Welcome to New Orleans
It's summertime here in New Orleans, Louisiana. It's hot, humid and crowded. I've been living here for longer than I care to think about, but l've scored a great little apartment overlooking Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. There's a party here every night but I don't mind, it makes you feel alive. The night lights, singing, dancing, everyone is happy and these days that is my goal...... happy, recovery.
There's a great dive bar at the bottom of my building, The Pink Martini. My deal with Jax, the owner, is I do security and he doesn't bother me about rent. Pretty great deal if you ask me.
I'm not bad in the looks department, if I do say so myself, but I'm also solid in the security department so I'm not bothered by the thousands of tourists that want to challenge what I say or attempt to sway me with their charms. But yes, usually there's always one dumbass in the group that has too many drinks and wants to hit on me. I can ignore them or play along for a bit depending on my mood as long as they don't touch me, I hate to be touched.
Jax however, he loves the ladies, maybe a little too much, his wife of 20 years got fed up with his alley cat ways and took everything from him to include half of this bar. Apparently.
Jax spent most of their marriage here with numerous young ladies. She pops in often, she says to keep tabs on the business' money, but I think it's so she can keep tabs on him and make his life miserable. L also think she still loves him and can't bring herself to leave his life completely, but she can no longer deal with the cheating that comes with their relationship, with him. He says this bar can transform your soul if you let it, she says this bar is just a portal for sluts and whores to pass through, I say it's a means to forget.
Sabrina is behind the bar tonight. A sweet girl who just moved here but we have become fast friends. She has beautiful straight auburn hair that lays flat and reaches to the middle of her back, hazel eyes that somedays I think may actually change color with light freckles that sit on the apples of her cheeks. She's a curvey girl, the guys are always trying to get her to bend over or turn around so they can check her butt out. She always answers with a smile on her face and says she charges extra for the look which I absolutely love and admire about her. I'd rip their heads off if that was said to me. She's sweet, not tainted by the world and its ugly evil people, does she realize how jealous I am that she doesn't absorb the hatred?
So what makes me so special you might ask? Well, I am the infamous Detective Aria Glade, at your service. I have the unique ability to solve crimes that most cannot. I am famous for solving the most gruesome of crimes in record time. I am blessed with just 'knowing things' and l have the ability to understand what others don't dare speak of, let alone comprehend.
Unlike Sabrina, I have been scarred by the world and the souls that live in it. Most of the time after her shift she will come upstairs and ask for life advice, but lately it has been man advise which has totally piqued my interest. Who is this new man she has been talking about?
I have never known her to be a big party girl, now she wants to come with me to my daily workout sessions or a.k.a. stress relief sessions. Has he been coming in here and I haven't noticed? Impossible! I notice everything, don't 1? | have been distracted lately.
It's Tuesday and the night has started out pretty slow. I'm sitting at the end of the bar, wearing a fitted black racer back tank, hug your butt jeans, my long blonde hair is in a ponytail and sipping on my personal stash of Blanton's. Everyone knows it's off-limits so they keep it hidden behind the bar way in the back. A group of young guys come in already drunk and loud. I just sit not saying a word and observe their increasingly obnoxious behavior. A short time later a group of young ladies follow behind them also drunk, obnoxious and vying for everyone's attention. Ughhhh...... I just roll my eyes and watch what begins to unfold in front of me...
Jax comes over and plops down on the stool next to me. He reeks of fresh cigarette smoke and super strong cheap cologne...
"So, starting day one of no smoking again tomorrow?" I asked while watching the complete train wreck unfolding right before my eyes. He lets out a big sigh looking straight out into the crowds that are piling inside now:..
"Yep, tomorrow may be better. Crowd is starting to pick up, that's good news. I am expecting a special guest tonight, see that he gets in OK will ya? And let me know as soon as he gets here?"
I finally look at him, "is everything OK with you Jax?"
He never looks over at me, but with a soft smile and hope in his eyes…..
"yeah, I'm counting on his visit to go well." Jax took a deep breath, hopped off the barstool and scurried off to his office...
