A Dream I Once Had

The heavy door swung open with the usual squeak before it hit the
wall behind it. Looking toward sound Riley couldn't see anything but an
outline of the girl who had opened the door and was now looking in on
him. The girl stepped out of the doorway letting is close behind her.
Riley smiled from behind the bar. It had been a few weeks since he had
seen Makale and he couldn't help but enjoy her company. She was one of
those people who could brighten your day just by smiling at you or
catches your unwavering attention by one look. She had moved across the
room and now sat down at one of the creaky stools in front of him
before he realized he was staring at her. But he couldn't help it. She
was wearing a pair of cut off black corduroy shorts, a tight black tank
top and a pair of sandals with laces wrapping about her legs up to her
knees. This was not the attention grabbing part to him. She got all of
his attention when she turned to slip on to the stool and he noticed,
for the first time, her tattoo of a black Celtic knot of sexuality
etched on her back in ebon thorns. Few knew what it meant but his
parents were from Ireland and taught him well in his heritage.
"So what can I do for you, Mak'?" He smiled as he leaned on the edge
of the bar.
Makale laughed as she rested her chin in her palm. "How about a Pena
Colada?"
"I.D.?"
"Hey," She reached over and pretended to punch him in the arm, "You
tease."
"Well I've got to follow the law don't I?
"Where's 'Kota?"
Pointing over his shoulder to a door in the corner, "She's in back
putting some things away"
Makale hopped from the barstool and moved to the door. Riley caught
himself staring only moments before she turned back to the dimly lit
room. She glanced over all the empty tables and then looked at Riley.
"I thought that was why Alex gave you a job. For all the heavy lifting
in back," She laughed, "Not to tell 'Kota to do it." Riley laughed and
tossed a towel at her but Makale stepped into the back of the bar just
before the towel hit the wall.
Dakota was in one of the storerooms labeling some boxes when Makale
had found her. Makale ran into the room and almost tackled
Dakota.
"Hey 'Kota. How's life?"
Sitting up from being knocked over unexpectedly Dakota couldn't help
but knock Makale backward. "How do you think it's been? I've been stuck
here all day."
They both laughed as they stood and walked out of the room locked arm
and arm. As they passed the bar Dakota slid a paper across the bar to
Riley as he looked at them.
"I'm taking my break now." She grinned.
Riley watched as Makale opened the door and let Dakota out then
followed. They seemed like the most unlikely pair. Makale, the shorter
then average girl with raven black hair and a similarly dark wardrobe
with Dakota, the slightly taller then average, long blond haired, soft
spoken girl with that hippie kick to her. He just couldn't figure it
out but then again did he have to? Both of them seemed to make friends
easily enough with the people you'd least expect. Shrugging it off
Riley turned back to wiping down the, already clean, bar.
Out side Dakota leaned against the wall and pulled a pack of
cigarettes from a bag she had brought with her and lit one. Makale had
wandered over to a near by guardrail and sat down on top of one of the
wooden posts and looked up. The sky was a bright blue with scatted
white clouds that looked almost like cotton candy. Dakota looked over
at Makale as she exhaled a stream of smoke.
"Hey babe, What'ch thinkin' about?"
Makale just shrugged as she kept her eyes on the sky, "Just life in
general." She just sat for a long pause. "Well that and just feeling a
bit lonely."
"You always got Jake, Aden and myself."
"You know what I mean 'Kota. Yeah you guys are my friends? best
friends but I want somebody with more of a connection than that."
"There's always Riley if you get that desperate."
Makale couldn't help but laugh, "Riley?" Then she thought about it a
moment. "He is cute. You know my thing for tattoos and black hair but
you know he doesn't like me."
"Don't sell yourself to short girl. I wouldn't be surprised if he did
with the way he looks at you." She dropped the smoldering cigarette on
the ground and stepped on it.
"I don't know?" Makale's words drifted off.
Just as she was about to finish Alex pulled up in his new candy apple
red Mustang. Dakota actually needed to step out of his way as he
started to roll into the parking spot, a little too quickly. Had the
engine not been purring like a cat you could have heard the two girl's
gasp in a mixture of shock and awe.
Alex opened the door and stepped out locking the door before kissing
his hand and tapping his new baby. Makale just stared at the two, the
car and Alex. She walked over letting her hand glide over the
hood.
"God your sexy" She said as she moved closer.
Alex's eyes went wide a moment and then he stood up straighter,
"You're not to bad yourself."
Dakota broke out laughing, "She meant the car you moron."
Alex looked at her, "Remember I am the one who pays you each
week."
"Oh right that little thing" She smiled and turned to head back in to
the bar.
By this time Makale had made it all the way around the car and was
looking in the drivers' side window. Alex came up behind her and softly
tapped a feather dangling from one of her spiky pig-tails. He bent down
a little and whispered into her ear.
"Care to go for a ride?"
She smiled and turned around, "Do I get to drive?"
After a second glance to his car he looked back to her, "I guess I
could let you do that, if you promise to be gentile."
"Me? I'm always gentile" She grabbed the keys from his pocket and
hoped into the drivers seat.
She waited for him to buckle his seatbelt before she threw the car
into gear and sped out of the parking lot, laying down a strip of
rubber in front of the bar.
"Christ, you call that gentile?"
"Hey all pets need their exercise, she's no different." Makale
grinned.
"So I've seen you around the bar quite a bit and I know you're a
friend of Dakota's but I've never caught your name."
"Maybe there's a reason for that." Makale looked at him and smiled "My
name's Makale but everybody calls me Mak. And yourself? I know you're
the owner but the names I've heard used I wouldn't want to call you to
your face." She teased.
They both laughed, "I'm Alex, not any? well, not most of the names
you've heard."
"Well Alex I don't think you'll ever pry me out of this car."
A smirk touched Alex's lips, "Would I want to?"
"Getting a bit frisky are we?"
Alex shrugged, "I hear no complaints."
"Why should I complain, I'm driving the car you just picked up today
and your stuck over there in the passengers seat." Makale grinned as
she shifted up another gear.
"Go out to dinner with me on Friday and afterward tell me if there's
something to complain about." Alex looked at her and then back to the
road just as she looked at him.
"Pick me up about eight?" She smiled.
"Fine with me, but I drive."

Alex pulled up in front of the bar to let Makale out and then drove
off. She had gotten back just in time to walk home with Dakota.
"So did you have fun with Alex's new redhead?"
"I've always had a thing for redheads, especially fast ones like
that."
Dakota laughed, "So what did you two talk about?"
"She didn't say to much but she did moan a few times."
"Not the car, you and Alex."
A smile touched Makale's lips, "He's taking me out to dinner on
Friday." She sounded almost giddy.
"Alex? He's twenty-four, you know that right?"
"Yeah, and?"
"Just be careful Mak. I don't want to see you get hurt."
"Jeez 'Kota don't get all sentimental on me. You know I can take care
of myself."
"Yeah, I know you can, just be careful." Dakota repeated as she hugged
Makale.
Makale smiled, "I will." She turned and walked into her house.
Nobody was home and they wouldn't be for another two to three months.
Bother her parents were on a trip to Europe and she had no brothers or
sisters. It didn't surprise her that her mother had only said, "Your
father and I are leaving in two days and won't be home for a few
months." She hadn't even specified the day they would be back but they
never did, it was nothing new. Her family was old money and she was
home alone most of her life, be it work, grand masquerades, or lavish
trips around the world.
Makale climbed the 'grand staircase' to her bedroom. After glancing
around the room, taking in the sight of its enormity in the feeling of
loneliness, she hit the remote to her stereo, blaring whatever song was
on the radio at that moment. She wandered into the bathroom, peeling
off her clothing as she went. The summer humidity clung to her as she
stepped into the steamy shower.

??

The music from the next room was still playing when she heard her
name. The door opened a bit more and again her name.
"Mak? Hello? Are you in there?" Riley Called from outside her bathroom
door.
"Riley? What are you doing here?"
Riley turned down her music and went back to the door. "Well? the
door, it was unlocked and? well, you didn't answer and um? I just came
to..."
"I don't care about you letting yourself in Riley. Why are you
here?"
"Oh. Alex asked me to give you something. He lives in the opposite
direction and made a deal to let me off early if I brought it to
you."
"Well instead of just standing there do me a favor and get me a towel
from my closet."
Riley went to the closet and found a light blue towel. Reaching
through the door he tried handing it to Makale.
"Riley, quit waving that around and bring it to me. I'm sure you've
seen it all before."
He stepped inside the door trying to keep his back to her and handed
her the towel.
"Could you open that window for me?"
Riley did as she asked, keeping his back to her and opened the window
letting the steam escape. As the steam disappeared the mirror across
from her started to clear as well, the motion of her caught his eye and
he couldn't look away. She had already shaken her hair dry and it now
lay in clumps along her shoulders. She moved the towel over her body to
dry off. Riley have never noticed the color of her eyes before but now
with the only color around her being the soft blue of the towel her
pale gray blue eyes stood out like nothing he could ever describe.
Makale wrapped the towel around herself and Riley swallowed hard as he
pulled his eyes away and looked out the window.
"So what did he want you to give me?"
Riley held out a piece of paper with Chinese lettering on it.
"What is it?" She asked as she walked back into her bedroom.
He followed her into her room.
"I don't make it a point to read others belongings but I think it's
something from the restaurant he's taking you to."
"Thank you Riley. Can you just put it on my desk?"
"Sure. Well, I should go. Need to get home and have something to
eat."
Makale dropped her towel and pulled a bathrobe over her shoulders.
"You could always eat here. We have plenty of food and nobody else is
around."
The idea was tempting but he knew if he stayed for dinner he'd want to
stay longer.
"No, I have some stuff to take care of at home before this
weekend."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I should get going."

?..

The entire drive home and all that evening Makale's eyes haunted
Riley's thoughts. It made no since to him. She was only eighteen. He
shouldn't be thinking about her that way. He started cutting up some
veggies for his salad when there she was again, standing in front of
him, just as naked as she was that afternoon but all he noticed was her
eyes.
"DAMN IT!" Riley yelped.
He grasped his hand and ran for the bathroom. Holding his hand over the
sink, he found some gauze and tape. While he was off in a daze he cut
though an onion he had been holding and sliced straight through it and
into the palm of his hand. Riley coved his hand with gauze and added
some presser to stop the bleeding.
"Fuck." He mouthed as blood started seeping through the bandage.

?..

Alex let himself off work early that Friday as to get ready for his
date with Makale. He smiled to himself over confidently as he drove
home and got ready. It was hard to tell what he was thinking but the
fact that he had a new girl leaving his place every Saturday or Sunday
morning made it easy to guess. Alex decided to wear a pair of well
fitting black slacks and a sage green dress shirt. He got out to his
car and kissed her hood as a thank you for hooking Makale. Now it was
time to reel her in.

?..

Meanwhile Makale was getting ready herself. She had pulled out a silky,
lilac sun dress, cut above the knee and a pair of black stiletto pumps.
She let her hair fall loose over her shoulders and back. She walked out
to her driveway and sat on the swing to wait.
Alex pulled up and parked the Mustang in Makale's gravel
driveway.
"MmMmm, you look georgious."
"You think so?" Makale smiled and did a little turn for him.
Alex opened the passenger side door for her, "More then delicious." He
smiled at her and closed the door behind her. A moment later they drove
off toward the restaurant.