I've Been Here the Whole Time

Walking Back Into My Life

Eden carried a crate of beer bottles from the backroom out to the main bar area to stock up for the evening shift. Jimmy was heading out for the day meaning that Eden was working alone until her Aunt Penny came in. Eden had been coming to the Hard Deck for as long as she had been of legal drinking age, but when Penny bought the bar a few years back, Eden was thrilled when her aunt asked her to work for her. 

Two years ago Eden had moved back in with her mom. Her dad had just passed away, she had just left her job as an editor's assistant, and she was unsure where her life was going to go from there. Being surrounded by family was just was Eden needed at the time, but now, years later, her mom had been encouraging her to start chasing her dreams again. If only she knew what those were. 

A couple walking up to the bar, distracting Eden from her thoughts. She grabbed them their drinks and finished setting up for the night. She was all ready, now all she had to do was wait. As much as Eden loved working at the Hard Deck it could be boring at some points. Usually there was just some regulars from around town but every so often a new Top Gun class would start at the base, bringing some pilots into the bar. That usually livened the place up. 

Her Aunt Penny always warned her off pilots, having had her heart broken a few times by an old lover, and usually Eden agreed. Sure the pilots were hot and usually good for some fun but they always left.

As if manifested by her thoughts, the door swung open revealing a couple men wearing their naval day uniforms. Looking around smug as if they owned the place, they quickly took over the pool area of the bar. Their presence was enough to cause the few customers who had been sitting nearby to move to a more secluded area. The one who looked to be the ringleader raised a hand towards Eden, calling her over. She tucked her hair behind her ears, grabbing a notepad and pen, before moving to take their order. 

"Hey sweetheart," the blonde man said. Eden clocked the name tag on his shirt reading Seresin. Deciding to play along, hoping that the summer might get a little more interesting, she smiled up at the man standing closer to him than was needed.

"Well hi there, Lieutenant," she said. "What can I get you and your friends here?"

He looked a little surprised that he knew his rank just from his uniform. Eden scoffed in her head. Her grandfather was a navy admiral, she had lived in Miramar her whole life, and worked at a bar frequently visited by those who were stationed on the base, of course she had a basic understanding of the naval rankings.

"Is there anything on special tonight? Besides yourself?" he said with a smirk. Eden cringed internally but put on a fake smile and laughed at the bad joke she had heard hundreds of times before.

"How about I get you a couple beers on special instead," she replied smiling sweetly. 

"That'll work, feel free to bring one for yourself and join us." 

"I'm on the clock and my boss will be here in not too long. I'll have to take you up on your offer another time."

"See that you do," he said with a wink. Eden returned with their drinks but had to hurry back to the bar as business had started picking up. She was so focused on getting through the line of customers that she barely noticed when her aunt showed up. 

"Eddie, go take your break, I've got this for now."

"Sure Penny, let me just take these over to that table and I'll head to the back." She said holding a a tray up and pointing in the direction of the pilots. A woman named Trace had come up ordering a round for the group, so Eden walked over balancing a try of beers handing them to the pilots one by one. She was down to one beer in her hand, looking around the pool area for anyone with an empty hand.

"That's for Bob over there," Trace said pointing behind Eden.

Eden froze. It couldn't be. Why would he be back? 

Turning slowly in spot she came face to bespectacled face of Robert 'Bob' Floyd. He broke into a grin and opened his mouth to speak but Eden quickly set the beer down on the table in front of him and hurried away. She got to the back room shutting the door behind her, leaning up against it breathing heavily. 

She waited for her heart beat to calm before moving away from the door and peeking out over the window allowing staff to see the front area from the back room. Eden could see Bob standing in the middle of the crowd, beer in hand, confused look on his face as he scanned the area clearly looking for her.

She cursed herself silently for handling that in the most awkward way imaginable. She never thought she'd see him again but here he was walking back into her life, rousing the butterflies that had been asleep in her stomach for years.