What about me? That was Bill’s first reaction to the last words his fiancé had told him. Then he asked himself what Tim really had to be depressed about. Tim had an Assistantship and was getting his MFA. He didn’t have an arrest record. He didn’t have anything stopping him from being able to get a professional job or job using his degrees.
But then the devil-inside-him-head reminded him he was free to do anything he wanted until at least the end of work the next day. And that’s when Lorraine, interestingly enough, came into the kitchen. She was still in her civvies. She went first to the coffee urn to get herself a cup of coffee. She said hi to Marie and Bea and then walked through the kitchen to the side of the line and said hi to Bill. Bill noted she was wearing snow boots and carrying her work shoes. She stood a moment and drank coffee, then put her cup on the dish machine rack.
“How’s it going?” she asked. She stood by the end of the line again.
“Lunch was good,” said Bill. He took a moment to look at her. Her coat was open and he could see she was wearing a white blouse he had seen before and black pants. The pants clung to her in the places they should. Her face was made up as usual, nothing special, just light makeup and soft lipstick.
“So you’re thinking dinner will be good?”
“It would be a good guess.”
“Well, I could surely use the money.”
“Same crap to me. But I hope you make a lot.”
“Me too.” Then, “I’d love to keep talking, but I got to get ready.” She shifted her weight one foot to the other and kind of smiled at Bill. “What you doing after work?” she asked.
“What you got in mind?”
“Well, my friend isn’t at home. The girls will be sleeping. We could have some time alone together.”
Bill felt a stir in him. That devil inside was doing overtime. He had no reason to be going home after work. He had no reason to worry about anything, at least not at the moment, and he could picture them as they’d been many times before now enjoying each other’s conversation and much, much more.
“You know, seems like a good idea at the moment.”
“I’ll count on it,” said Lorraine. She turned and went down the back stairs to head off to her locker to put her things away and get ready for work.
Lexi came in just as Bill was finishing putting away the meat. “Hey baby,” she said, “I’m all done and heading out of here. See you tomorrow?”
“Where else would I be?” Bill looked at her. She had not changed to her civvies so he could not see how she was dressed to go out into the street. “When you closing next?” he asked.
“Not till Saturday. What you got in mind?”
“What you think?”
“I never know what to think with you. You got some good drugs?”
“I always have good drugs,” said Bill. He smiled. “You wanna do some?”
“I always want to do good drugs.” Lexi smiled back at Bill. “Night darling,” she said.
Lexi did not go down the back stairs. She walked to the back of the kitchen and said goodbye to Mary, then around and said goodbye to Bea and Marie. She exited through the side door of the kitchen only because she was closest to it, and then she was gone.
Bill went back to work.
