Kissed by a Loaded Gun

-Mina- 

I ran to the door, forgetting that Lola was coming over. “Shit, I’m coming. I’m coming, hold on” I yelled as I opened it. Lola took no time, running over me, giving me a hug. “I have some things to tell you, girl!” she yelled as she let me go from her death grip. I couldn’t help but laugh at her. She always had something new to tell me. Never fails. We go sit on the couch where Spot jumped on her, dousing her with his wet kisses. “Oh, Spot. I missed you too, big guy.” She rubbed his head between her hands. I smiled. She was always hounding me the way Larry did about how he should just live with me, since I always fed him at work. 

“Okay Mins, I have something to tell you, then I have a question.” Lola got serious, which usually means something bad. “Oh no, did you and Tommy have a fight?” She laughed at that answer. Once she caught her breath, “Oh god no, nothing like that-” she paused before she smiled. “Mins, he popped it. After 8 years, he finally asked the question.” She smiled ear to ear. “Shut the hell up, let me see Lols.” I snatched her hand as she held it out, and I let out a gasp. “Oh, this is beautiful!” I pulled her in for a hug. She has only complained for years about him not asking her to marry him. 

We talked for a bit about what she wanted for the wedding, which got nowhere. Now that he asked, she had no clue where to begin. The conversation shifted from that when she asked, “Oh yeah, what did you need to tell me? I almost forgot. You sounded weird when you said it.” I almost forgot about Luciano until she brought it up. “You do not know what the last two days have been like-” I got interrupted by my phone. Hitting decline since I didn’t recognize the number I continued. “I was closing the bar the other night, and this guy barged in when I was locking the door.” 

The smile that was on Lola’s face disappeared fast. “Holy shit. What happened? Are you okay?” I must have had a look on my face because I haven’t even gone into detail. “Yeah, I’m good. But he wasn’t. Apparently, someone shot him. And instead of getting real help, he demanded I help him.” I was hoping to leave the gun out, but she would know if I didn’t tell her everything. “I was grabbing my phone, tried to call 9-1-1. But when I looked up he had a gun.” Lola stayed quiet for a few minutes, “are you really okay though Mina? A gun?” I shook my head, “no, not really. I was terrified, but the weird thing is-he put it down once I asked him what I could do.” 

Lola turned her head, facing me completely. That’s when I saw them. Tears formed on the edge of her eyes. “Mina-” she hugged me, “I am so sorry you had to go through that. I am so happy you’re okay.” What could I say to calm her? She was there when Dad had died, the day we had our senior trip. “Lola, I was terrified. All I could think of wa-” she cut me off before I could finish. “You,” she paused, “You thought of dad didn’t you?” she asked. Nodding my head, “Yeah. But thinking of a painful memory helped me help him. Then he came to the bar this morning looking for me. And girl, I don’t know what to think. He is a beautiful man, but he got shot. That cannot be a good thing, and what if he is a bad person who knows who I am now?”

 Lola shook her head. “Mins, you are stronger than you think you are. Don’t let this one person freak you out. Do you still have the gun that was under the bar?” I nodded, but what use was that if he had a gun too? I asked myself. “Well, next time aim it, and shoot him if he comes back. What did he even want this morning?” I told her everything, even the kiss. The way her eyes got big made me laugh. “You look like I just told you I was pregnant or some-”

she laughed. “Girl, who would kiss you if they knew the real you?” I couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s not fair. My trauma is a package deal, so is my need to smack people.” She hit my arm, laughing harder. “Where was that slap then, Mins?” I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. “Mina! You liked it, didn’t you? Tell me you at least got his last name or a number?”

 Shaking my head, “I don’t know. And I didn’t. He just said he wouldn’t be far, whatever that means.” She smiled, “you got a new stalker sounds like, but seriously. If he didn’t do all that and he was just someone who came in as a customer would you-” I knew exactly what she was going to ask. “Lols, if I have to be honest. I would have totally hit on him, or given him a free drink.”

We laughed at that, knowing I was clueless with flirting. We sat and talked about it for a while, leaving no thought or detail unsaid. “Well, I think if he did all that, and you feel the way you do. Allow your curiosity. Sometimes the right one comes along in the worst ways.”

 A laugh escaped my mouth, “I guess.” Looking at the time, Lola stood, “well Mins, I got to go. Tommy is taking me on our last vacation as a normal couple to Florida. And we got to hit the road early.” We hugged, said our goodbyes, and I locked the door behind her. Looking at the time myself, I decided Spot needs to get outside before it gets too late. We, well, I extended our walk and went to check in on Corey. See if he still wants this promotion.