SIENNA'S POV
"Good morning." I said as I walked out from the kitchen and saw my dad stand there with the money he owed.
"Morning." He said.
"Like I promised." He said and handed me the money.
"Thank you." I said and walked behind the bar.
"Can we talk?" He asked and I chuckled.
"About what?" I asked and he let out a sigh.
"Shall we talk about where you've been the past 26 years or shall we talk about why you came back without telling me? You have my number. You know my address." I said and he sighed.
"You know what, I don't want to hear the classic and lousy explanation. "I was called in, I was away, it was a mission, blah blah blah blah blah". Do you know they invented the phone so you can call your family when you aren't nearby?" I said and he nodded.
"I deserve it, I do." He said.
"Damn straight, you do." I said.
"You missed my entire life. You missed my first steps, first a day of kindergarten, first A, first dance, first love, first heartbreak, high school graduation, my graduation from Naval Academy, when I was accepted to Top Gun, when I graduated first in my class. You missed every important moment in my life. And you sure as hell missed when everything fell apart." I said and he sighed.
"I'm sorry." He apologised.
"Won't cut it. I had no idea where you were or if you were alive when I myself sat in that burning plane." I said and he looked down on the counter.
"I didn't know." He said and I scoffed.
"Because you are not the family they called when it happened." I said and he looked up looking very sad.
"Maddie and her parents helped me through it. They were there. Like they've always been. They don't even know how you look like because whenever you were here in Miramar, was because you pissed off some Admiral. And I got to hear it from Penny." I said and walked over to count the liquor bottles.
"The bar opens at 5." I said and he sighed.
"Okay." He said and walked out and I sighed.
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"He is being such an ass." I said as my best friend Maddie was helping me take down the chairs. Maddie and I go way back. When my mom passed away when I was 10 and my dad were no where in sight her family renovated their basement and let me move in. We grew up together. She was the only one who talked to me on the first day of kindergarten and since then we have been inseparable.
"I can't believe he just walked in thinking everything would be fine." She said and I shook my head.
"Glad you told him off." She said and I chuckled.
"I don't think we'll ever be able to have a relationship." I said.
"Why would you? You have seen him like once a year at the most." She said.
"Well, this time he was gone for three." I said and she shook her head.
"What a father figure." She said and I chuckled. When I took over this bar and moved to Miramar permanently, Maddie and her parents were quick to support me. They are here every night working. Her parents mostly help out with the dishes while me and Maddie run the bar together.
5 o'clock hit and I turned the sign to open. I opened the doors to the backside with the view over the beach and the ocean. Maddie started up the music and we were up and running. People started slowly pouring in and the bar was alive again.
"Can you make anything with like passion fruit?" A girl asked.
"Of course." I said.
"But make it a little bitter." She said and I smiled softly.
"Something with edge, got it." I said and she chuckled.
"How about the Soda Jerk." I said.
"Invented by the bartender veteran, Levin Diedrich. It's a variation of a Fizz which essentially includes egg white sour topped with club soda. But this one relies on a base which is rarely seen in Fizzes, tequila. It combines with a blanco tequila, the famous Italian Campari, passion fruit purée and lime juice." I said as I was mixing the drink.
"Unsweetened purée is the key in this one, using a syrup will take away the bitterness and lime Diedrich said, it's a fun, refreshing and complex cocktail." I said and poured it up and placed it in front of her.
"Wow, thank you." She said.
"No problems. I hope you like it." I said and she walked away from the bar.
"And she is off showing her skills." I heard a familiar voice say which made me smile. I looked over to see Rooster, Phoenix, Coyote, Hangman, Payback, Bob and Fanboy standing in the bar.
"You guys are early." I said.
"We wouldn't miss this for the world." Hangman said and I chuckled.
"What can I get yah?" I asked.
"Since Rooster here said that we weren't allowed to order beers anymore, I guess I'll go for the Gin and Tonic." He said and I nodded.
"Neat choice." I said.
"And I wanna know everything about it." He said and I chuckled.
"The Gin and Tonic has numerous stories." I said.
"But one of the first known instances of gin being mixed with tonic water was in Holland in the 1840's to combat Malaria. The British Army in India also started using tonic water with quinine in it from the 1850's to fight the disease, both as a preventative and a cure." I said.
"And as you can imagine it was very bitter to effectively treat Malaria, the concentration of quinine in the tonic water would have to be five to ten times larger than that of a modern tonic water. So, another sweeter tasting drink would be needed to be mixed with it to make it more palatable for soldiers to taste. Initially brandy, whisky or rum were used. The Royal Navy preferred to use rum mixed with tonic water to stop their crew from falling ill from Malaria." I said.
"So the Navy had a say in this." He said and I chuckled.
"They did." I said.
"So, they invented a tonic in 1858 and later on after the demands of this were higher, the Schweppes were invented which is the most popular tonic to use. And during the 19th century the cocktail grew even more popular and is now a standard in every bar around the globe." I said and placed the drink in front of him.
"Photographic memory?" He asked and I chuckled.
"Or just a big interest of mine." I said.
"I'll have a negroni again." Rooster said.
"I'm not telling the history of it again, just so you know." I said and turned around, grabbed the liquor bottle, threw it behind my back and caught like I did last night and poured the liquor up in the shaker.
"Is that also just a big interest of yours?" He asked as I mixed the drink.
"It spices the job up." I said and he chuckled.
"Can you demolish that sleaze over there because he doesn't give up?" Maddie said and I looked over to the man she gestured to and I let out a chuckle.
"Finish the negroni, I will be right back." I said and she nodded. I walked up to the guy with the aviators eyes on me.
"Good evening sir, what can I do for you?" I asked.
"You can do a lot of things for me." He said with a smirk as he looked me up and down.
"Just not here." He then added and I chuckled.
"I bet I can but now we are here, what can I get yah?" I asked.
"A condom and a new pair of pants for me." He said.
"They are getting soaked." He said with a smirked.
"Well, if they are getting soaked you won't need a condom, you need a catheter." I said and I could hear the aviators chuckle.
"Spicy, what are you Latina?" He asked and I chuckled. My hair was as blond as the sun.
"Just a regular white girl." I said and he chuckled.
"Good, white girls are easier to command." He said and I didn't know whether to throw up or punch him in the face. Maybe I'll do both.
"Your drink order, sir?" I asked.
"Got anything that tastes like your pussy?" He said and I raised my brows. I knew that aviators didn't think it was as funny anymore but my eyes were on the middle aged sleaze in front of me.
"Sure, how about the Fish Sour." I said and I could hear the aviators try not to burst out laughing. The man looked at me with a weird look.
"Or maybe something that matches your personality, I came up with the recipe myself." I said.
"The Callous Cunt." I said confidently and I could hear both Rooster and Hangman spit out their drink.
"Fucking whore." He said and I chuckled.
"If I would be a fucking whore I would be in prostitution, wouldn't I?" I asked and he got up from he's seat and walked out.
"Come back anytime!" I shouted after him and he gave me the finger and I blew him a kiss. I walked back to Maddie chuckling and she gave me a high five.
"I don't think I've had this much fun in a long time." Rooster said.
"It comes with the job." I said.
"Okay, that was impressive." Hangman said and gave me a fist bump.
"Doesn't t get to you?" Phoenix asked.
"After a while you get used to it and you know how to handle it. It doesn't bother me. It happens every night." I said and wiped the counter. A few guys walked by and whistled and I rolled my eyes.
"Lost your dog?" I asked them and they looked at me confusingly.
"What?" They asked.
"Your dog won't hear you whistling in here, the music is too loud." I said and the aviators chuckled.
"See." I said.
"Happens all of the time." I said. As the walked over to occupy the pool table I could see Rooster look at me which made me blush.
"Made some new friends, I can see." Maddie said and I chuckled.
"Gotta keep the aviators on your good side. They bring a lot of business." I said and I gestured towards the groups of girls sitting by the bar and the tables, not being able to keep their eyes off of them.
"True." She said and I chuckled.
"So it has nothing to do with the fact that you actually are one of them?" She asked and I sent her a glare.
"Sorry." She said. The doors opened again and more people walked in. I rolled my eyes at sight of the person I hoped to not see again.
"You always wanted to know what my dad looks like, well, take a good look. Might be your only chance." I said and gestured to my dad who was walking in.
"That's your dad?" She asked and I nodded.
"Why is Maverick here?" I heard Phoenix ask her fellow aviators.
"Do they know he is your dad?" Maddie asked.
"Nope, and they are not gonna. He's here for a few weeks and then I will probably never see him for another three years." I said.
"Sienna, a beer for the old man, on me." Hangman said and I nodded. He winked at my dad who nodded back as a thank you. I grabbed the beer and walked over.
"It's over 5 o'clock." He said when I placed the bee in front of him.
"It is." I said.
"Maverick, don't harass her, she will demolish you." Hangman shouted from across the bar and I chuckled.
"Someone harassed you? Who?" He asked getting protective.
"I can fight my own battles." I said and walked back to Maddie.
"He's your costumer for the rest of eternity." I said and she chuckled. I took more orders and being behind that bar counter made me feel alive. This is where I was my true self. And no one could take that away from me. I occasionally glanced over at my father, he looked depressed honestly. Nope, he wasn't going to make me feel guilty for his failures. I glanced over at the aviators and I could help but think about if I would've been there, shooting pools with them if I hadn't left the Navy. My eyes met with Rooster's and he smiled smirked and gave me a wink which made me blush.
The evening rush came to an end and I sent Maddie and her parents home. I saw my dad stand up from his seat and he walked out of the bar which made me let out a sigh.
"You coming Rooster?" Phoenix asked.
"In a minute." He said and the other aviators walked out while he walked over to me. I brought out the tequila bottle and poured myself a shot.
"Oosh, rough day?" He asked as I poured the shot down.
"You could only imagine." I said and he sat down on the bar chair.
"Early morning tomorrow?" I asked.
"Like always." He said.
"Shouldn't you get some rest? I can only guess how much energy a mission can take." I said knowing very well how exhausting it could be.
"Don't worry about that." He said.
"Shot?" I asked and he nodded and I grabbed him a glass and poured up two shots, we raised our glasses before pouring it down.
"Damn that is strong." He mumbled and I chuckled.
"So, tell me, why are you having a rough day?" He asked and I chuckled again.
"Just, I saw someone I didn't want to see." I said.
"Ex boyfriend?" He asked and I chuckled.
"Not exactly." I said.
"Ah, an enemy." He said and I let out a small chuckle.
"You only have enemies in your mind, little aviator." I said and he chuckled.
"Well, I'm gonna destroy them in a few weeks." He said.
"I bet." I said and poured up another round of shots.
"C'mon tell me." He said.
"I don't know you well enough." I said.
"We can change that." He said.
"I will tell you something personal, and you will tell who is giving you a rough day." He said.
"Alright, deal." I said.
"I stole these glasses." He said referring to his sunglasses and I laughed out loud.
"Not personal enough?" He asked.
"Okay." He added quickly.
"My dad was a an naval aviator, he died during training when I was around 2 years old. I never knew him. And now the guy who flew with him is my teacher on this mission, the guy who sat over there." He said pointing at the place my father was sitting making my heart beat faster.
"And he pulled my papers to the naval academy which set me back four years." He added.
"Woah." I let out and he nodded.
"Personal enough?" He asked and I let out a sigh.
"Yeah." I mumbled.
"That must be rough." I said and he nodded.
"Haven't spoken to him in year. Just want to finish this mission so I never have to see him again." He said and I couldn't help but think about the fact that we were feeling the same way. I wanted him gone as well.
"Now, your turn." He said and I poured up another shot.
"Fuck." I mumbled.
"C'mon, you gotta tell me. We made a deal." He said and I lifted up the glass and looked at it for a second, I poured it down quickly.
"He's my dad." I squeezed out and Rooster's eyes went wide.
"He is your what?" He asked and I poured up another shot.
"He's my dad." I said and poured it down and before I could pour up another round he placed his hand over the glasses.
"Maverick is your dad?" He asked and I nodded.
"Haven't spoken to him in years, he's never really been a part of my life. Don't care for the guy, don't want to see him, just want him to get out of here." I said.
"Your mom must freak out." He said.
"She's dead." I said and he looked up at me. We were sitting in the same position, both lost a parent, we both hate the same guy, we both want nothing to do with him and we both haven't spoken or seen him in years.
"When?" He asked.
"When I was 10. She worked as a an instructor at Top Gun, convenient enough. And she fell in love with this admiral, he took her on an unauthorised flight one evening, the plane was supposedly hit with a bird strike, engines caught on fire, the nav system failed so the control room couldn't see where they were anymore, the plane crashed into the ocean and they were never found." I explained.
"And your dad?" He asked.
"He was somewhere in the world." I said.
"I moved in with my best friend and her family, only time I saw my dad was when he had pissed off an admiral and were sent here to do some shit, I usually heard that he was here from Penny, the woman who owned this bar before me." I explained.
"Okay, that is rough." He said and I let out a chuckle and he moved away his hand from the glasses and I poured up another shot.
"Well, to the person we hate." He said and I chuckled and we poured the shot down.
"So, boyfriend? Fiancée?" He asked.
"Married?" He quickly added and I looked him in the eyes and blushed.
"Nope." I said and he smiled softly.
"You?" I asked.
"Nope." He said.
"Guess it must be hard to keep a steady relationship when you are in the Navy." I said and he nodded.
"Not many girls thinks that it's that hot whenever they realise what it actually means to date someone in the Navy." He said.
"They just like to say it to their friends." He added.
"Ever dated an aviator or someone in the military?" He asked and I chuckled.
"I make it a rule not to." I said and he chuckled.
"Rules are meant to be broken." He said and I chuckled.
"I'm pretty determined." I said.
"We'll see about that." He said and I chuckled. He got up from his chair.
"Hey." He said.
"Don't let him get to you, he doesn't deserve it." He said and I smiled lightly.
"I know how to handle him." I said leaning down onto the bar counter and he smiled.
"That's more than what I can do." He said and leaned onto the bar counter next to me and I chuckled. He looked over at me and I realised that our faces were pretty close.
"Well, goodnight Sienna." He said and kissed my cheek which shocked me but still it made me blush.
"What was that for?" I asked as he started to walk out.
"Something for you to think about 'til tomorrow." He said and I chuckled and he exited the door.
"What are you doing to me, Rooster?" I asked myself.