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With a sigh, I log off, knowing I’ll never get any more work done while I’m still worrying over this problem. Maybe if I have pressing deadlines, I can use them as an excuse to sneak off to my room and skip half the festivities anyway.
What I need is a drink.
No, what I need is a good soak in a proper brine bath, but I don’t have time for that now. A drink will have to do. I know just the place. The Monster Bar is where most of the supes in this area retreat in the evenings or on a lazy Sunday afternoon when we’re sick of wearing the human masks we adopt to move about more easily in human society.
They know about us, of course. Have for a few years now. Ever since we came out. That doesn’t mean they like the idea of all those tentacles and scales, all that fur, or all those teeth. I scoff. Some humans are pathetically short-sighted when it comes to tolerating differences. Luckily, they’re not the ones I want anything to do with usually. And there are some who are more discerning.
Those are the humans who often show up at the Monster Bar, looking for something more.
It’s perfect, since the Monster Bar is run out of the basement of Monstrous Deals. I’ll go for a drink, try to relax, and while I’m there, I’ll beg the owner, Sophia, in case there’s someone she can book me with at the last minute.
I stand and stretch until the odd stiffness in my spine softens. It’s never comfortable to wear this form for long. I’d much rather be swimming beneath the waves, letting my tentacles free and my skin absorb the salty water. But that’s not the reality of my busy life as a real estate mogul in Readstone.
Still, I’m feeling more optimistic as I scan my pass and walk out onto the busy street. Hailing a taxi, I give the driver the instructions, and then put in my earbuds and sit back to snatch what peace and quiet I can. He takes the hint and doesn’t chat. I can’t fucking stand it when they want to chat.
***
Shelly
“Hey, I’m sure it’snot that bad.” An old-fashioned fabric handkerchief floats into my vision. It’s got a bright swirling rainbow pattern, and it is so much the last thing I expected to see I sniff and look around.
Beside me on the bench sits a petite woman with short blonde hair cut into a jagged style and long dangly earrings in the shape of stars and moons.
“You look like you could use this.” She gives me a warm smile.
I give her a watery smile back and take the hankie, fidgeting with it, rather than actually using it to dry my tears.
“What happened? Rough day?”
I nod. “Yeah. You could say that. I lost my job, my apartment, and my dignity all in one go.” I try to laugh but it comes out more like a sniffle.
The hippie woman takes pity on me and laughs along. “Well, the good news is I’m pretty sure no one else saw you crying in public. So that’s one thing. Maybe your dignity is safe after all.”
“Oh, god. I’m sorry. This really isn’t your problem.”
“Don’t be silly. I’m Sophia and I work right over there.” She points at an orange-painted terrace house with a green door and a sign out the front that I can’t quite make out. “Why don’t you come in with me and wash your face and maybe have a cup of tea. In my opinion there isn’t much which doesn’t look better after a nice cup of green tea.”
