A Christmas Story Pt. 03

"We're going to have to start serving extra champagne to make-up for this wait time." Rick said. I bring up a couple more cases. Fletch start getting trays of glasses ready. I'll alert the wait staff about the change. "

I nodded.

I had seen when Teak and Jeremy entered, Teak smiled over at me, but I just stared back at him. Jeremy was all cuddled up next to him. They looked like the perfect couple. Every time a tray of champagne passed Jeremy, I noticed him taking a glass off. About a half hour before midnight Jeremy came up to the bar, I could tell he was a bit inebriated yet he wanted to order a drink. I reminded him, his reservation included a champagne toast at midnight which he might enjoy more if he didn't have any more to drink until then. Steve's recorded messages began confirming what I had said.

He started to walk away, but turned back. "So bar boy, how was breakfast yesterday?"

I felt my lips press together. "Did Teak, tell you that he and I were going to have breakfast?"

"Well how else would I find out, follow you?" He gave me a half grin and walked away.

I began filling the glasses with champagne, no, this was not happening again. It only last Monday, I was called some other man's name. And now I've been duped into believing someone else's lies. I watched Jeremy walk over to where Teak was stood talking with two men. He began rubbing Teak's back. Every time Teak tried to move away from him, Jeremy would just move closer to him and continue to rub on him. The two men watched for a few moments then quickly ended their conversation with Teak and walked away.

Teak turned toward Jeremy, I could see the anger on Teak's face but couldn't make out what he was saying. Jeremy tried to grab Teak's arm, but Teak pulled away and walked back to his seat. He looked over at me and smiled. I turned my head in the other direction, but not before seeing Jeremy pushing in to sit back down next Teak. I continued filling the glasses with champagne and sitting them on a tray ready for a waiter to pick up, when I looked up Teak standing in front of me.

"So where would you like to have breakfast in the morning?" he asked, giving me that megawatt smile.

"I'm not having breakfast with you in the morning or any other morning," I said quietly then turned back around reaching down for another bottle of champagne.

"Why?" Teak asked.

"Why, you asked? You walked in here with Jeremy wrapped up in your arms and you told him we went for breakfast yesterday." I frantically started pulling ice from ice machine.

"I didn't tell him anything."

"Then how did he know we went for breakfast yesterday?"

"I don't know. Listen Fletch, As far as coming in here with him, I didn't have a choice. You know I paid for our reservation. After we broke up; I asked Rick if I could get a refund, he told me I would have to forfeit the payment I made and pay another $125.00 just for me to get in, nothing else would be included. And that would be if the capacity maximum hadn't been met. So Jeremy suggested we still come as a couple and once we were in, I'd go my way and he'd go his. He told me once we were inside he would reimburse me, now he asking we wait until after midnight."

"You forget Teak; something like this already happened before with you."

Fletch, I swear, it is over between Jeremy and I."

"Are you getting our drinks Teak honey?" Jeremy looked over at me with daggers in his eyes

"Jeremy, I didn't tell you I was getting any drinks for you."

"Then why else would you be at the bar? Bar Boy, get us a couple of glasses of champagne."

"First of all, my name is not Bar Boy, its Fletcher and I would appreciate if you stopped calling me that." Second, we are preparing to hand out goblet of champagne so if you return to your table you'll find a glass of champagne should be waiting for you."

"Well I would appreciate if you stopped trying to steal my boyfriend."

"I'm not interested in your boyfriend." I yelled. I watched Teak's face fall.

"Oh no, then tell me why he would spend all night of last night and part of the morning here with you and then take you up to the Silver Gate Restaurant for breakfast?"

"Wait a minute" Teak began. How did you know I was here last night and where we were for breakfast, are you following me?"

Jeremy took a quick look at me. "Let's say I'm just protecting my interest. Before you saw him last week, you and I were happy. We even talked about making it permanent. I know you had something in the past with him. Now if you think you can toss me aside like your other past lovers..."

"Is there a problem over here?" Rick asked looking at all of us.

I don't have problem, Teak said.

"Well I do, Jeremy responded. Tell you bar boy to keep his hand off my boyfriend."

"I'm not your boyfriend, Jeremy whatever we had is over, accept that and move on."

"Hey folks, there is only 20 minutes to midnight, recording said. For those of you who had reservation, there should be a glass of the bubbly sitting on your table for each one of you."

"Maybe you two should return to your seat," Rick advised.

"I've have some people I want to see in the back," Teak turned and walked in the opposite direction of the booth he had with Jeremy.

Jeremy watched Teak walk away and was about to follow him.

"So Jeremy how's your family?" Rick asked

"I wouldn't know. I have nothing at all to do with them. How's yours?"

"Good, good. Jeremy, should you be drinking alcohol with the prescription medication you're taking?" Rick asked.

"I'm not on any medication, excuse me." Jeremy turned and quickly followed Teak.

Rick's eyes narrowed watching Jeremy walk away. He then turned to me, "cut him off, I'll grab the glasses on their table and alert the others. If he comes up here and gives you any trouble about getting another drink, hit the alert button. I nodded my head and watched Rick hurry over to the table with Teak and Jeremy's name on it, he removed the two glasses and place them on a passing waiter's tray, he than huddled with the two security man. They looked in my direction, checked their ear pieces and looked over at Jeremy, who was now in a heated conversation with Teak. Teak finally raised his hand and walked away.

"Excuse me Fletch," Hector said. "But that guy down there would like to speak to you. Go ahead, I work up here." I looked down the bar and there sat Carl. He looked tired. I took a deep breath and headed to the end of the bar.

Make sure your goblets are champagne ready. Just fifteen more minutes to go until mid-night." Steve recording told everyone.

"Hi Carl." "

Hey Fletch, thanks for ticket, he laughed nervously. "It's a mad house out there. You know a guy offered me $175.00 for my ticket. I heard they're not letting anyone else in."

"What do you want Carl?" I said very solemn.

The smile disappeared from Carl's face as he looked at me. "I wanted to wish you a happy New Year's and tell you again how sorry I am."

"Okay, you've done that. Now if you will excuse me, I have to get back to work." I turn and was about to walk away.

"Wait Fletch, you have it wrong if you believe I could ever confuse you with Cass. You two are nothing alike. I've gone over what I said a million times in my mind. I can't tell you why it happened, but one thing I am sure of is that I want to share all my hopes dreams and desires with you. I've felt this since the first time we first met. Fletch you are my future."

I listen to what Carl said and for some reason I knew he was speaking the truth, because it was exactly the same way I felt.

"Look Jeremy, forget the money; just leave me alone, okay? Teak got up from the table turned.

"Teak all I want to do is talk about our future. Let's go back and back down at our table, and talk about it." He looked back at the table. "Hey where are our drinks?"

Teak turned and looked over at the bar he saw me talking to Carl. He started walking toward us, when Jeremy ran in front of him pushing him back. "I'm not letting you treat me like yesterday's fish wrapper while you run after your lover, you hear me." Teak tried to walk around Jeremy, but Jeremy was having none of it. Finally Teak had enough and pushed Jeremy out of the way, this caused Jeremy to fell. I think it was more of an acting performance than a push done that hard. But, Rick and Benjamin were right there.

"What's going on here," Rick asked.

Teak rubbed his hand over his face. Rick I'm sorry, but this guy is fucking crazy. He won't leave me alone; he keeps following me where ever I go."

Jeremy was being helped to his feet by Benjamin. "That's not it Jeremy said, he's bothering me asking me to give him some money."

Teal looked shocked "The only money I've bothered you about is the money you told me you'd repay me. First he told me he'd give it to me once we got in the club, and then it was once it was passed midnight, now he wants to wait until after we leave. So, I told him to just forget. I want him to just leave me alone."

"Okay people get your glasses ready, 10 more minutes."

Rick looked over at Benjamin. "Look gentlemen, I don't know give a flying rat's ass about your money issues, my concern is the safety of my other patrons here. So with that in mind, I'm going to have to ask both of you to leave."

"You mean 10 minutes before midnight, you're kicking us out?" Jeremy yelled.

"Yes," Rick replied.

"You know who I am, Jeremy screamed.

Rick got down nose to nose in his face. You're the puny little asshole I'm going to be throwing out of my club in about 10 second, if you don't move out on your owe." Rick was a bear size of a man, and Benjamin had been a linebacker for the New York Jets, between the two of them you could barely see Jeremy.

Jeremy had a smear of a smile on his face; my father will have you for breakfast." "

Rick lean back with a half-smile on his face, "I thought you didn't have anything to do with your family. Now get out your ass of my club. Mr. Lucas, will you escort this gentleman off the premises."

"Yes sir, Mr. Gallo." Benjamin walked a few steps closer to Jeremy. "We can do this the easy way or the uncomfortable one, the choice is yours."

Jeremy looked around at all the people who were staring at him, then looked over at me, "don't think you won anything bar boy, I told you Teak ain't coming back." He turned and with a sly smile on his face, walked toward the front door with Benjamin right behind him.

Once Jeremy was out the door, Rick turned his attention to Teak. "Teak man I'm sorry, but you have to leave also."

"I know I'm sorry all this happened. I can't say I wasn't warned.

Rick just nodded his head. Teak looked over in my direction and then at Carl. "Happy New Years, Fletch" then he headed for the door.

"Just 5 more minutes until midnight, take your places."

Rick looked over at me. I saw him wipe the beads of sweat on his fore head then after a relaxing breath he walked behind Carl. With his hand gestures he asked was Carl and I together? I shrugged indicating maybe. He made a big O out his thumb and forefinger before walking away. I smiled at him then looked at Carl.

"Now, what were we talking about" I asked.

"I think I was asking for your forgiveness, Carl answered back smiling. I smiled back at him.

"We're starting our final countdown," Steve's recorded voice came through loud and clear. "Ten"

"Look Carl, I began, maybe we were..."

Suddenly screams and yells came from the front door area. I watched people running back inside, more and more people pushed their way inside the club.

"Eight," the recording continued.

"He's stabbing people out there."

"Six,"

"Someone call the police, someone call an ambulance, there's a man down on the ground."

"Four,"

"Someone is else is down."

"Oh my god, he stabbed Benjamin."

"Three,"

"Oh no, he's trying to get back into the club."

"Somebody grab him. Okay hold him until the police come."

"Two,"

"Has anyone called 911 yet?"

"One, Happy New Year's everyone."