Page 9 of Gratification in Gluttony (Passing Through Cafe #2)

Chapter nine

The Other Side of the Kitchen Doors

The next day, Toni woke before Gem so he could head to Envy to see his mother before work. It was easier, he reasoned, to stop in early when the other family members were, presumably, not around. And having a hard out—like work—was also helpful. His mother couldn’t exactly guilt-trip him for not staying long since he was being a responsible adult, making responsible adult money to pay his responsible adult bills.

Of course, it didn’t stop her from trying.

“You just got here,” Goldi pouted, attention on her compact mirror as she applied eyeshadow. “And now you’re gonna leave me all alone, by myself, in this horrible hospital room.”

Toni studied the lavish suite filled with many of his mother’s personal belongings—most likely brought in by his father at his mother’s bequest. “I gotta go to work, Ma.”

“Go then,” she sniffed, voice thick with fake emotion. “I suppose I’ll survive on my own somehow. My children all abandoning me in my time of need. Makes a mother wonder what she ever did to make her children loathe her so.”

Hiding an eye-roll over his shoulder, Toni sighed. “None of us are abandoning you. Mins is gonna be here in less than an hour. And what do you want me to do? Not go to work? I’d lose my job, and you don’t want that, do you?”

It was, apparently, the wrong question, because she closed her compact and settled a disapproving frown on him. “Maybe I do. That job is… Well, it’s beneath you, Toni. We both know it.”

“Ma,” Toni said, voice hard, but she didn’t notice, indigo curls bouncing as she shook her head.

“You’re not like those others that work there, baby. You’re a different caliber.”

“They’re my friends,” Toni bit out.

“Oh, are they? Criminal records, university drop-outs, and that Pyclon? He worked Flesh Street, I’ll have you know.” She tutted. “It’s not the kind of company you should keep, Toni, and you know I say that because I love you.”

“Did Pop run background checks on my co-workers?” Toni demanded, and Goldi blinked demurely at him.

“Of course he did. Did you think we wouldn’t keep tabs on you and the people you work with? Come now, you’re not that stupid.”

Temper bubbling, Toni fisted, then unfisted his hands. “That’s fucked up, Ma, and you know it.”

“Language!” she snapped. “Your father is protecting you.”

“Pop doesn’t give a shit about me,” Toni barked, and Goldi reared back, eyes flooding with tears.

“How could you say such a horrible thing about your own father? After all he’s done for you, for this family.”

“I gotta go,” Toni snarled as he stormed from the room.

“Tonus, don’t leave like this,” his mother wailed. “You’re breaking all our hearts!”

With his hand on the doorknob, he paused, fighting the irrational guilt his mother’s tears spawned. “Yeah, well you all broke mine first,” he mumbled, more to himself, but he knew she heard by the way she gasped dramatically. “I’ll call you later, Ma. Take it easy, yeah?”

“Toni!” she cried as he left, but he didn’t look back.

The guilt lasted the train ride to Purgatory, and by the time he walked into the cafe, his phone had several missed calls, a voicemail from Mins, and numerous texts. He ignored the first, deleted the second, and took a gander at the third.

How could you, Toni? Ma is beside herself! And in her fragile state as well!

He didn’t bother responding.

“Good morning, Toni,” Glyma greeted him, chipper as can be.

Since he wasn’t a total douchebag, he managed a grim smile and a polite, “Hi, Glym.”

Willow, as if she could sense his emotional upheaval, simply nodded and offered a sad smile before turning toward her work station to continue kneading dough. Zef watched Toni with wide, unblinking eyes, and when Toni sent them the tiniest head shake, they dipped their chin and returned their attention to their food prep.

Sometimes, Zef was terrible at social cues, but today, they understood exactly what Toni wanted to say, even though he didn’t have the words. The kitchen was quieter than normal, but it helped ease the tension in his shoulders. By the time Willow returned from her lunch break to take Oliver’s place behind the counter, Toni was feeling more like himself.

He made Rusty and Oliver their sandwiches of choice, then hummed along to the radio that Quin always set to a soft rock station that he loved. His ears picked up Oliver’s soft voice and Rusty’s husky sniping from their spot outside behind the cafe, but he didn’t pay particular attention to their conversation.

At some point, he heard a coarse laugh, and he cast a curious glance at the back door that was propped ajar. Had that been Rusty? Toni didn’t think he’d ever heard the Pyclon laugh before. Well, sure Rusty chuckled mockingly and sneered at other people’s expense, but a laugh like that? Had the sun frozen over?

When Oliver and Rusty came back inside, the human knocked Rusty’s shoulder good-naturedly, and the Pyclon grinned wide enough to show teeth. Which was honestly just bizarre.

Leaning against the prep table, Toni crossed his arms over his chest and said, “Unholy shit. I didn’t think it was physically possible for Rusty to smile. What’d you do to him?” he asked Oliver.

The fleeting smile dropped from Rusty’s face, and he shoved his hands into his pockets and stalked away with a snippy, “Eat my ass,” thrown over his shoulder.

Seriously? That kid could not take a fucking joke!

“Nah, I don’t want to get a hairball,” Toni barked after him, bringing a hiss from between his bared teeth.

Oliver sent Toni a stern frown. “You’re such a douchebag.”

Toni snorted and waggled his tongue at the human, and Oliver rolled his eyes and followed Rusty back to the front. Fuck, when had everyone gotten so touchy?

“You shouldn’t rile him up,” Glyma chided from her spot near the oven. “He’s sensitive.”

“Who? Rusty?” Toni snorted rudely. “That punk has a stick stuck so far up his ass—”

“He’s just a kid,” Glyma interrupted.

“A kid who crushed so hard on you when he started.” Toni pointed at Zef, already laughing. “You remember? He was gone for Glym. Fucking gone!”

Glyma scowled at them both as Zef placed one of their upper hands to their mouth to cover a smile. “Oh, hush. Both of you!”

“He was quite smitten,” Zef said.

“And if Zef noticed, then you know it’s true,” Toni said.

Willow pressed a hand to her chest. “Aw, that’s sweet. It must have been before I started because ever since I’ve been here, he’s—” She cut herself off with a delicate clearing of her throat.

“He’s what?” Toni demanded. “Ever since you started, he’s what?”

“I’m sure it was only an innocent crush,” Willow said to Glyma, pointedly ignoring Toni.

“It was, and it passed quickly. He’s really a sweetheart.” Glyma tucked a chunk of purple hair behind her ear. “You know, deep down. Once you get past his…”

“Assholery,” Toni offered helpfully.

Willow and Glyma’s expressions matched—neither of them entertained by his suggestion.

“Tough crowd today,” Toni whisper-shouted at Zef.

They awarded him with a quiet sniff of amusement and a tiny smile. Then Toni heard Gem say, “Someone better get me a towel because the tea being spilled right now—”

“Gem, shut up,” Rusty hissed.

“Something’s happening,” Toni whispered, and everyone dropped what they were doing and converged on the kitchen doors.

They peeked through the long, thin windows, Zef hovering just over Toni’s shoulder, their cool breath fanning over his ear.

“It is the Gymnot,” they said.

“The who?” Glyma asked.

“The Gymnot from Saturday night,” Toni whispered back. “Gem tried to wingman for Oliver. It went very badly.”

“Apparently not that badly,” Willow cut in. “He’s here after all. Oh, and he is entirely charmed by Oliver! That’s so lovely.”

“I’m not sure how, though,” Toni muttered as he watched Oliver stumble and stammer his way through flirting as Gem and Rusty whispered a commentary behind him. “Ollie is not very smooth.”

“He’s finding his footing,” Glyma defended their precious human.

“He’s doing just fine. Trust me,” Willow said confidently.

“I do not understand what is happening,” Zef said.

“The Gymnot’s here to bone Ollie,” Toni explained. “And I think Ollie is trying to seal the deal.”

“Deities bless him, he’s doing his best,” Willow simpered.

Zef’s mouth wrinkled. “Why must they be so brazen in public? Such intimacies should be kept behind closed doors.”

“They’re just talking,” Toni said.

“It’s more what’s left unsaid,” Glyma said, and the two women burst into giggles.

“It is the way they look at each other,” Zef said stiffly. “Like they are ready to fornicate right here. In a place of business! It is entirely inappropriate.”

“Sometimes, a place of business is the perfect spot for fornicating,” Glyma purred, pink eyes almost glowing.

“You and Quin fuck in the office, don’t you?” Toni poked her in the shoulder. “I knew it!”

Glyma shrugged. “Of course we do. It would be a waste of a perfectly sturdy desk if we didn’t.”

“Glyma!” Willow squealed.

“I do not enjoy this conversation at all,” Zef whined.

“Would you two shut up!” Oliver spun around, glaring at Gem and Rusty, effectively ending the conversation happening on the other side of the kitchen doors.

“Did he get his number?” Glyma whispered.

“I don’t know. We were talking about desk sex, and I missed it,” Willow said morosely.

“He hasn’t left yet.” Toni pointed to the Gymnot waiting at the end of the counter, yellow eyes tracking every move Oliver made like a predator. It made Toni’s fins flutter uneasily. “Who even is this guy, anyway? I don’t think we can trust him with our human. What if he eats him?”

“Gymnots do not eat humans,” Zef said.

“That we know of!” Toni gestured at the possible creep. “Look at him! Just biding his time, waiting to murder Ollie in his sleep and cook him.”

“I think he wants to do other things to Oliver,” Glyma said, tail swaying behind her as her cheeks darkened with a flush. “Less murdery vibes. More sexy vibes.”

Zef grimaced, wings buzzing. “I do not like that at all.”

“It’s sweet,” Willow said.

“I mean, go Ollie, I guess?” Toni said.

On the other side of the doors, Gem braced himself on the counter with several of his arms as he fanned himself with another. “I need to lie down. And someone get me a glass of ice water. I cannot handle that kind of unresolved sexual tension.”

Then he turned and stumbled toward the kitchen.

“Scatter!” Toni hissed, and everyone ran back to their prospective spots in the kitchen.

“Toni! Toni, I figured it out,” Gem shouted.

“What?” Toni yelled back.

“I figured it out!”

“Yeah, figured what out?”

“Ollie’s type.” Gem pushed through the doors, eight eyes wide with exhilaration. “He’s into tentacles!”

Toni guffawed. Glyma clutched Willow’s arm, tail serpentining behind her. Willow covered her mouth to smother her laughter. Zef sighed miserably.

“Is he now?” Toni asked.

Strutting smugly, Gem threw several arms around Toni’s shoulders and waist. “Yes, and I made it happen. I’m the best wingman ever!”

Not wanting to rain on Gem’s very delusional parade, Toni patted his best friend’s back. “Good job, Gemmy. Ollie owes you for life.”

“He really does.” Clapping several hands to get everyone’s attention, Gem took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m going to tell you everything that just happened, and buckle in, folks, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride!”

“Hey, Gem,” Toni jumped in before Gem could start. “Quick question. Did you take your meds this morning?”

Gem blew a raspberry. “Of course I took my meds. I always take my meds, ’cause when I don’t, I literally lose my mind. Like, ahh! Am I right?”

“This is you medicated?” Zef asked with earnest curiosity and, if Toni wasn’t mistaken, concern.

“Zef, you’re too much!” Gem laughed, jerking his thumb in the Mantodea’s direction. “This is you medicated? Oh my gods, so funny. Can you imagine me unmedicated?” His laughter cut off, his expression sobering. “No, because that ? Yeah, that would be insane.”

Glyma and Willow exchanged a look of unease as Zef cocked their head, scrutinizing Gem closely. Toni clapped his friend on the shoulder and said, “I knew him when he was unmedicated. I was very afraid.”

“It was a dark time for us all,” Gem murmured somberly.

“What’s going on?” Tad asked as she waddled into the kitchen area, leaving wet footprints on the floor behind her.

“Oh my gods, Tad, the best thing just happened,” Gem gushed, clasping his halter top with several hands. “Let me tell you all about it. You’re gonna love it!”

The Anura narrowed her eyes. “I don’t believe you.”

“No, for real. It was amazing,” Gem insisted.

“Still unconvinced,” Tad sniffed.

“Well, it was really embarrassing for Oliver,” Gem tried again, and Tad’s eyes brightened evilly.

“Oh? Tell me everything!” she said with a chilling grin, and Gem squealed, the fur on his legs vibrating with excitement as he skipped across the room and crouched down to be somewhat on eye level with the tiny Anura.

Shaking his head, Toni pulled out his vibrating phone, prepared to ignore any and all angry texts for his family. But it wasn’t Mins or Flo or his mother; it was Jude.

Hey, how’s your mom doing today? Feeling better about her boobs?

Toni chuckled and stirred the pot of bubbling soup on the burner with one hand while he typed with his other.

Not at all, but she’s at least listening to the doctor’s advice to wait a month before undergoing a corrective surgery. Though I doubt I’ll be invited to visit her bedside whenever that does happen. We kinda argued this morning.

That sucks. I’m sorry. Wanna talk about it?

Maybe later? I’m at work.

Right. Well, hit me up tonight if you want. I can listen while you vent.

I appreciate the offer, but you don’t have to.

Maybe I want to.

The soup was probably burning, but Toni didn’t care. He stared down at his phone as his heart gave a traitorous throb behind his chest plate.

I’ll give you a call.

It’s a date.

Now you’re just being mean.

A friend date?

With a thirty-four percent flirting margin.

Wouldn’t have it any other way.

And you say I’m the dangerous one.

It’s the quiet ones you gotta watch out for, remember?

With a snort, he typed out, “I can tell you’re gonna be a real pain in my ass.”

It took Jude a while to respond, the chat bubble appearing, then disappearing, then popping up again. Finally, his response came through with a buzz.

Flirty Jude would say, I promise you’ll like it. But Friend Jude thinks that’s too far above the flirting margin.

I think me and Flirty Jude would get along just fine. But since I have Friend Jude on the line right now, I’ll be good and say, I’ll call you later.

Okay. Have a good day at work.

Have a good day of classes.

And thanks, by the way. For checking in. I appreciate it.

When Jude’s reply popped into life on his screen, Toni couldn’t stop a pleased smile from stretching across his face until his cheeks ached.

What are friends for?