Not Quite Sober, Part 1

Posted on Wed May 8, 2019 @ 6:44am by Commander Caleb Ryan & Commander Amia Telamon M.D.

1,340 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: Gino's
Timeline: MD08 0000

It had been a long night. Eden Harrison had spent a lot of it at the dabo tables losing money, then some of it at the bar, drinking money, and finally here she was in Gino's fine establishment, trying to eat money in the shape of pizza she didn't really want, but somehow felt she ought to try to sober herself up at least a little bit.

The doors stood open and there were a few little tables just inside behind some holographic greenery in the form of open weave dividers that looked like wicker covered in vines or ivy or both in some cases. It was inviting, but it looked pretty full right now. Eden stumbled a little on entering and there was something of the slightest slowness in her pronunciation, as if she were forming words with care and effort.

"Do you have room for one little one?" she smiled at the waiter. Or was he the owner? He looked nice, whoever he was, and she had no trouble at all flashing him a broad and friendly smile. She looked a bit cheeky, slightly the worse for wear, and definitely flirty, but she wasn't currently aware of what she looked like, so it didn't embarrass her yet.

The tall, stocky, broadly built man with a full face and dark hair looked the woman over. She had obviously been drinking, but he nodded. “Sure thing, miss,” he said. “This way.”

Gino led the woman over to a table in the corner that had just been cleared. It had a red and white checked table cloth on it. “Can I put in a drink order for yeh?” Gino asked, a hint of his Chicago accent coming through as he set down the menu.

"I think I need coffee please. Black and sweet, if you would?" she asked and took up the menu to try to focus enough to take in a good idea on what she might eat. She couldn't remember if she had eaten much today at all. It wasn't unusual these days for her to have a nice toasted whisky for breakfast and another for lunch, if she could go that long between them. She sighed. Sometimes she was aware of how bad things had got lately, but usually she just drowned that idea when it came calling.

"Do you... " she began, then stopped herself just in time before she said something really stupid like, "come here often" and changed it to "have pizza? I really like a stuffed crust, although I know they aren't the latest fashion these days.”

Gino chuckled. “Did you not see our theme for the week?” He gestured to the restaurant around him. “A Chicago pizzeria. We don’t have stuffed crust, but we do have Chicago style deep dish. Nothing better!”

"You've sold it to me. I'll have one of those pleeze." Her last word slurred a little, causing her to look surprised and cover her mouth. "Ooops! I think you'd better make it an urgent delivery asss I appear to have had a little bit too much alcohole on an empty stummy." She frowned as she messed up another couple of words and looked confused. She looked up at Gino as if she couldn't work out who was messing with her words, but seemed to clear her focus a little as she found him looking back at her with the darkest, most amazing brown eyes that sobered her up instantly.

"Sorry," she apologised with clarity now as she realised she really liked this man and now feared she'd let herself down and made him think she was a lush, which it suddenly crashed in her that she might actually be! That was another sobering realisation and she blushed, both from the embarrassment and from realising that she liked him and was sure he wouldn't like her at all after this display of foolishness. She sighed sadly.

Gino gave a light chuckle. “You wouldn’t be the first,” he said. “What kinda pizza would ya like?” he asked in his Chicago accent.

"Please could you recommend one for me? Not too spicy, but lots of cheese and...well, you know?" she said, looking down and not meeting his eyes for a little bit.

“Sure thing,” Gino said. “Always has lots of cheese. Enough to choke on,” he joked. “Sausage is the classic. I’ll get you that,” he told her. “Anything else?” he asked before moving off to put in her order.

"I know it's boring, but could I have some coffee please? I kinda need to sober up," she admitted with a shy smile. She really liked this man and she wasn't sure if it was just the alcohol making that decision or if it was for real. Either way, she needed to get better and clearer control of her thoughts and actions. If he were to be someone she would like to impress, this wasn't the way to start.

“Sure thing, love,” Gino said. “Coming right up.” He moved off toward the kitchens. A moment later he was back with a steaming cup of coffee. “There you go. Pizza will be out in about twenty minutes.”

"Thanks," Eden said quietly, but with warmth. She took a sip of the fresh coffee, grimacing at how hot it still was, and then looked up at him apologetically. "I should have been more patient with that, shouldn't I?" she commented, stating the obvious, and then berating herself silently for stating the "bleedin' obvious," as she would have said if she'd spoken the thought aloud.

Blushing gently, she looked down and stopped trying so hard in an attempt to prevent herself doing still more harm.

Gino chuckled. “Yes, it’s coffee. It’s hot,” he teased her good-naturedly. “I’ll be back with your pizza in a few,” he said.

"Thanks. Now you will make it personally, won't you? With your own hands?" Eden was a flirt by nature, and she was worse when she had been drinking. Suddenly she overcame whatever it had been that had been making her shy with this man and moved towards the hot counter where Gino had gone to start with her pizza. She leaned provocatively over the bar at the front of the servery and chatted to him as he worked the dough.

"I do love a man who's good with his hands," she commented, her bravado returning in spades now she was on a roll again. She had brought her coffee over with her and was perching it on top of the counter, sitting herself on a bar stool there and chattering away, making sure she was keeping his attention. It was fortunate there was no one else waiting for food at the moment.

Watching him work magic with the pizza base, spinning it in the air and stretching it out deftly, she was fascinated and sat gazing at him, finally silent and no longer babbling on. "Wow," she breathed as he completed the masterpiece and placed it down, perfectly formed and shaped, ready for toppings and then cooking.

Gino chuckled. “Never seen a pizza made before, doll?” he asked. He started to load in the sausage and cheese into the deep dish, then ladled the sauce on top of it all.

"Not one that looks like a flan like that," she replied cheekily and smirked at him over the counter, pushing her luck with his sense of humour versus his very obvious talent at making the dish in question.

“If you’ve never had a Chicago style deep dish, doll, then you are in for a treat.” He turned and pushed the pan into the oven and then turned back, dusting flour off his hands and removing his apron. It was late, and Charlene, a buxom blonde who looked straight from the cover of a bodice ripper, was saying goodbye to the last of the patrons who had been in the restaurant.

TBC

Gino Romano
Proprietor of Gino’s Restaurant

Dr. Eden Harrison
Civilian Surgeon

 

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