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4
“Staff meeting in five.”The voice boomed over the sound system as if God himself was speaking to us. I had barely started in on cutting limes for the night. If I didn’t get the bar set up, drinks would be slow, and nobody liked to wait for their signature cocktail.
“¡Oye! Being kidnapped is now the second worst part of my night. What’s this about?” I asked Bruno.
He gave a shrug as he approached the bar. It was almost comical that Midnight Alley kept a bouncer in the front of the club. Bruno had biceps thicker than my neck, but none of that could compete with a person capable of shooting lasers out of their eyes. His charisma bordered on the supernatural. More than once, I questioned if he had powers of his own.
He finished aligning the chairs against the bar, making sure he turned each at a forty-five-degree angle. Going through the checklist was cathartic, like we were soldiers preparing for the onslaught of war. Each night, we battled as a DJ or band filled the space with music. Once the patrons arrived, we’d be called to arms, and it’d be non-stop until the sun threatened to break the horizon.
“No clue. Do you need help?” He leaned over the counter and grabbed a stack of lemons and a knife. The cuts weren’t pretty, but I wouldn’t argue with the help.
“Scarlet never calls meetings,” he said.
“Right? Who wants to deal with us with the lights on?”
The club had once been derelict, dangerously close to being condemned and bulldozed by the city. Scarlet sank every penny she had into turning it into a bar influenced by the speakeasies from prohibition with a healthy dose of art déco decor. The bar had been about to sink when she cashed in on our connection to the superhero community. Overnight, the bar turned into a success, with lines wrapping around the block. Midnight Alley had become a hot spot that continued to trend on social media, all thanks to a former superhero’s vision.
“Maybe we’re all getting raises?” Bruno waited until I locked eyes with him before he laughed. She was an amazing boss, and often we made outstanding money, but she made sure we busted our butts to earn it.
“Last time we had a staff meeting was when the superheroes faced their counterparts from the mirror dimension?”
I laughed. “Oh yeah, I remember that. It was standing room only, and boy, did they want to keep the booze flowing.”
“Didn’t you go home with that guy in the armor?”
Bruno was well aware of my reputation for chasing capes. “That guy? You mean those guys? Was standing room only in my bedroom too.”
“I wish I was gay,” he laughed. “I wouldn’t mind a superhero lady friend, but they never seem interested in lil’ ol’ me.”
“If you were gay, I’d be on my knees in the front of that line.” I blew him a kiss to accentuate the point. He blushed, which only made him more adorable.
The other bartenders cracked up at our exchange. They were amused by my suave moves behind the counter. They were just as bad. Midnight Alley hired a particular type, and thankfully, this meant we were ready to schmooze with the clients, with or without our pants.
“Listen up,” Scarlet’s voice struck a chord somewhere in the base of the brain, and everybody froze. “Sorry about that.” Every time she turned assertive, she reverted to her siren ways, barking commands that men couldn’t resist. After years of being in the field, she rarely lost control. This could only mean the staff meeting had unnerved her.
“There’s no easy way to say this…” Would Scarlet declare the bartenders could no longer drink with the patrons? Was she about to cap how many comp drinks we could give? Worse yet, was she going to say we weren’t allowed to fraternize with the heroes? My sex life would come to an abrupt stop.
“I’ve decided to retire and sell the club.”
Okay, so therewassomething worse. The waiters were abuzz, quick to discuss their job prospects. The talent manager, DJ, and security staff held still, refusing to partake in idle gossip. I could probably get another job bartending at one of the other high-society clubs. Truth was, I didn’t want another job. Midnight Alley had become a bright spot in an otherwise boring life.
Scarlet brushed neon blue hair behind her ear, showing off the dangling jewelry. It hadn’t been a statement she took lightly. Of all the employees, she might be the only person who loved the club more than me. This announcement took its toll. She dabbed her eyes with a white cloth, careful not to smear her immaculate makeup.
“Somebody is exploring the possibility of buying the club and keeping it open.”
The waiters let out a sigh of relief. For them, this was a job, a paycheck they could depend on every Friday night. Without Scarlet circulating the club, I didn’t have faith it’d survive to the end of the year.
“Why?” I asked.
She moved toward the grand piano pushed to the side of the club. No matter where she stood, even amongst the dark red walls and gold accents, Scarlet commanded the room. It wasn’t her abilities that made her formidable. Her tenacity as a businesswoman made her a storm. On the nights we transformed the club into a speakeasy, she’d sit atop the piano, serenading the room. Scarlet and Midnight Alley were one and the same. Now she was leaving us.
“Long ago, I made a promise to Max we’d see the world. It’s time.”
“So you’re abandoning us?”
Bruno grabbed my forearm, digging his fingers into my flesh. When I tried to pull away, he held fast, and the moment I caught his eye, I could see the warning. With a quick nod of the chin, Scarlet sobbed. I knew better. There were two things she loved: Max and Midnight Alley.
“Go.”
