Happy Hour

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

The note caught him by surprise, but once he is done reading it CJ grins and slides over the counter. "Guess ya wanna really calm night, hm?" After giving the counter a pat, he writes on the board.

** SPECIALS **

* Alcoholic: any drinks containing tequila, beer or wine *


* Non-Alcoholic *

- Soda and juice mixes;



CJ nods to himself, turning to the Bar at large. "Happy Hour is up, folks."



[ Open until forever, Millitime applies after midnight EST. ]

Comments

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

Mallory leans against the bar, looking tired and slightly desperate.

"Coffeeeeeee. I beg you."

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"Donuts too for the whole energy package deal?" Hey, never argue with the customer: coffee maker, water, power up, in three minutes there will be coffee.

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"No donuts, just coffee...black."

She may move on to espresso in a few minutes, but until then, coffee will do.

"I will be eternally grateful."

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"Just a second..." He nods, working on making some strong roast brew with caffeine enough to make a sloth win the 100-meter dash.

After the aforementioned three minutes, a tall mug is placed before Mallory, along with the sugar and cream if she wants those.

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"Don't tell my boyfriend, but for the next two minutes, I love you."

She picks up the cup and drinks deeply, ignoring the heat in her desire to feel the jolt she needs to stay upright.

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

And CJ chuckles. "Be careful; if my wife hears that, she might kill us both." He will make sure to keep a coffee pot boiling just in case Mallory needs a second dose.

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"Since I don't even know who you are, I think we're both safe from homicide for now. I'll come to my senses once this kicks in."

She nearly drains the cup on her second pass and nudges it toward him in a silent plea for a refill.

"Then I'll send her a thank you note for lending me her fabulous coffee making man when I needed him the most."

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome, then." CJ nods, refilling her mug. "But then ya gotta thank my brother too, he taught me how to make coffee."

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"Consider it done. Does he come here, too?"

She's more awake now, and climbs up on a bar stool to nurse the second cup. She might even taste it, this time.

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

He shakes head. "Nope. Nobody from back home comes here... I wish I could bring Sweet and Kendl over, and Cesar too."

Then just for the sake of ti, a big strong hand is offered. "Carl Johnson. Call me CJ."

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"Hey, CJ."

She shakes and gives a tired smile.

"Mallory Grace. Just call me Mallory."

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"Nice to meet ya." He nods. "Where and when?" He is curious about that, always.

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"Earth, Connecticut, 2010."

She adds a little cream to her coffee, now.

"You?"

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"Los Santos, State of San Andreas, 1996." Most likely not his Earth.

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"State of San Andreas? That's a new one. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say we're not from the same Earth."

She isn't sure if there's a San Andreas town or city or county or whatever...she has heard of the fault line, though.

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, San Andreas covers what is in other worlds California and Nevada." He looked in the map. "Los Santos is where Los Angeles is."

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"Huh. Weird how things match up, but don't. My world has faeries, so I can't say much about being different."

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"Nothing like that back home... but I think we have aliens. Or something like it." If you can believe The Truth.

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"This place is kind of full of them, if you think about it. To some, we're the aliens."

She has no problem with that.

"Faeries aren't so bad, compared to some of the stuff I've heard of."

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"Nah, I mean the gray-with-bug-eyes-conquer-earth-eat-humans kind... not the more civil kind you find here..."

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"Oh...that would really suck. What do you do there?"

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

CJ grins and winks. "I own the state." King of San Andreas, oh yes.

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

*blinkblinkblink*

"Riiiiight. Definitely different from my world. No one owns the states in my world. How does something like that happen?"

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"Hmm... oh-kay, I don't really own, own it... but... I own all the cargo business in the state, truck and train, I own the popular food marts, I own the best hotel, houses and apartments, import and export, luxury car sales, fast food joints and one-third of the best casino in Las Venturas." And he does not look that old.

"Funny part, when I started I had nothing. Really nothing."

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"Did you catch a Leprechaun, or something?"

She may not be kidding. She has learned a pretty good straight face from Ryu.

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"Nope. It's a long story, and not nice." He shakes head, smiling a bit while picking up a water bottle for himself.

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"Most of the interesting stories are like that. Seems like most of the people who come here have one."

She won't press him for details if he doesn't want to share.

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"Maybe some other time." It is not something to share with a near-stranger, after all. "Another refill?"

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"No, I'm good, thanks. I'll at least be awake long enough now to make it upstairs and shower before collapsing."

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"That's good. I bet sleepin' on the floor isn't a good way to have a good night." He chuckles and nods.

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"I don't mind sleeping on the floor, but I would prepare to do it someplace with less traffic and stairs. A soft futon will be much nicer."

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"I've had to do it, the sleep on floor thing... not a way to sleep well."

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"I guess if you're tired enough, the floor is better than some places. Still, I am lucky enough to have a room upstairs, and if my luck holds, there will be a warm body already there to curl up with and catch up on some sleep."

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

"If you're tired enough, anyplace can be good, but you really don't wanna be tired enough for some places." He nods. "Good luck with that."

[mallory-grace.livejournal.com]

"Truer words were never spoken."

She's seen some places that she wouldn't want to be in while awake, much less asleep.

"Thanks. It was nice to meet you, CJ. I think I'm going to go up and see how my luck is holding."

[grovecj.livejournal.com]

CJ grins and nods. "Good luck, and see ya around."