Eva finished the final roll of silverware and sighed as she set it in the stack. A pile of silverware wrapped in fine linen napkins stared back. She kneaded the knots in her back from the awkward way she'd been standing and looked around. The breakfast crowd had already cleared out and now they were at a lull before the lunch rush came. She often worked in the restaurant on Sundays and sporadically during the weekdays to earn a few extra dollars. She was glad to have gotten a full shift today as she was saving up for a new drawing pad she'd had her eyes on for a while now.
Her parents weren't hard up for money but they'd always taught Eva that a strong work ethic was crucial in life and so if she wanted extra things outside of birthday or Christmas presents she would have to earn it. She didn't mind, though the work could be tedious getting a paycheck all her own felt good and she enjoyed the pride she got from earning things for herself.
"Hey, girl," Kit called, "are you coming with Andelle and I to the gym on break?"
Eva groaned. The gym had showers so she wouldn't have to worry too much about the sweat factor but she wasn't so sure she wanted to come back to work after the kind of workout that the two women would put her through. They were fierce and relentless.
The gym in question was a specialty gym. Shira, the gym's owner was a small woman from Israel that was fluent and incredibly skilled in Krav Maga. Not surprisingly the training was almost militaristic in style and though Kit and Andelle had taken to the training with infuriating ease, Eva had struggled. She touched the spot where her ribs were still sore from the last time and smiled sheepishly at Kit.
The other girl rolled her eyes, "I know it's hard but that's the point," she retorted to Eva's wordless protest.
"Is she coming?" A woman called. Andelle appeared, her long brown hair braided tight against her scalp. She had traded her work uniform for workout gear, the sleeveless shirt showing off the chiseled muscles in her shoulders and arms. She stood at almost six feet tall, dwarfing Kit's much smaller frame. She had her duffle bag slung over her shoulder as she leaned against the wall as she eyed Eva with amber-colored eyes.
"Well?" She asked in a sharp tone.
"My ribs are still healing," Eva protested.
"As is mine, but your hand to hand skills are crap," she said bluntly.
"It's not like I need to know Krav Maga," Eva snapped back.
Andelle gave a frustrated sigh and looked at Kit for help. A knowing look passed between them and Kit shrugged.
"Let her be," a deep masculine voice said.
Alec walked up behind his twin sister and poked her. Andelle turned back to her brother, a reproachful look on her face.
"She needs the work," Andelle said, her eyes baring into Alec's.
"Who are you to decide that?" He asked running impatient fingers through dark brown hair.
Alec had the same amber yellow eyes and brown hair as his sister but he stood easily half a foot taller. Though both had just celebrated their forty-second birthday, you would never know by their youthful appearance. Not a wrinkle donned their smooth skin, making them look more like they were in their mid-twenties. Alec would often joke that it was their crazy healthy diet that kept them looking so youthful. Andelle would argue it was their intense exercise routine and then they would diverge into a round of arguments.
"Alec," Andelle said shortly.
"Okay, that's enough you two," Kit interjected. "You sure you don't want to go?" Kit asked looking at Eva.
Eva thought about it, why didn't she want to go? Her ribs were fine, they'd been fine minus a mild ache almost right away. She'd been the one that had pushed Kit and Andelle into trying it in the first place. She knew why she didn't like how inept it made her feel. She'd taken a clip to the ribs and it had knocked her to her knees in front of everyone. She had hated how weak she'd felt when she'd taken so long just to catch her breath again. Andelle wasn't wrong. She was awful at Krav Maga and that was an uncomfortable feeling for Eva who was so used to things coming so effortlessly to her.
"Fine," she said in a grudging tone.
Andelle smiled at her warmly, "Alright, well hurry up kid, Shira doesn't have all day."
Kit rolled her eyes, "Oh is that why you're so hell-bent on getting there?" She teased
Andelle's face flushed and she looked at Kit with a warning.
"Wait, you and Shira?" Alec asked.
Eva, though curious about Andelle's reply decided to go grab her workout bag in the back. When she returned, Alec was holding his nose and Andelle was glaring at him. He rubbed it gingerly and winked at Eva who had a concerned look on her face. She snickered softly and started towards the front door to leave.
"Come on you two, Shira doesn't have all day," Eva shot over her shoulder, mimicking Andelle's voice.
Alec's laughter flowed out of the restaurant behind them.
The three walked the short block to Shira's gym and pushed open the doors attentively. The facility was meticulously clean but the smell of sweat still drifted up as the sounds of people training intensely rose up and filled Eva's ears. She tried to breathe away the anxiety that rose in her throat as she could hear the grunts and thuds around her.
"Hey!" An enthusiastic woman called out.
The three women looked up to see a deceivingly slender woman walk across the gym towards them. Her olive skin glistened with sweat and Eva stole a look at Andelle as a goofy grin spread across her friend's face. Eva hid her smile behind a cough which elicited a cautioning look from Andelle.
"I didn't know if I was going to see you again," Shira said in a thick accent as she looked at Eva.
"It took some convincing," Eva admitted.
"Don't worry, we all feel that way in the beginning," she said with a genuine and warm smile, "but you never get better if you don't take the challenge and keep trying," Shira said with a shrug.
Eva and her companions got ready quickly and as she came out of the locker room Shira pointed at her and indicated her partner. Eva moved quickly to the right where her opponent waited. The woman was large and her ridged muscular arms rippled and shifted beneath her pale sweaty skin. Her golden hair was thin and already heavy with sweat.
Eva got little warning as the woman advanced, pushing her several feet back. She tried to recover and went to rush the woman trying to recall the moves she'd learned from the class before. The woman swept Eva's arms to the side, knocking her off balance, causing Eva to reel around where the woman put a firm but gentle hand under her chin, forcing Eva's head back and bringing her back to the mat.
Eva tried to block as the woman's hands moved like lightning, landing several non-contact punches. Eva in reflex just balled her body up, trying to deflect the blows. The woman laughed.
"Like baby," she said in a thick Russian accent.
Eva just looked up at the woman vacantly until she extended her hand to Eva to help her up. Both ignored the sound as Eva's body was released from the mat like Velcro pieces being pulled apart.
"Never be the last to the fight," the woman said, "Push shocked you, set you off balance," she grinned, "and gave me enough time to have control."
"But you're bigger than me, it'd be like pushing a mountain," Eva said.
The woman laughed, "You don't have to be first to strike," she said her accent making her words sound slow and slurred, "You just have to be first ready."
She stepped away, "Like this," she said, "I charge," She grabbed Eva's hands and used them to push out sideways away from her body. The woman mimicked it herself sliding off to the side, "You slide out of way, let opponent's momentum vne blansa." She said.
She advanced on Eva again, slow the first time, allowing her to knock the larger woman out of the way. She did this several more times, faster each time, until she was running at Eva who sidestepped, pushing her hands out and directing the other woman away from her.
"Very nice," the woman said out of breath, "also use opponent's momentum to break nose or jam jaw up," she said taking her own hand under her chin and thrusting up.
This went on for some time and Eva felt her confidence build. She must have gotten overly confident as she went through the routine and once left to her own devices, ended up on her back again with the large blonde woman smiling down at her. Her smile wasn't mocking or cruel, it was genuine and warm as she pulled Eva up in one fluid movement.
"Better," she said.
"Eva," Kit called out, "We need to shower and get back to work."
Eva looked over and nodded at Kit and then turned back to the blonde woman, "Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome," the woman said nodding her head as Eva departed.
As the three left the gym Eva looked over at Andelle, "So where did you disappear to?"
Andelle didn't answer.
"She had a private lesson with Shira," Kit said with a giggle.
Eva groaned, "Can you not?" she said to Andelle.
Andelle's face snapped to Eva with a grimace, "Can I not what?" She retorted.
"You date these women, and then they get attached, and you get weird, and then we can't ever go back," Eva said.
Andelle sighed and shifted her duffle, "I wouldn't call it dating," was all she said.
"Well then what would you call it?" Eva challenged and swallowed her words as Andelle gave her a menacing grin. "Forget I asked," she said waving her hands.
Andelle let out a genuine laugh as she started to answer and Eva clapped her hands over the other woman's mouth.
Eva stopped abruptly, seeing her dad's car parked down at the end of the block.
"That's strange, he's usually not in on Sundays," Eva noted curiously.
"I think he's helping your mom and Enid with the vender issue," Kit said quickly.
"Right," Andelle said.
Eva looked at both of them, noting their strange body language and raised an eyebrow at them both. They both smiled sheepishly in reply.
"Honestly, how much trouble can one vender be?" She asked turning her back and missing the exchanged look between the other women.
As they entered the building Caleb was coming out of the back, a ferocious and irritated look on his face until he looked up and saw Eva walking towards him. He smiled warmly at her, the fierce expression melting away from his face, his eyes going gentle.
"Where have you been cailín?" He asked warmly.
"We went and tried that Krav Maga gym again," Eva said with a grin.
Caleb's eyebrows shot up as he looked over Eva's head to the other two.
"She did much better this time," Kit said with a proud smile.
"Gretchen took it easy on her," Andelle said with a grin.
"How would you know?" Eva said with a sly grin.
"You three better hurry up, the rush will be starting soon," Caleb said, he stopped and looked at Kit and Andelle, "Enid wanted you two to stop in the office first."
They nodded and patted Eva on the shoulder as they passed to head to the back office. Eva stared after them, struck by the odd vibe she was getting off of everyone for the last two days. She looked back at her dad who's face had slipped back to a cool mask. He must have noticed her stare and he looked down, his eyes warming once again.
"Is something wrong dad?" Eva asked a concern in her voice as uneasiness started to crawl up her spine like icy fingers.
"It's nothing to worry about," he said, his smile warm and honest as he kissed her on the forehead. "I need to be getting back or your mom is going to shish kabob my hide."
Eva snorted. Since she started taking Sunday shifts, this was her parent's day to be together just the two of them. Her mom would say it was their way to prepare for when she left for college next fall. Eva felt a pit in her stomach at the thought of college. She hated thinking about all of it. Mostly because she didn't even know what she'd want to major in, much less what college she would even conceivably want to go to.
Instead of fretting she kissed her dad on the cheek and left to get ready for her shift. She caught one more glimpse of him before he too turned to leave. Alec had come in from his break and patted Caleb on the shoulder in passing. Caleb gave him a half-smile and kept walking.
Alec looked up and caught Eva's eyes. He smiled at her but there was a sadness she didn't understand behind the smile. The suspicion and uneasiness grew in her like a flower blooming. Alec must have noticed and mustered a more convincing smile.
"Better get a move on, it's going to get hectic any minute now," he said, fastening the top button on his waiter's uniform.
They're not telling me something. Eva thought, and this was the first time she saw the cracks in the world around her.