighted a key difference. They both had confidence to spare, but it seemed like it came from different places.
When Katrina danced with Ikher, there were some sexual undertones, but it was a give and take, a partnership. Dahlia, on the other hand, was overtly sexual and danced by herself despite Ricardo being there. He was more prop than a partner.
There was no applause when the song ended. Looking around, Billie realized that most people had cleared out from the dining room, Katrina and Eric included. She didn’t see either of them around the corner. Ikher hadn’t returned either. Perhaps it was time to wander.
“How much are the drinks?” she heard behind her.
Turning, she found Dahlia and her date leaning on the bar.
“Open bar.”
“No shit?” Dahlia said, her eyebrows going up.
Dahlia questioned Billie with an impressive mental library of drinks. No, Billie didn’t have fruit for Jungle Juice. Yeah, she could mix cognac and whiskey but she didn’t recommend it. No, there wasn’t anything over one hundred proof. Dahlia eventually settled on a fairly potent cocktail while her date had beer. Out of tumblers, Billie made Dahlia’s drink in one of the fancy metal goblets.
“Are you the one that always hits on my momma?” Dahlia asked after she tossed back the goblet and set it down for a refill.
“Yeah, that’s me,” she said as she pulled the bottles back out to recreate the cocktail. ‘The lesbian that thirsts after your hot mom’ wasn’t the worst thing she had ever been called.
Dahlia shook her head. “You’re wasting your time. She ain’t into girls.”
“I’ve noticed,” Billie said with a laugh as she handled Dahlia her drink.
Ricardo either just started paying attention or realized what they were talking about. “Wait, you’re a lesbian?” he asked, eyes wide. When Billie nodded, he held up his hand for a fist bump. “Pussy eaters unite, yo”
“It’s more than that, dude,” Billie said with an eye roll and a laugh.
Dahlia smacked his hand down. “Uh uh, you don’t get to claim that.”
He squinted at her. “What’re you talking about?”
Dahlia screwed her mouth to the side, and one eyebrow shot up. “You’re down there for like… five minutes, at most. And you don’t even put in that much effort.”
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When Billie slid her goblet over, Dahlia emptied it again in a single go. The goblets weren’t huge, but it was still impressive. She tapped the goblet for another refill as she and Ricardo discussed his lack of effort in cunliingus.
“Yo,” Billie said, drawing their attention. She pointed to Dahlia. “I’m gonna do you one more, but you’re on water after that.”
Dahlia shook her head. “What for?”
“This isn’t a 5% lager,” Billie said, nodding to Ricardo’s beer. “I’m looking out for you.”
Dahlia sucked her teeth and waved Billie’s concern away. “I’ll be fine.”
“Heard that before,” Billie said, handing her the goblet. “Sip on this. Trust me.” She noticed an orange glow coming from outside. She whipped the bar towel off her shoulder and said, “Aight, bar’s closed once the bonfire’s going. Head outside and relax.”
They wandered off, Dahlia still berating him for his lack of oral effort. Billie finished cleaning up the bar and was closing the stereo when Katrina wandered around the corner. She took careful steps, almost like she was injured or trying to be silent.
Billie turned to her. “Hey, you okay?”
Katrina sighed and shook her head. “No, these shoes are killing me. I need to get off my feet.”
Billie pointed outside. “Grab a bench before they all get taken. Do you need help?”
Katrina smiled. “No, I’ll make it. Thank you, dear.”
Billie watched to make sure she had made it out and off the porch before she finished and locked up. She made one last wipe at the bar before she wandered out to admire the bonfire. She glanced around at everyone cuddled up on the benches or chairs around it. Her eyes stopped on what looked like Katrina with her feet up on Ikber’s lap.
Was he... yeah, he was rubbing her feet. That lucky punk. Billie laughed. He wasn’t even trying. Good for him. And for her. Ikher was a good dude. After their dancing display, it seemed like they might have more in common than a language.
Billie sat on a cooler and leaned on the railing when something shrill hit her ears. Turning, she looked back in the house. A second later, she heard it again. Following the sound inside and to the front room, it turned out to be an argument.
“I guess I’m just gonna be crazy then!”
Looking out the open front door, she found Dahlia screaming and poking her finger in Ricardo’s chest. She also staggered something fierce. It seemed the cocktails had caught up to her in a bad way. She yelled something at him in Spanish, then smacked him across the face. Anger flashed through his eyes for a second before he pursed his lips, shook his head, and walked away.
“¡No te alejes de mí, perra!” Dahlia yelled.
She reared back and lobbed the metal goblet at him. It flew in a perfect arc and cracked against the back of Ricardo’s head with a ping. He bent forward, putting his hand to the back of his head. When he turned, chills went down Billie’s arms. She’d seen that look before in bars, right before someone got hurt.
Billie jolted forward and got in front of Dahlia before Ricardo could reach her. “Whoa! Dude, she’s drunk. Just let this one go.”
Dahlia pointed at him over her shoulder. “Naw, come on! You probably fight as bad as you fuck!”
Billie turned, pulling Dahlia’s arm down and whispered to her, “Shut the fuck up. You aren’t helping.”
Dahlia stumbled, trying to pull her arm away from Billie. “Fuck him! He aint shit.”
Billie spun back around and held her hands up. “Come on, man. You don’t wanna be the guy that beats up a drunk girl.”
Ricardo glared at Dahlia before he exhaled through his nose and shook his head. He pointed to Dahlia and said, “You’re fucking crazy.”
Dahlia yelled something in Spanish over Billie’s shoulder, but Ricardo only flipped her off as he walked away. Billie turned and took stock of the very drunk, younger Munoz. She could stand, but listed something fierce.
“Come on,” Billie said, putting an arm around her waist. “Let’s get you inside.”
Dahlia let all her weight fall against Billie, so it was more carrying her than helping her in. Back inside, she dropped Dahlia into one of the front room chairs.
Billie took a deep breath and stretched; Dahlia was heavier than she looked. “Was he your ride?”
“Yeah.”
The fire had gone out of Dahlia. She slumped in the chair and had the ‘maybe I’ve had too much’ haze in her eyes. She could ride home with her mother, but Katrina was having a nice night. Billie could call a cab, but she didn’t trust any driver to get Dahlia home unmolested. It was also her fault Dahlia was this far gone, as she had greatly overestimated her tolerance.
She knelt in front of Dahlia. “Would you be okay if I took you home?”
Dahlia blinked, then stared at her for a moment before shrugging.
Billie stood. “All right, sit still. I’m going to let someone know we’re leaving.”
When Dahlia didn’t offer any objection, or move at all, Billie left her in the front room. She found Eric exiting a bathroom and let him know the plan. Eric agreed and said he’d let Kat know. Billie came back and loaded Dahlia into her car.
“You live out in Mesa Rojo, right?” she asked as her car roared to life.
Dahlia glanced over with half-open eyes. “Yeah.”
Billie nodded. “Can you give me directions once we get through the tunnel?”
“Yeah,” Dahlia said, leaning against the door. She stared at Billie for a bit before she said, “Have you ever had sex with a guy?”
Billie blinked. Okay, it was gonna be that kind of drive home. Dahlia had moved into the brutal honesty phase of being drunk.
“Ummm, yeah,” Billie said. “I had two boyfriends before I accepted who I was.”
“But you prefer girls?”
Billie laughed. “Yeah, that’s one way to put it.”
“Why?”
Billie glanced over when they stopped at the intersection before The Six. Dahlia’s enormous eyes bored into her from the passenger seat. It felt like having a spotlight on you in an interrogation room. When they pulled onto The Six, Billie cleared her throat.
“Girls have a shared understanding of things. Shit guys don’t get. Plus women are just… pretty. And softer. Softer hair. Softer lips. We have better hygiene.”
Dahlia grunted and her head fell against the window. “God. Dudes are so gross. Like… fuck. Just wash your dick before you ask me to suck it.”
Billie snorted. Her one attempt at that years ago didn’t end well for that exact reason. “I never got the hang of dicks. That should have been my first sign. I mean, there were a lot of signs, but I ignored them cause I thought I was supposed to like guys.” Billie shrugged. “I dunno. Girl parts are just easier. Maybe it’s because I have the same thing? I guess, at the end of the day, we all just like what we like, ya know?”
When she didn’t get an answer, Billie glanced over to find Dahlia’s head against the window, mouth open and eyes closed. She chuckled and let Dahlia sleep until they exited the Medesco tunnel.
“Hey,” she said, shaking Dahlia’s shoulder gently. “You need to give me directions.”
Dahlia wiped her face with both hands, smearing a bit of her eyeliner and some lipstick. She blinked and pointed to the next exit, then navigated them to her neighborhood, which was a nice little suburb just outside the shopping district. Billie parked in front of a cute two story home ringed by a short stucco wall.
Getting out, she walked over and opened the passenger door. Dahlia tried to get out but couldn’t because of the seatbelt still being buckled. She fussed with it for a second but gave up with slumped shoulders.
She turned large, pouty eyes up to Billie. “Help.”
Billie got her unbuckled and out of the car. Dahlia leaned on her all the way to the front door. She hung on Billie with one arm as she tried to find her keys in her purse. They got up the steps and into Dahlia’s bedroom without too much of a struggle.
“Alright, here you go,” Billie said, helping Dahlia sit on her bed.
Dahlia flopped back on the bed and stretched her arms out. She lifted one booted leg up. “Help.”
After a deep breath, Billie unzipped the boot and took it off, revealing the cutest manicured feet, shapely calves, and softest thighs she had ever seen in her life. Glimpsing underwear, Billie turned her head only to feel Dahlia resting her freed foot on her shoulder.
Billie’s face got hot. Her pulse raced. Dahlia smiled up at her. Heavy-lidded eyes bored into Billie’s soul. Was she doing this on purpose? Had she sobered up that quick? No. There was no way.
“Please?” Dahlia asked, lifting her other leg.
Billie removed that boot as well and set it next to the other on the side of the bed. When Billie straightened, Dahlia let her foot down and stood, brushing herself against Billie. She gazed into Billie’s eyes for a moment before she undid the wide belt and let it fall.
When she started sliding out of her dress, Billie turned around. “Okay, you should be good from here, right?”
A hand on her arm turned Billie around. Dahlia, in her underwear, cupped Billie’s face and leaned in to kiss her.
Billie grabbed Dahlia’s hands and pulled them off her. “Whoa. Uh uh.”
Dahlia stopped and opened her eyes. She blinked and shook her head. “I thought… you liked girls.”
Billie let go of her and stepped back. “I do.”
Dahlia’s shoulders fell. “You don’t like me?”
“Look, you’re gorgeous. Really gorgeous. But you’re drunk.”
Dahlia squinted at her. “So.”
Billie sighed. “So if you want to kiss me, you gotta sober up first.”
Dahlia deflated and dropped on the bed. “That’s no fun.”
Billie laughed. “That’s something a drunk person would say.”
She took Dahlia’s feet and swung her legs onto the bed, then pulled a sheet over her. She went to the bathroom they passed on the way in and got a cup of water. Dahlia’s snores greeted Billie when she entered the bedroom. She placed the cup on her night stand, backed out and closed the door. Half way down the steps, the front door opened.
“How is she?” Katrina asked as she set her heels by the door.
Billie smiled. “Passed out in her bed.”
Katrina pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek. “Thank you for this.”
“Anytime.”
“You’re heading home?”
Billie nodded. “Yep. Gotta open tomorrow.”
Katrina hugged her again. “Thank you again. Please drive safe.”
----------------------------------------
Eric turned the open sign on and unlocked the door. He walked behind the bar and started stacking glasses. “So you just took her home and dropped her in bed?”
Billie sighed and nodded as she wiped the bar down. “Yep, she was drunker than you last year.”
Eric laughed and shook his head. “That’s a shame. I know she was like, the top of your pyramid.”
“It’s all good. You get used to disappointment.” She leaned on the bar and crossed her arms under her chest. “What about Ikher? Any luck with him and Kat?”
“Nope. She left as soon as I told her and he stayed for maybe another hour, then went home.”
Billie nodded and bent down to check the soda levels. ”Dry night all around then.”
“Indeed,” Eric said, pulling out two shot glasses. He filled them with water and slid one to Billie. He smiled and raised his. “To missed opportunities.”.
Billie grabbed hers and clinked his glass. “Here, fucking, here.”
As she brought the glass up to her lips, Eric grabbed her wrist at the last second, making her spill the contents on her shirt.
“Dude, come on.”
Eric had a huge grin on his face as he looked outside. He glanced back at her and nodded with his head as the door opened. Dahlia walked in decked out in huge sunglasses, sequined jeans, and a tight shirt that had ‘TROUBLE’ printed across the chest. Her wavy auburn hair was pulled out of her face with pins at her temples.
“Fuck it’s bright out there,” she said in a low tone as she leaned on the bar. Taking off her shades, she squinted at Billie through bloodshot eyes. Even hung over, she was stunning.
“How ya doing?” Billie asked as Eric slid away.
Dahlia put her hand to her head. “Shitty. My fuckin’ head’s going to explode.”
“You were pretty wasted.”
“Ugh. I never learn.” Dahlia shook her head slowly. “Momma said you brought me home and tucked me in?”
Internally, Billie sighed with relief. Dahlia remembered nothing from last night. That should make this a lot less awkward. She leaned forward, resting her forearms on the bar.
“Yeah, you were pretty out of it.”
Dahlia nodded. “Momma said I had to come and thank you. So, thanks.”
Billie waved her away. “It’s noth-“
Dahlia’s hand shot forward, grabbed Billie’s overall strap, and pulled her forward into a kiss. She tasted like watermelon candy.
After a moment, Dahlia pulled back and looked Billie in the eyes. “You’re right. Girl lips are nicer.”
Billie blinked. What the fuck just happened? A second later, she realized Dahlia did remember the ride home and their exchange in her bedroom. She straightened and struggled to take a breath.
“Was that a good thank you?” Dahlia asked with a smile.
Billie nodded. “Ummm, yeah.”
Dahlia stood straight and put her shades back on. “You should take me out.”
Billie blinked again. “Ummm, what? Wait. Really?”
An eyebrow raised over Dahlia’s sunglasses.
Billie struggled to think. Don’t fuck this up. “Okay. Yeah, okay. Uhhh, how’s tonight?”
“I have to work. Tomorrow?”
Billie slapped the bar. “Fuck. No, I have to work.”
“No, you don’t,” Eric said from the register as he looked over the log book. “You requested tomorrow off.”
Billie shook her head. “What? No, I didn’t.”
Eric sighed and stared at her with a pointed look. “Yes. You. Did,” he said, glancing at Dahlia with each word. “Said you needed a mental health day, since I wouldn’t give you today.”
“Huh? Oh! Yeah!” She turned to Dahlia. “So… tomorrow night?”
Dahlia pulled a pen from her purse, wrote her number on a napkin, and slid it over. “Pick me up at 8.” She turned to leave, but stopped at the door and looked over her shoulder. “Adios, Abigail.”
Billie held herself together until the door closed, then melted to the floor. Did that just happen? It couldn’t have. There was no way this was happening.
“Eric, am I dreaming?” she asked, eyes glazed over. A second later a coaster bounced off her head. “Oww.”
“Nope. You’re awake.”
She scrubbed her hands over her face as she stood. “Oh my god. What am I going to do?!”
Eric blinked and shook his head at her. “What are you talking about?”
“I don’t know! I don’t wanna fuck this up.”
Eric came over. “You’ve told me about dates you’ve gone on before. Just do that.”
“Those were regular girls!”
“Okay, what would you have done with Kat?”
She grabbed and shook him. “I don’t know!” Breathing hard, she let him go. “I knew it would never happen, so I just dreamt about the sex or us living in a cottage or getting a cute apartment together.”
Eric laughed. “You know, that could be you and Dahlia.”
She wilted a little. “Oh man, don’t get my hopes up.”
“Dude, stop!” Eric put his arm around her shoulders. “Look, you’re awesome. She obviously likes you cause you’re awesome. So, just be you. Be awesome. You’ve got this.”
“God, I hope so.”