Characters: Riley Kip, Esther “Tess” Barnes Setting: Josie’s Bar, Marketplace, early evening, May 24th, 2019 Summary: Friendly talk, and talk of taking up a loved hobby Rating: Low Status: Complete
Sleep all day, work for most of the night. Esther “Tess” Barnes had finished restocking the shelves behind the bar, the chests of long necks with more of those and ice, and checked the taps. Next in her routine was fine-drying of the glasses from the dish washers. For a woman who usually had no plans beyond sleeping in, she was methodical about her prep work for Josie’s.
Dressed in a off-white tank top tied in a knot at her waist over a black sports bra, she worked about in a pair of jeans and work boots. A girl needed support all around. Her shoulder-length sandy blond hair was tucked behind her ears by a pencil and a stainless steel swizzle stick. A few of the regulars were already at their usual spots - sitting, eating a bit of grub, playing pool. The young woman hummed to herself, happy to not listen to their thoughts.
Fingers would thrum a song he was thinking of - Joelene, by Dolly Parton - singing it in his head as the pads danced across the flat of the counter. It was his favorite karaoke song to sing when he was blitzed on good feelings, and even without. Dolly was the Queen of country music by his standards, all the working from nine to five she did.
Lifting his eyes to the woman behind the counter he offered a smile, charming perhaps but probably just the usual one - bright and full of purpose. “Ma’am,” he greeted kindly. Some women hated that, but he couldn’t help it.
His hand fell into his lap and he sat back in the bar stool, not minding the way it pressed against the fabric of his shirt and bit into his skin.
But then Tess heard Riley’s finger thrumming. Definitely not a rock and roll tune. She moved to set out a couple dozen of glasses on a laid out towel before lifting her head.
She caught his eyes and smirked, the light flickering in her brown eyes. “Mister,” she greeted back with a tiny hint of playfulness. “Hey Riley.” Tess added as she picked up a glass and proceeded to stuff a hand towel inside it to remove any water spots.
Biting back a laugh, Riley smiled at her. “Tess.” He greeted her accordingly, playful as he met her gaze. “Look at you, cleaning those glasses,” he teased. He reached over for one, and a nearby towel, wiping the glass free of water spots or debris. It was slow going, the rubbing of the vessel but he didn’t mind helping a friend.
And then he began to sing to her, “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jo-lene, please don’t take my man.”
“Just wait til I start wiping the bar,” she replied with a wink, just a playful. She had a method already, making quick work of her first glass as she sat it upright on the bar. And she didn’t mind Riley’s help.
“Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jo-lene, please don’t take him because you can.” Tess chimed in just in rhythm. That was an easy song to sing on karaoke night. Her go-to was a tune by Nirvana.
He set his glass next to hers and reached for another, going through the same motions. Methodically he cleaned the glass, looking up at Tess. Riley offered his famous double wink and grinned. He was awful at winking.
At her echo of his song he laughed and nodded. She knew. He found that endearing. It wasn’t smells like teen spirit but it was his.
“How did you get so charming?” He asked of the woman playfully. “Shame on you for teasing all the gentlemen.”
She continued with another glass, lighting pushing the line down the smooth surface of the bar. Tess had made sure over the years it kept its fine polish. Winking properly, she liked Riley’s double wink.
There was a small handful of country songs in Josie’s karaoke library and it was easy to pick Riley’s go-to.
“What would be the fun if I didn’t tease them?” Tess asked back just as playfully. “Born charming.” She puckered her lips for a moment and then wrinkled her nose before finishing drying another glass.
“What are you up to this evening?”
Who could blame him? His mama had been a huge advocate for Jesus and Elvis, some Dolly now and then. He’d gotten his knowledge of music from her. But that double wink was all his.
Finishing the next glass he set it down and reached for another.
A giggle ensued. “Fair. Awful, but fair.” The end of his nose wrinkled with amusement. That pucker of lips had him nearly tumbling from the stool with amusement but he managed not to fall over.
“Making fun of you, mostly,” he quipped with sass, setting the glass down.
Tess’s parents were into the classical instrumental stuff. While she liked it when she was younger, she turned to rock and roll like Metallica, Queen, Billy Idol, and the Runaways. That rebel streak ran deep.
She smiled and put another dried glass down on the bar. Having fun with people, especially Riley, was worth it and part of the bartending game. The lip puckering was always a hit.
“Ahh, good choice,” she replied as worked on and finished drying another glass.
Most of what he’d listened to as a boy beyond the Elvis was gospel music. His mama had been a proud member of the little church where they’d grown up and his Pop only allowed certain types of music. Most of the time, though, his Pop was asleep in the chair and those time were precious. Riley and his mama would play a few songs on the little radio in the kitchen at a level that wouldn’t wake his Pop and revel as they cooked together.
Plucking up another glass he began to wipe the surface and wrinkled his nose at Tess playfully. He found it joyful that there were people on the island who still knew how to have a good time, how to have fun and be themselves in spite of everything that was going on around them.
“So, Tess, you got anyone interesting in your life? Anybody you’re heart is pattering for, these days?” He was making conversation, not speaking about himself. Anybody who had known him for any length of time knew about his relationship with Finn, he couldn’t shut up about it most days.
Tess’s parents were big into science and evolution. So structured music like Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Handel were what she heard most of her first eleven years of life. She did have Disney music, but not much. After the car crash and moving to Seattle, Tess was left a bit to her own whims and with pubert a few years later she went for rock and roll and some punk or pop stuff. But she never forgot some of the classical music pieces she liked.
She had decided after two and a half years on the island she would make the most of it. She wasn’t going to be chained down, unhappy, stir-crazy. Enjoy it, she thought, and play it by ear. Once she was able to get a good hold on her telepathy, Tess had planned for nearly anything. And right now, she was having some fun.
“Hmm?” she hummed as she slowed her glass drying at the questions. This was deep down a frustrating subject for her, but she didn’t let it show. “Meh...you know. All the good ones are taken or not interested in me,” Tess shrugged. “So...how’s Finn? You haven’t mentioned him yet today.” She smoothly turned the conversation over.
His own glass was set aside, and then went the rag atop the counter. Riley leaned forward as if to hear her better, a small smile on his lips. “Excuses, excuses,” He quipped but left it alone after that. Some people weren’t as fortunate to have someone and others just hadn’t met that person yet. It would come when time was ready.
“He’s great! Still doing his adorable Finn stuff,” Riley swooned, elbow settling against the lip of the counter, head falling into his palm. A dreamy look settled over his features. “We’re coming up on an anniversary. Gosh it’s been forever.”
She sat her glass down and kept her own cloth in her hands. Shrugging softly, she watched him. Some would think after a few years, she would have found someone long term. But it seemed she was going to be alone...still.
Tess sighed. It was good Riley had someone. “You two are a lucky pair. Maybe I should dust off my baking skills and make you a small cake or something.” Propping an elbow on the bar, she let her chin rest on her cloth-clenching fist.
“Really?!” Cake was always a welcomed thing. He figured that Finn would like the gesture knowing that Riley wasn’t without his share of friends. “That’d be great! Thank you.” Nobody made cake like his mama but there were some close seconds.
Tess was a doll. She would find someone her speed fo be with, he was sure of it. “You gonna go to that Memorial Day thing?”
“Yeah.” It was the best thing she could do for a good friend of hers. It wouldn’t help her single life situation, but it would be something productive to do with her free time. “You’re welcome.” Tess smiled.
She wasn’t sure these days. Maybe she’d have to bend some rules - personal and official. “Probably - free BBQ, partying without having to be a chaperone, and another reason to wear that dark red halter top of mine.”
He doubted anyone would ever say no to free cake and he trusted Tess. Riley was pretty trusting regardless but they’d known each other a few years now which helped solidify that foundation.
“Can’t argue with that,” came the reply coupled with a shrug. And Riley nodded, “Yeah you look killer in that thing. Who knows what could happen!”
Cake and pastry making was a little known talent Tess had. When you didn’t have access to engines and motorcycles, a constructive hobby had to be developed.
Nodding, she smiled back. Then the young woman winked. “Thanks! Who knows - could find the person of my dreams or just a nice night.” Sometimes Tess could get so bored that a pleasant break in the monotony would be welcome. She didn’t plan out her life on the island, just went with it.
“Life is crazy like that,” Riley chimed in, nodding at her. He had no idea that exact thing would happen to him. Before moving to the island he hadn’t been in anything serious or committed and now he didn’t know how he’d survived for so long without Finn. One day in the future he hoped they’d be able to leave the island, maybe get married, who knew.
“I’ll keep an eye out for any gems, kay?” An eyebrow wiggle would ensue.
“Yup. Best to go with the flow.” Tess grinned. She was going to be one of those university-degree toting mechanics and perhaps just be happy getting all greasy building or repairing motorcycles before the power plant explosion. Perhaps she was lucky she didn’t die from the radiation like her uncle. At times in her life, she had to be self-sufficient and was. But it could be lonely. Maybe her luck would turn around and she’s end up as happy as Riley.
“That’s how I do things. Hasn’t steered me wrong yet!” And then he made a face. “Well, besides being stuck here and all.” He smiled at Tess. She was a lovely person, so smart and talented. He once told her the story of how he had fixed up his own motorcycle though it was more of a patch job and not near to the capacity she could operate. He wished there was a shop for her here.
And then a lightbulb went off.
“Random question. Have you ever thought about asking someone at the Facility about a job fixing the military vehicles?”
She frowned, wrinkling up her face like a puppy. “Yeah the whole stuck thing,” Tess shrugged. She liked hearing Riley’s story of fixing up his motorcycle. There was a zen sort of calm with it. The co-workers at her last shop job years ago always looked at her funny for talking to the bikes while she worked on them.
“I have, really have thought about that. But I’m not sure they’d like me deciding my own hours.”
Nodding, the end of his nose crinkled, “Hey. Sometimes you have to compromise. Doing what you love is sometimes better than all the stuff they make us go through here.” He felt that way about teaching, it was his passion.
“Maybe. I could always see what sort of schedule they’d want me to work. But then, who would be replace me here? My boots are pretty big.” Tess smirked. Her hands itched to be covered in grease, dirt underneath her nails while lying on a creeper underneath a vehicle.
“I’ll take your days,” Riley grinned. He could take a little break from teaching to help Tess find her passion. The days could be split since the work was voluntary anyway. She could do both if she wanted to.
“Big boots, big dreams.” He smiled at her. A bar was probably the perfect place for a social butterfly like him, he didn’t know the first thing about mixing drinks but he learned quick.
“Really?” Tess asked, her eyebrows raised in surprise. She had grown to like working at the bar - having fun with patrons, singing, dancing, serving drinks.
“Yup. And not counting my britches,” she smirked. “...and if there’s anything you need help with here, let me know.”
Nodding at her, Riley smiled, “Yeah! I would help if that’s what it took to make you happy.” He wanted only the best for her. Taking a few of her shifts would be fine.
Laughter rocked him into the back of his chair nearly tumbling him out of it. “I’m alright. No worries.”
She smiled brightly and playfully wrinkled her nose. “Yes, it would. Engines...all the engines.”
Tess reached over the bar to grab Riley’s shoulder. She let out a soft snort. “You sure?” The young woman smirked.
A playful growl was emitted as she grasped his shoulder. “Baby, I’m always ready!” An easy laugh came afterward.
Tess blew a raspberry and laughed. Shaking her head, she let go of Riley’s shoulder. “Famous last words!”
A roar of laughter and this time he did topple out of the chair. Brushing himself off he laughed and climbed back into the chair. “Shhh. Put that on my tombstone, okay?”
Tess shook her head and braced the glasses they had lined down the bar as she watched Riley fall. As he got back into the chair, she facepalmed and leaned close. “You got it. Thanks for the idea to get me back to my love of machinery!”
A laugh came, bright and true. He nodded, “You’re welcome!”