Remy left his apartment that morning and rode his motorcycle over to Mercy's Diner. He parked his bike in the alley and walked slowly over to the place. Looking through the window, he saw the girl he met last night over in the corner booth. He went inside and casually walked up to her.
"May I join you?" he asked politely.
She looked up and gasped when she saw him. "What are ya doin' here?"
"Same as you? Havin' a little breakfast. T'ought ya might be lonely," he said and sat down opposite her.
"Ah didn't say ya could sit down," she said.
"An' you didn't say I couldn't either," he said, reaching across the table for her gloved hand. She quickly pulled it away before he could touch her.
"Why you do dat?" he asked.
"What?" she asked, confused by his statement.
"Pull away," he said in a quiet voice. His eyes bore into hers which made her look away. "Just wanted to touch your hand is all."
"Ah just don't like people touchin', me," she said nervously. She folded her hands over her chest looking down. "It ain't safe."
He didn't fully understand what she meant by that, but let it go for now. Then he thought back to last night. He had touched her skin for a brief second and felt weak afterwards, and now he felt the fear in her. She was afraid, but maybe not so much of others particularly but maybe herself. He was determined to learn all her secrets, but it would take time.
"Here you go, Miss," the waitress came over and said, while carrying a plate of food. She placed a plate in front of her with a bacon omelet on it with four sausage links and a piping hot cup of coffee. "Is everything to your liking?"
"Sure," Rogue said with a half-smile trying to be polite. "Everything's fine."
The waitress turned to Remy and gave him a hungry look. "So, what's your pleasure, handsome?" she asked in a seductive voice. She batted her eyelashes and gave him a big smile, while leaning close to him. "Should I tell you the breakfast specials?"
Rogue threw him a look of disgust. "Non, I'll jus' have what she's havin', but make my coffee black."
"Anything you want," she said and walked away wiggling her hips in her short tight powder blue uniform. Remy couldn't help but notice.
He looked over at Rogue who was practically mutilating her food. "Somet'ing wrong, Chere?"
She then looked up at him but didn't say anything, just glared at him and went back to eating. Remy just laughed at her behavior. "What's so funny?" she finally said after swallowing a piece of sausage.
"You," he said, letting his laughter die down a little. "You actin' like a jealous girlfriend."
"That's ridiculous," Rogue said, putting her fork down. "It's obvious you like her, so go annoy her and leave me alone."
"You t'ink I like dat girl?" he asked.
"Well, you were lookin' at her," Rogue said matter-a-factly.
"So, I like lookin' at pretty girls. What wrong wid dat?" Rogue was about to say something, but Remy beat her to it. "I like lookin' at you, even more den dat girl. Somethin' special about you, Chere. I knew dat de moment I saw you."
"You don't even know me," she said.
"I'd like to," he said, trying to reach for her hand. She pulled away, placing her hands in her lap. "Forgot, you don' like touchin'. Dat what you said, Chere."
"Why do ya call me that?" she snapped at him.
"Well, you never tell Remy your name, so gotta call you somt'ing."
"It's Rogue," she said, looking away shyly.
"You sure?" he asked. "Kind of a funny name for a girl as pretty as you."
"That's what people call me," she said. He started to open his mouth, but she pointed a gloved finger at him. "Don't bother askin' my real name, 'cause that ain't none a your business."
"Fine den, Rogue it is," he said and sat back in his seat. He looked up to see a woman approaching, carrying an order of food.
"Well, Remy LeBeau," the woman said. "What brings you here dis fine mornin'?" Just then she looked over to see a pretty young woman with the greenest eyes she had ever seen. "As if I had ta ask."
"Mercy, it's nice ta see you again," he said, as she placed the plate in front of him.
"Here's your black coffee," she said with a smile. "So how's dat brother a yours? Haven't seen him in lately."
"Pere's keepin' 'im busy," Remy said.
"I'll bet," Mercy said with a scowl. "Dat ole scoundrel is jus' tryin' ta keep me away from him. Sayin' I'm too distractin'."
"Sounds like pere," Remy said with a dry laugh. "He do anyt'ing ta keep his boys under foot."
"Never worked wid you," Mercy said jokingly.
"Dat's why he stopped tryin'," Remy said.
Mercy laughed at that. "I guess dere's jus' no taimin' a LeBeau man." She turned to Rogue who was quietly listening to the conversation. "You remember dat, petite. Dis one here's a wild one."
"Yeah, ah'll remember that," she said and drank the last of her coffee. "So, what ah owe ya?"
"Well, since you're a friend a Remy's here, it on de house," Mercy said with a smile.
"But ah couldn't..."
"T'ink not'ing of it," Mercy said. "And don' even t'ink a tryin' ta leave any money. I jus' won' be acceptin' it."
"Ain't no use arguin' wid her, Chere," Remy said. "Mercy's a stubborn woman. She get an idea in her pretty little head, an' dere ain't no changin' it."
"You on de ot'er hand I should charge double," Mercy turned to Remy and said. She wagged a finger at him in disapproval. "Askin' a girl out ta breakfast an' don' even bother ta offer ta pay."
"Oh, no, we're not together," Rogue corrected her. "Remy," and she put emphasis on his name. "He kinda just followed me in here... like a little lost puppy dog."
Mercy laughed at that. "Well, dat's a good way to put it." She turned to Remy and said, "I gotta get back to work now, trainin' a new girl."
"What? Had enough a torcherin' Remy," he said giving a fake expression of a wounded man.
Mercy just shook her head and laugh. "Ain't fallin' for dat, LeBeau. Jus' tell dat brother a yours ta not be a stranger."
"Sure t'ing, Mercy," Remy said with a smile. After Mercy left, he turned to Rogue and said, "Was is fun teasin' Remy like dat?"
"Are ya sore?" she asked.
"Non, I like a feisty girl," he said as he started to eat. She suddenly looked away, which prompted a question that was nagging at him. He tried to act casual, but there was something about her that made him anxious. "So why you come ta 'Nawlins?" he asked in between bites.
"Ah don't know. Good a place as any. Jus' had to get away from things is all." She got quiet for a moment and then asked him, "So why ya followin' me?"
"What makes you t'ink I was followin' you?" he asked, finishing the last of his eggs.
"'Cause everywhere ah go you pop up, like last night," she said.
"Wasn't followin' you, Chere," he said, which was the truth. He couldn't saw the same about their impromptu breakfast date. "Jus' passin' by when I spotted Julien hasslin' you. Could never deny a damsel in distress, so I t'ought I'd offer my services."
"Services?" she shouted in outrage. She stood up and leaned over towards him. "And what makes you think I needed your help?"
"Dat's right," he said, standing up to look her in the eye. "You knocked dat guy out wid one touch."
Rogue sank back down in her seat while Remy still hovered over her. His words repeated themselves over and over until it sounded like an echo that only she could hear. Finally, she found her voice and said, "That's not..."
"Yes, it is," Remy said, sitting back down. "I know what you are, but dat's okay. Remy's one too." Suddenly the fork he was holding glowed dimly. Rogue had a look a fright about her face.
The fork returned to normal as she rose from her seat. She was about to take off when Remy grabbed her hand. "Don't have ta be afraid of it, Chere."
She snatched her hand back. "Do yourself a favor and stay away from me." With that she stormed out of the diner. Remy slowly rose from his seat leaving his plate of half-eaten breakfast, reached into his pocket, threw a crumpled twenty-dollar bill on the table and left.
To Be Continued...