IN LOVING MEMORY
Renee, Child of the Night
The Blond waitress knocked on the door of the office. “Come in Ginger,” a female voice spoke. The woman tentatively opened the door and peeped in.
“Boss,” she said “there’s one of those people that come here sometimes sitting out in the bar.”
“Is there a problem?” the tall male vampire asked. “And, more to the point who is it?”
“I don’t know her name boss,” Ginger replied “She’s been here with the group before but never alone. Right now she’s sitting at the bar and she’s convinced the bartender to let her have a bottle of Patron, I’ve never seen a woman do shots the way she is.”
“Go see who it is,” the male ordered his second in command.
The beautiful blond rolled her eyes and headed towards the bar. As she entered she stopped and looked on with astonishment as Renee, one of the other counselor’s devotees, leaned forward and whispered into the ear of the bartender. As she started to make her way though the crowd she watched as the bartender threw back his head and laughed loudly while Renee calmly poured herself another shot and tossed it back. This was an odd enough occurrence that the blond vampire spun on her heel and headed back to the office, the boss needed to see this.
“Who is it?” he asked when she entered.
“It’s Renee,” she said and continued as he arched a questioning eyebrow. “She’s the quiet red head who brings those tarts filled with that strange fruit. You remember, the ones you say remind you of your past.”
“Ah yes,” he replied. “I remember her now, for a time I thought she would be one of my ladies but she’s chosen the other counselor. What brings her here and more to the question why.”
“I have no idea,” she answered. “But she’s managed to make our inscrutable bartender laugh and is drinking tequila like a sailor.”
“Well then, we must see what brings her here this evening. Notify her counselor, perhaps he can shed some light on this behavior,” the vampire known affectionately as the Big Viking said as he rose from his chair.
As the pair walked into the bar, Renee spun on her stool as if sensing their scrutiny and nodded towards them, raising her shot glass and tossing back another drink. They approached and the lead counselor spoke.
“Renee my dear what brings you here this evening?” Renee smiled as she tilted her head to meet his gaze “I had to get away, I seriously needed a drink and thought that this was as good a place as any.”
“I am pleased you chose my place, but I have never seen you here alone before. In fact usually you’re here with the entire group or, at the very least, the charming Aslinn.”
“True,” Renee replied. “ But tonight I decided to come here, besides I was wondering…”
“Wondering what?” the lady counselor asked in a slightly bored tone.
“Well,” Renee said. “I was wondering if the special guest we had at our All Hallows Eve shindig was into dogs as well as cats.”
“Why,” asked the female, her curiosity piqued. “If he is,” Renee replied “I have a doggy treat just for him, in fact I’ll put a bow on the little son-of-a b--”. The last word of her answer drowned out by the bark of laughter from the lead counselor.
“What has this poor creature done that you would hand him over to our ’special’ friend?’
“This,” Renee replied as she held out her feet “I thought you, of all the people on this planet would understand.” This comment was directed to the lady counselor. Both of them looked down and the lady counselor winced and if she breathed would have gasped in horror for, Renee wore on her feet a pair of black suede Rayne stiletto heels. They were beautiful shoes, or had been as one shoe was damaged beyond repair, the delicate suede on the heel shredded as if an animal had gnawed on it.
“Vintage” whispered the woman.
“Yes,” Renee replied despondently. “My aunt bought them in the late 1950’s and she gave them to me when I was old enough to care for them. I looked after them for years and they’ve been my lucky pumps.”
“Lucky?” this caught the Viking’s attention and he waggled his eyebrows.
“Yes lucky,” Renee answered the corner of her mouth twitching up “they’ve never failed me, I wore them when my husband and I went out last night but I didn’t know the damn dog was under the bed and when I woke this morning I found them like this! I don’t know who I want to strangle more, the dog or the Kid who knows the beasts aren’t allowed in our bedroom,” Renee surveyed her feet sadly “I decided I needed a drink or two and to take them out for a final spin before they’re consigned to the trash heap.” She reached out and poured another shot. “How many is that?” the counselors asked their bartender.
“I stopped counting at 12,” he answered.
Before either could pass comment the lead counselor’s cell rang, “Yes,” he said “she’s here. We’re dealing with an unusual situation. Oh, really. Fine, I’ll tell her.” he closed his phone and turned to Renee. “That was your counselor; apparently this is your evening for some one on one time. He’s on his way to collect you.”
“Oh no,” wailed Renee “I don’t want him to see me like this!”
“Like what?” asked the lady counselor “you seem to be one of those rare individuals who can carry on a sensible conversation in spite of consuming copious amounts of alcohol. I’m quite sure your counselor will not complain. Besides, those shoes may still have a touch of luck left in them yet.”
Renee brightened and started to giggle “I guess I’d better wait outside, the fresh air will do me good..”
“I’ll walk with you” the lady counselor said. “I should start carding the vermin.”
Renee hopped down from the barstool and walked towards the door, the only indication of her alcohol consumption being the extra sway as she walked. The Viking watched the incongruous pair, the tall slender blond and the short plump red haired woman.
“Renee,” he called. She turned lifting an eyebrow in question. “Those were great pumps.”
Fin
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