Rough Draft

Groove Is In the Heart

"Louise is going to the store, which means you'll be down a server, right?" He pulled a waist apron off the wall. "So, I'll cover the gap."

"Aww, lookit Zeke being all chivalrous." Louise teased, pulling her own apron off and stuffing the cash in her hand into her back pocket. "I'll be back in about 45 minutes guys. At the latest."

"Thanks Louise!" Tina shouted as her little sister walked out the door.

"Drive safe!" Rudy supplied, earning himself a quick glare and middle finger though his beaming grin said that he was looking for that reaction.

Zeke squeezed past Tina, back out to grab the plates that Gene had been steadily piling up in Tina's absence from the grill.

"And..." Her voice was small, insecure.

What stopped Zeke in his tracks was the feel of her hand on his forearm, burning into his skin, feeding a hunger for more. Her eyes met his and fire erupted over her skin in a violent blush.

"Thank you, too Zeke."

"Ain't no problem T-Bird." He nudged her, his grin shit-eating and consuming. She mirrored his expression almost unconsciously. "I just see it as practice for when I'm workin' here-"

"Zeke." Her hand fell away, her voice taking on a warning tone.

He popped his hands up as he backed out of the kitchen, "I didn't say nothin'! Just that I'mma work here one day. That's all girl." He chuckled, "Nice to know where your mind goes to when you think of me though."

To her dismay he winked before turning around and moving to grab the dishes to be served, Gene going over the tables and which order went where. The odd jitteryness in her hands didn't mean anything. And neither did the way Zeke's gaze would meet hers or how she jumped when their hands had brushed, making her burn her elbow a little. It wasn't anything. It wasn't a big deal. It wasn't.

It wasn't.

~*~*~

Louise paused in front of the freezer section, looking over her grocery list before shrugging and grabbing the ice creams and throwing them in her cart.

"Do you really need that many?" A woman scolded, the child walking beside her had his finger shoved halfway up his nose.

Carefully Louise reached back into the freezer adding another box, her eyes never leaving the nosy shoppers.

"That's just-" Another one. "You're gunna take them all!" And three more.

"Keep it coming, lady." Louise intoned, her face a mask as she put another in the cart. "Remember this face well." Her eye twitched, "it's the face of chaotic evil." She laughed, adding another to the cart. "And another." The woman began walking away, slowly at first, then running as Louise announced each ice cream she added to the cart.

Finally alone she chuckled, looking down. "Well now I gotta put all these ones back, dammit." She tsked, setting to work fixing her stupid decisions.

Her stomach churned tightly, "Uhg." She groaned, rubbing her abdomen. "All this stress." She pulled out her phone, putting ice creams back with one hand, texting Rudy with the other.

Babe, I'm really feeling sick here. My stomach hurts.

She moved to the next isle, weighing her produce options. She was bagging the sprouts when her phone shouted 'Booyakasha!' to announce her text. Ignoring the stares she opened her message.

I really think we need to see a doctor, Lou. I'm really worried about all the throwing up and the stomach pains.

Angrily she shoved the phone back in her purse, rushing through the rest of the list and checking out. It was then that her phone rang.