Return to the Little Coffee Shop of Kabul (21 page)

Inside The Dirty Monkey it was as dark as midnight. The cyclists and joggers she'd passed on the drive over might as well have been living in another world, one where the summer twilight hours were a gift, a bonus for the daily grind, as opposed to a time to drown their sorrows and forget the day ever happened. The lineup at the bar came into view as her eyes slowly adjusted to the lack of light in the windowless room. Regulars, she thought, as she took in the stooped spines bent over thick, sweaty glasses of brown liquid. Above the corner of the bar, the Mariners were silently playing to a near-empty stadium. The only one watching the muted set, from behind the counter, was Sky.

“Hey.” Sunny pulled up a stool.

“Hey yourself,” he answered, pouring her a glass of red wine without her even asking.

“You seen him yet?” She scanned the faces in the darkness around her for Rick's pearly whites.

“Nope. You're a little early.”

Sunny took a deep breath and planted her leather knapsack firmly between her two feet. “Good. I could use this.” She took a nice long sip from her glass.

“It's all good, Sunny. You'll be fine.” Sky turned to pour a refill for the beefy-faced man two stools to her right.

How sad it must make Sky to work here, she thought. It was no wonder he spent every spare minute outside. A fleeting sliver of light slid across the bar as the door behind her opened and shut. The look on Sky's face told her who it was.

“It's showtime,” she mouthed to him before swiveling around to greet Rick.

“Good evening, Sunshine.” Rick tossed his car keys on the bar, lifted her hand from her lap and planted a warm, wet kiss on its back. She wondered how long she'd have to wait before heading to the ladies room to wash it off.

“Hello, Rick. You're certainly in a good mood.”

“And why not?”

“Why not indeed?” She scooted over a little as he pulled out the stool beside her and sat. “I don't know about you, but I think a celebration is called for. Sky?”

Sky reached across the bar to shake Rick's hand. “How's it going?”

“Couldn't be better,” Rick answered, his knees jiggling up and down as if he had just consumed a quadruple espresso.

“Surprise us with something special, would you, Sky?” Sunny flashed him a huge smile.

“You're on.” He scooped up some ice into a silver cocktail shaker with one hand and grabbed a bottle of gin with the other, and began to pour. Sunny watched as his tanned arms danced around the shelves—a dash of this, a squirt of that—and then
he shook with a beat worthy of a Latin jazz band. He slid the two dewy glasses across the bar to Sunny and Rick.

“I'd like to propose a toast.” Rick lifted his glass toward Sunny. “To Jack. A real stand-up guy, and one helluva friend. I owe more to you than you'll ever know.”

Sunny covered her laugh with a cough and tightened her feet around the knapsack below. Then she raised her own glass to the ceiling. “To Jack. May you be enjoying all this from up there somewhere.” She turned to Rick. “Bottoms up!”

“Chin-chin!”

Sunny watched with glass in hand as he consumed half the drink in one shot. Sky deftly topped it off with what remained in the shaker.

“You know, Jack sure was a lucky man.”

“Yes he was,” Sunny answered, thinking about all that time he'd spent in the remotest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan and Iraq, all those near misses and narrow escapes. And that day he'd headed up into the rugged mountains of Nuristan to search for Layla, well aware of the dangers that lay ahead in the isolated, lawless villages run by drug lords and warlords, the chances of locating her like finding a needle in a highly combustible haystack. The fact that they both came back alive was a miracle. Thank God he had luck on his side for as long as he did, with that fearless attitude of his. If she had to, she'd make a bet that the biggest risk a guy like Rick ever took was to leave the house in November without an umbrella.

“I mean it, Sunny. He was lucky to have a woman like you.”

“Thank you, Rick. That's a very nice thing for you to say.”

“No, really. What you're doing, keeping the house and all, it's what would have made him happy. You made the right decision.”

“Well, sometimes a girl's just gotta do what a girl's gotta do.”

“Amen to that.”

“Did you know we're making some wine this year?” she said as she briefly looked down to check her phone.

“No shit? Well, more power to you. Better men than you have tried and failed around here. It's not easy.”

Sunny nodded and took a tiny sip from her still-full glass.

“It's kind of a fool's errand, if you ask me. But hey, it's what Jack wanted, right? So here's to Jack.”

“To Jack,” she repeated as she watched him drain his glass. Sky was there with a fresh shaker-full before she could even blink an eye. Rick sat motionless with his elbows resting on the bar as Sky poured, his legs having finally ended their relentless jig. Sunny stared at her phone, willing the call to come.

“C'mon, Sunny, drink up!”

“I'm good. Just savoring what I have.” She bent to take another sip just as her phone buzzed. “Hey, Joe. What's up?”

“Everything going A-Okay there, kiddo? Are you reeling him in like a fish on a line?” he yelled from the other end.

She jammed her thumb into the volume down button and held the phone tighter to her ear. “Holy shit. It is? How bad?”

“Ha!” Joe said from his end of the line. “You're too good at this, Sunny Tedder. I'll have to remember to watch my back around you.”

“You mean the whole thing is busted? I'll be there in twenty. Call the plumber.” She stuffed the phone into her pocket and reached down for her bag. “I've gotta go, Rick. I'm so sorry to run out like this, but it's an emergency. Here you go.” She pulled out a half-inch thick envelope and transferred it to him under the bar. “You can count it if you'd like.”

Rick laughed. “I trust you, Sunny.” He waved her away as she reached back into the knapsack for her wallet. “I've got this one. It's on me.”

“Really?” Sunny's smile could have melted an iceberg. “That is so sweet of you, Rick. And thank you again for being so understanding about all of this. I promise I'll get the rest of it to you as soon as I can.”

“That,” he took another slug of his drink, “would be excellent.”

“Well, bye. I'll be seeing you.” She stood and flung her bag over her shoulder, giving Sky a little wink before turning to go. She headed out the door, stepping aside to allow a familiar figure in a short, tight, low-cut green dress and a tousled black-and-white updo to pass.

 

The stool was still warm from Sunny when Kat slid in beside Rick at the bar. She tugged at the hem of her dress and let the six-inch patent leather heels that had been borrowed from her cousin for the evening dangle off her feet. She'd pretended not to notice Sky's double take when she came through the door. Now he looked as though he was trying hard not to laugh. She'd laughed herself when she first saw her reflection in Sunny's mirror, after all the makeup and hairspray had been plastered on. The look was either hooker or prom queen, she wasn't sure which. Even Layla had giggled at the sight. And the perfume! Sunny had sprayed it on so thick it had made her eyes water. She couldn't wait to get home and shower.

“Well, hello there, little lady,” came a voice from her left.

She looked across the bar at Sky, who gave her a quick nod. “Well hello to you too,” she answered, turning her big brown eyes toward Rick.

“You new around here?” His gaze made a slow journey down the length of her body and back up again.

Kat crossed one long leg over the other and swung her half-shod foot back and forth a little. “Sort of.”

“I thought so. I would have noticed a girl like you before.”

Kat smiled.

“That black-and-white hair thing you've got going on is kind of sexy. Sort of Halloween-y, but in a good way.”

She bit her lip and tried not to laugh. “I like to experiment a lot.” Now Rick smiled. His teeth reminded Kat of those little shiny pieces of gum that crunch when you bite them.

“Might I buy you a drink?” he asked.

Kat placed her hand on his forearm. “That is so nice of you. I'd love one.”

“Name your poison.”

“Poison?”

“What do you drink? How about a martini? Me, I like them dirty,” he said with a wink.

“Well then,” she winked back, “dirty works for me.”

“You've got it.” He snapped his fingers in the air.

Behind the bar Sky got busy, his hands moving around in a blur. “Enjoy,” he said with a lopsided smile as he slid the drink across to her.

The watered-down gin tasted like shit. “Mmm, delicious,” she said to Sky. “You must have the magic touch.”

“So I've been told.” Sky's eyes sparkled even in the dark.

“Yeah, by whom?” she teased back.

“So,” Rick leaned into the bar between them, “now that I've bought you a drink, what do you say you tell me your name?” He propped his chin on his hands, his elbows resting heavily on the sticky wood.

Kat hesitated for a moment. “Bella. Bella Swan,” she answered, the name of her favorite fictional character the first thing that came to mind.

“Bella Swan,” Rick repeated slowly. Sky silently replaced his half-empty glass with a fresh one. Rick, his glassy eyes locked
on Kat, didn't seem to even notice. “And where are you from, Bella Swan?”

“Guess,” Kat answered with a toss of her head.

“All right. Now let's see.” Rick leaned back, cocked his head, and squinted at Kat. “You talk like an American, you act like an American, but you look kind of like, hmm, let's see, a Mexican?”

Kat smiled and shook her head. “Guess again.”

“Peru?” He sipped at his drink.

“Nope.”

Rick leaned in toward her. “Guatemala?”

“Wrong again,
mon amour
.”

“Wait, I think I've got this. France!”

Kat laughed. “Fooled you! One more guess. What'll it be?”

Rick shrugged his shoulders. “I don't know. You're Jewish?”

“That's not even a place. Give up?”

“That's no fun. Gimme one more chance.” Again he drained his glass. “How about Spain?”

“Nope. I'm from LA,” she laughed, and took another sip of her watery drink. “So where are
you
from?” She scooted in a little toward him. Sky pretended to be busy with a customer two stools down.

“Right here, bornanraised,” Rick said, the three words slurring into one.

“Really?” She batted her mascara-coated lashes at him. “I don't believe you. I didn't think anyone nearly as good-looking as you lived on this island.” Sky shot her a look from behind Rick's head.

“Well, I do.”

“Prove it. Show me your driver's license.” She could see Sky's look turning into one of awe. “C'mon, I want to see.” She reached her hand out toward Rick's back pocket.

“It's in here.” Rick pulled a worn leather wallet from the inside pocket of his jacket. Kat took it from his hand and flipped it open. “Told ya,” he said as he slid off the stool and onto his wobbly legs. “Gotta pee.”

Kat watched as he weaved his way through the men's-room door. “Yes!” She tossed the wallet to Sky and flashed him two thumbs up.

“Bingo,” he said, as he slid it to the back of a shelf under the bar.

“Can you believe this?” she whispered loudly. “It's just way too easy, right?”

“So far so good.”

“Give me a real drink, please? My hands are shaking like crazy, not that he'd notice. God, I hope we don't end up going to jail for this.”

“You're doing great, babe. We're almost there.” Sky scooped Rick's discarded keys off the counter and into his own pocket.

“Shhh, here he comes.”

Rick returned, looking as though he might puke. “Ready to settle up, buddy?” Sky picked up the empty glasses and wiped the bar top with a towel.

“I'm not your buddy,” Rick answered, his mood having turned quickly sour.

“Whoa! It's all good, pal. No offense meant.”

“S'all right,” Rick answered with a wave of his hand. “Want another?” He plopped his clammy hand on Kat's knee.

“I'm good.”

“You are good. You're real good. Wanna show me how good you are, baby?” Rick's hands slid down her thighs.

Sky looked as if he were about to leap over the bar. Kat stopped Rick's hands with her own and forced a laugh. “And I'll just bet
you're real good too, aren't you?” She stood and smoothed her tight dress over her hips, and leaned in to whisper in Rick's ear. “Now how about we go somewhere else and get to know each other a little better?”

Sky rolled his eyes.

“Sounds like fun to me.” Kat watched as Rick fumbled around inside his jacket. Then he stood and steadied himself with one hand on the bar while the other made the journey from pocket to pocket, searching for his missing wallet.

“Wallet's not here. Dunno what I did with it.” He bent down to look under the stool. Kat steadied him with both her hands as he swayed forward. “Not there either.”

“Well then, you're just going to have to let me look.” She ran her hands playfully over his ass and over his hips to the front pockets of his dark denim jeans. Then she patted the bulge in the front of his jacket. “You sure it's not in there?”

“Ha!” he said, his eyes widening. “No problem. I got this.” He pulled out the envelope Sunny had given him, and a pair of stiff hundred-dollar bills were delivered across the bar to Sky. “Keep the change, my man.” Rick tucked the envelope back into his jacket and started for the door.

Kat and Sky exchanged a quick glance. “Hey, Rick, very funny,” Sky called after him.