Chapter Thirteen: Women Should be Ladies:

Noiz hurried across the street with her lips pressed together. I have to get away! She spotted a crab restaurant across the street. Perfect! The kitty jogged away to the glass doors. Noiz tried not to make any eye contact as she walked over to the bar.

“What can I do for you today?” the bar tender asked.

“Sake, please,” Noiz said in one breath. The bar tender gave her a strange look.

“Huh?” he asked. The kitty lifted her head.

“I’ll have a coke please,” she said in a low voice.

“Okay,” the bar tender said, nodding. Noiz sat up, sighing. This is getting out of hand. I want to go home. The kitty looked around the restaurant. She could tell that the dinner hour was in full swing. So many people sat at the tables and booths. Fishing nets covered the ceiling. The whole ocean theme decorated the walls. Even the floor felt like sand. Noiz gave herself a little smile. Heh, a nice family restaurant. She looked over at the window across the street. Louise and Daryl still fought with each other. However, something else caught her eye.

 Where is his wife? It didn’t take long for her to be aware of someone sitting next to her. Noiz turned to see said-wife sitting right next to her.

“Oh!” she said aloud. “When did you get here?” The wife looked down at her hands.

“Just now,” she answered.

“Please don’t do that.”

The wife gave her a puzzled look. “Do what?”

Noiz shook her head, waving her off. “Never mind.” The bar tender returned with her coke.

“Thank you,” the kitty mumbled. She took a drink from the glass.

“You’re not from here, are you?” the wife asked. Noiz turned her head.

“Pardon?” she asked. The wife tilted her head at her.

“You’re not from New Orleans, are you?”

“Oh! No, I’m not.”

“Then… where are you from?”

“North Carolina.” Noiz took another sip of her coke. “What about you?”

The wife gave him an odd look. “Hm?”

“You’re not from New Orleans either, are you?”

The wife’s eyes grew big. “How did you know?”

“Your accent.”

The wife covered her mouth. “Am I that obvious?”

“Pretty much.” Noiz narrowed her eyes at her. “I bet you’re from Tennessee, aren’t you?”

“Wow! You must be psychic or something!”

Noiz shook her head. “Nah, there’s no such thing.”

“Oh.” The wife noticed the bar tender watching her as he waited. “Yes?”

“Ma’am, would you like something to drink?” he asked.

“Oh,” she said again. “I would like a root beer, please.”

“Coming up,” the bar tender replied. Noiz stared at the young-looking woman fixing her hair next to her.

“Say,” she spoke up. “How exactly did you meet Daryl… Uh… I didn’t quite get your name.”

“Britney,” the wife replied. “And you are?” Noiz pushed her bangs from her eyes.

“Noizchild,” she answered. Britney giggled at her. The kitty gave her an odd look.

“What?” she asked.

“You have such a strange name.”

“Yeah, I get that a lot.” Noiz took another sip of her coke. “How exactly did you meet Daryl again?”

“It’s a long story, actually,” Britney mumbled. Noiz glanced over out the window. Louise and Daryl still fought outside. This time, a small crowd gathered around them.

“Uh… I think we have time,” she said. Britney looked at where Noiz was pointing.

“I see,” she said. “Well, I was in Memphis, visiting my grandmother. I was at a picnic with a couple of cousins of mine when we went down by the lake and saw three cute men fishing.” Noiz choked back a little laughter.

“Is something funny?” Britney asked. Noiz shook her head.

“Nothing, nothing,” she said, waving her hand. “I just can’t envision Daryl fishing. Go on.”

“That does seem silly,” Britney said. “Anyway, he approached me and asked me out.”

Why does this sound so familiar? “And then what?” Noiz asked.

“We went out on the town tomorrow,” the wife answered. “I had a great time and this relationship went so fast and the rest was history.” Noiz gave her a little smile.

“What is it?” Britney asked.

“You just seem so different from his previous ladies,” the kitty answered.

“Why is that?”

“Daryl usually goes out with skanky girls, but you seem nice and full of class.”

“Aw thanks.” She reached out for her root beer when the bar tender handed her her drink. “Thank you,” Britney said in a soft voice. Noiz watched as she took a drink.

“I don’t get it,” she spoke up. Brittney glanced over at her.

“Get what?” she asked.

“Why do you love him so much?”

Britney blushed. “Well… he’s got that bad boy thing going on.”

“That’s not a good thing, you know that, right?”

“Yeah, but people can change, right?”

Noiz made a face at that statement. The poor soul doesn’t know, does she?

“Noiz!” both women heard shouting. She and Britney looked up to see Louise marching over to the bar. Noiz buried her head in her arms.

“Oh crap,” she mumbled. Louise marched up to the bar. She grabbed Noiz by the shoulder.

“You ain’t got time for all of that!” the older woman barked. “Let’s go!” Louise pulled Noiz to her feet.

“But what about me drink?” the kitty asked. Louise took out her wallet and paid the tab.

“Happy now?” she asked. “Let’s go! I’ve dealt with enough asshole for one day!” Noiz could only sigh and follow along with her captor as they walked out of the restaurant.