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I try to condense everything that happened that afternoon into words. ‘I rocked up to my shift and found him passed out. I called an ambulance and left after they took him away. I’ve tried to contact him to make sure he’s okay, but he never texted me back. He still owes me for my last shift, too.’
‘Forget about him,’ Peaches urges. ‘I’m glad it happened; maybe it will force a bit of sense into his head. And now I don’t have to skulk around that awful place anymore.’
As much as I loathe Mark, I love that bar. A part of me will miss it.
‘I had no idea your set was so popular,’ I reply. ‘You had a healthy crowd.’
‘Not a single spare seat tonight,’ Peaches gloats. ‘It’s the meat tray that brings them in. No one can pass up the chance to win a tray of sausages and rissoles.’
Kai sniggers beside me. ‘On Tuesday nights you should switch it up for a tray of tofu and greens. Get that Northside vegan crowd in.’
Peaches thinks about it for a second. ‘Honestly, that’s not a bad idea.’
The kitchen slides me a schnitzel at the end of my shift and I eat in the back office while filling out my paperwork and admiring the large corkboard full of polaroids of staff. The polaroids are pinned to a crude drawing of the floorplan, indicating who is on which bar. There must be over twenty polaroid photos on the wall, with each person’s name written underneath.
‘We’ll get a photo of you later,’ Bella says as she steps into the cramped office and sees me looking. ‘Come on, the shift’s going for a drink.’
Grabbing my satchel, I leave my plate with the kitchen staff and follow Bella out the door.
‘We don’t drink inside?’ I ask as we join a group of other bartenders waiting on the street.
‘No, we don’t drink at the Rosewood. It makes us look unprofessional,’ Bella replies. ‘Our normal hangout is down the block at the Old George Inn. It’s a cute little pub. Cheap drinks.’
Peaches struts out behind me and slings her arm around me. ‘What did I tell you, Bels?’
‘What, you want a commission?’ Bella retorts, then looks back to me. ‘So, you coming or not?’
I check my watch. Ten o’clock. I’d promised to call Gabriel.
‘I promised I’d meet up with someone, but next time.’ It’d be stupid of me to reject another offer for a drink after work; it’d be nice to have a few more friends in the city.
‘You gonna be okay to get home safe?’ a woman from the group asks. ‘We can call you a ride?’
I shake my head. ‘I only live a few blocks away.’
Bella laughs. ‘I’ll remember that when I need to call someone in for a last-minute shift.’
I leave the group as they walk down to the Old George Inn. Once I’m at the end of the block, I pull out my phone to check my messages.
Hungrygabriel73:How did it go tonight?
He’d sent that an hour ago. It’s late. I hope he’s not asleep.
NoAgenda:Really well—like so well. Ijust finished my shift. You still up?
Hungrygabriel73:Still here. In bed. Better than the old bar?
NoAgenda:Completely different. They invited me out for drinks just now, but Iwanted to facetime you when Igot home instead. While we’re still in the same time zone.
Hungrygabriel73:I’m flattered.
I come to the end of the block and stand by the traffic lights, waiting for the pedestrian crossing to flash green.
NoAgenda:How was training?
Hungrygabriel73:Good. Abit brutal but good.
Hungrygabriel73:Wish me luck 4 tomorrow night.
