Encouraging Curiosity

- Mina -

I hurried to the door, forgetting that Lola was coming over. “Shit, I’m coming, hold on,” I yelled as I opened it. Lola didn’t hesitate, rushing past me to hug me after I closed the door. 

“I have some things to tell you, girl!” she yelled as she released me from her death grip. I couldn’t help but laugh at her. She always had something new to share. Never fails. We sat on the couch where Spot jumped on her, covering her with his wet kisses. “Oh, Spot. I missed you, too, big guy.” She stroked his head between her hands. I smiled. 

“Okay, Mins, I need to tell you something first, then I have a question.” Lola’s tone became serious, usually a sign of bad news. 

“Oh no, did you and Tommy argue again?” I sat upright, prepared to offer her the support she needed.

She laughed at that answer. After catching her breath, she said, “Oh god no, nothing like that-” then paused, smiling. “Mins, he popped the question. After 8 years, he finally asked.” She beamed cheerfully. 

“Shut the fuck up, let me see Lols.” I grabbed her hand as she extended it, gasping in awe. “Oh, this is beautiful!” I exclaimed, pulling her into a hug. She has been complaining for years that he hasn’t asked her to marry him. 

We discussed her wedding ideas for a while, but nothing concrete came of it. Since he asked, she was unsure where to start. The topic changed when she asked, “Oh yeah, what did you need to tell me? I almost forgot. You sounded strange when you mentioned it.” 

I nearly forgot about Luciano until she mentioned it. “You don’t understand what the last two days have been like-” I was cut off by my phone. I declined the call since I didn’t recognize the number, then continued. “I was closing the bar the other night when a guy barged in as I was locking the door.” 

Lola’s smile quickly faded. “Holy shit. What happened? Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, I’m good. But he wasn’t. Apparently, someone shot him. And instead of getting real help, he wanted me to help him.” I wanted to keep the gun hidden, but she would notice if I didn’t reveal everything. “I was grabbing my phone, trying to call 9-1-1. But when I looked up, he had a gun.” 

Lola remained silent for a few moments before asking, “Are you really okay, Mina? A gun, though?” 

I shook my head, “No, not really. I was terrified, but the weird thing is that he put it down once I asked what I could do to help him.” 

Lola turned her head, facing me fully. That’s when I saw them. Tears welled in her eyes. “Mina-” she hugged me. “I am so sorry you had to go through that. I am so happy you’re okay.” 

How can I comfort her? She was present when Dad passed away, on the day of our senior trip. “Lola, I was terrified. All I could think of was-” she interrupted me before I finished. 

“You...” she paused, then asked, “You thought of Dad, didn’t you?”

I nodded, “Yeah. But recalling a painful memory helped me support him.” Then he showed up at the bar this morning looking for me. Girl, I don’t know what to make of it. He’s a handsome man, but he was shot. That probably isn’t good, and what if he’s bad and now knows who I am?”

Lola shook her head. “Mins, you’re stronger than you realize. Don’t let this one person scare you. Do you still have the gun under the bar?” I nodded, but I wondered what good it was if he also had a gun. “Next time, aim and shoot if he returns. What was he even after this morning?”

 I told her everything, including the kiss. Her eyes widened, which made me laugh. “You look like I just told you I was pregnant or something-” she laughed. 

“Girl, who would kiss you if they knew the real and messed-up you?” I couldn’t help but laugh. 

“That’s not fair. My trauma comes as a package, and so does my urge to hit people.” She swatted my arm, laughing even more. 

“Where was that hit then, Mins?” I asked, feeling warmth on my cheeks. “Mina! You enjoyed it, didn’t you? Just tell me you got his last name or his number, at least?”

I shook my head, “I don’t know, I didn’t, and 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 was just someone who came in as a customer, would you-” I knew exactly what she was going to ask. 

“Lols, honestly, I would have definitely flirted with him or offered him a free drink.” We laughed at that, aware of how clueless I am at flirting. We then sat and discussed it for some time, covering every thought and detail without leaving anything out. 

“Well, I think that if he did all of that and you feel the way you do, you should allow your curiosity. Sometimes, the right person shows up in the worst ways.”

 A laugh escaped my mouth, saying, “I guess.” 

Seeing the time, Lola stood up and said, “Well, Mins, I gotta go. Tommy’s taking me on our last trip as a regular couple to Florida, and we have to leave early.” We hugged, said goodbye, and I locked the door behind her. 

Noticing the time myself, I decided Spot needed some outdoor time before it got too late. I extended our walk and checked on Corey to see if he still wanted the promotion. Being the boss of people isn’t easy when you have to handle staff and intoxicated customers.