"You can take the school teacher out of the school, but you can't take the school out of the school teacher."
I heard a familiar voice drawl out. Who knew that I was a school teacher in here? In bewilderment, I found a particularly familiar face perched on a barstool looking intently at me.
Ethan Sterling.
He looked sharp as always with a dark blue suit. Unlike Saturday night, there was no tie, the top two buttons of his shirt was unfastened. His hair was styled neatly even if a few stands now sat on his forehead
What in the world was he doing here? How did he find me? No one, not even Ellen knew I worked here. How did he find out?
Still, I tried to play it off cool. Maybe if I tried to act ignorant about the whole thing, he might think he made a mistake. So brushing off the initial statement he had made, I threw on a polite smile like the ones I give all my customers.
"Good evening sir, what would you like to order?"
He didn't reply, he just laughed like I was a stand up comedian.
"Don't do that. I may be many things but I am not a dunce, Leia Sanders."
Great, now he had to go and call my full name. No use for pretending I guess.
"Yes, Mr Sterling. You caught me. How did you know it was me?" I asked. He couldn't see through my mask. No one could.
"Firstly, I got a hint and then to confirm, there was your endearing habit of humming." He said, with an amused smile on his face.
The I remembered the song I had been humming. Mary had a little lamb. Shoot me! I realized that half of the problems in my life was self induced.
"Since I know it's you, you'll take of the mask, won't you?" He asked. "It's weird talking to you like that."
"I'm sorry, but it's the club's policy." I told him politely just like I did to every other customer who asked.
He brought out his sleek looking phone and made a call. Then he handed the phone over to me. I took it hesitantly and placed it on my ear. It was my boss, Carlton Rouge. His deep voice echoed through the phone.
"You can take off your mask, Leia. Ethan is a good friend of mine." and the line went off. I handed the phone back to Ethan and then I took the mask off.
I said with a nervous laugh. "What brings you to Club Rouge?"
He shrugged. "A good time, I guess. I need to relax and unwind. It has been a stressful week, you know."
"But it's only just Monday." I said flatly.
"Ah, I guess it is. Well, with the accumulated stress of the weekend, especially Saturday, it seems like an entire week had gone by." He looked me dead in the eye as he mentioned Saturday. I felt a slight shiver run down my spine.
I nodded unsurely. I tried to keep a calm face even though my mind was racing. Why really was he here? He really wasn't the type to be found in bars or clubs, I had done my research well. Now that he knew that I worked in a club, was he going to expose me. Gosh, what would. Mrs Miller say? My parents would laugh to my face.
"Well, I could whip you a drink that will de-stress you right away, and it's on the house." and probably right out of my salary, I thought dryly.
He leaned on the counter and shook his head in a very business like manner. "No. Don't bother. Will you be free tomorrow? I would like to have a word with you."
"What time exactly would you like to see me, sir? I mean I have to be in school and then school closes by three so..." I rambled out loud.
Ethan dipped his hand into his pocket and brought out a wad of hundred dollar bills which he threw on the counter. I just stared at the money with a stunned look on my face. I didn't need to count the money to know it was a lot. Maybe even up to my monthly pay.
"There, I'm buying your time for the entire day. That should be enough." He said.
I frowned and pushed back the money to his side of the counter.
"Nope. I have practice with the children for a recital next Thursday so I really can't make it. But if you can reschedule till Friday then I can..."
"No. Tomorrow."
Well, who was this arrogant little prick? I knew I needed money but I also had an ego too. And the children were already eager and excited for tomorrow afternoon.
"No. Friday." I replied.
He dipped his hand into his suit inner pocket and brought out an object with a familiar sparkle. "Well, you can say good bye forever to this then."
"My grandmother's necklace." I gasped, touching the spot on my neck where it was supposed to be.
"Give it back." I tried to snatched it from him across the counter but he just moved his hand away so I just grasped air. His lips curled into a teasing smile.
"No."
"Give it back." I tried to swipe it again from him as he brought it close to my face to taunt me but it was another unsuccessful attempt as he pushed my forehead back with his index finger.
"You're so feisty about this. I've checked it isn't even worth a hundredth of my fifty-nine million." He said scrutinizing the necklace.
I just huffed behind the counter helplessly. I felt frustrated about the necklace being within my reach and yet I couldn't grab it.
"Not every thing can be priced with money. Some other things have immense sentimental value."
He chuckled like he had heard something very funny while I was dead serious.
"Well, I hope sentimental value saves your school when I buy the property tomorrow, demolish it and build my luxury hotel right where it used to be."
I scoffed. He was probably just bluffing. No one could buy such massive property within twenty-four hours of making a threat. Right?
* * *
2:15pm the next day, my third grade students and I were practicing for the play recital we had next week Thursday. It was also part of my elaborate scheme to raise funds. I had invited a couple of high profile people I had met from my university days.
We were supposed to act out the story of the little red riding hood and I was making sure the kids remembered the story. In order to achieve this, I would ask each one of them to give an account of the story.
Ellen stood by the side practicing the musical score since she was the most musically literate amongst us teachers while the rest of the teachers coordinated the kids.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ellen leave the room. She must have gone out for a bathroom break.
Then she came back looking all worried. She came to me and whispered into my ear.
"The land lady is here. I'm not sure it's anything good."