Tales of Cedar Point: A Valentine’s Retrospective Part 1

Tallulah

Tallulah Beal hit start on the dishwasher and then grabbed her tray again with a small sigh to go gather the first round of her next load. It had been a busy morning and was shaping up to be a steady weekend of busy mornings. She stacked bowls and cutlery almost on autopilot as she made her way to the last of the tables that needed clearing. As she approached the corner table by the plant stand she saw an unusual tip. It was a single rose with a note tucked under it. Tallulah stifled a chuckle and looked behind her towards the kitchen, and then quickly out towards the street. She slid the note from under the flower and then flipped it over and read it.

Dinner? I’ll cook. Come by for 6 if it’s a yes.

There was no signature but Tallulah had a knowing smile now and discreetly pocketed the note as she picked up the rose. She touched it to her nose, closed her eyes and inhaled.

Ryan

Ryan Yamada rolled his neck from side to side trying to shake off what felt like hours of mindlessly typing date from incident reports into the computer. He heard the scuffs of soft footsteps sneaking up behind him and turned, already rolling his eyes before they met Cody Nault’s.

“Code Nault. You still can’t get me. Don’t even fucking try.”

Cody ran a hand over his bald head and then threw both hands in the air “Ah man, how do you hear me every time? You need to relax Yamada. You know what we should do? Go to the Hole and see the rippers. We’re off early enough to catch the last few.”

Ryan shrugged and turned back around to the monitor “Nah. Not really my scene. Maybe a beer later though at the regular bar time. I need to drag my brother out for one anyway.”

Cody laughed “Fuck you’re a prude. Fine, I’ll tell you what you miss then.” Ryan heard Cody moving further away again and then overheard him talking to Angie.

“What about you Johnson? Drink with us later?”

Angie pretended to sound thwarted “Oh you’re not going to ask me to watch ladies get naked with you? I was going to invite my hubby and get him all warmed up.”

Cody laughed nervously “Wha….?”

Angie snickered “I don’t care where he gets his appetite as long as he eats at home…if you know what I mean.”

Ryan coughed into his hand to hide a laugh as Cody started to look even more muddled.

“I uh…..sure whatever you guys are…into….” His movements quickly retreated across the room towards the lockers now.

Ryan swivelled in his chair to face Angie who looked like she enjoyed making the rookie squirm a bit too much. He pointed at Angie and raised a brow and then shook in silent laughter. Angie drew an imaginary halo over her head and then grinned back like the Cheshire cat.

The moment was broken by Chief Nick Callahan breezing stealthily in the door and making a beeline for his office. He emerged mere seconds later with a stack of reports and files he was stuffing into a backpack as he tried to slip back out again. Ryan tilted his head watching with curiosity and Angie stood up and peered over the top of her cubicle and got his attention.

“Sneaking out early Chief? We’re going for drinks and humiliating Nault later. You’re welcome to join the fun.”

Callahan gave her a steely look and then broke into a wry grin “Tempting but not tonight. Give him hell Johnson. Yamada.”

“Have a good night Sir.”

With a curt nod, he was out the door.

Angie had a thoughtful look on her face and let out a low raspy “Hmmm…”

Tamela

Tamela Douglas sauntered up Main Street towards Galley, casually glancing in the shops as she passed them. In the antique shop she could see Lisa, the pixie petit clerk, nodding and smiling and giving what looked like directions to a family of tourists holding a map. In the dressmaker’s shop, elderly Miss Dahlia Finch sat stooped behind her sewing machine, pushing reams of silky floral fabric forward as she made a fast seam.

She passed the bakery next and the scent of wonderful sweet things and fresh baked herb bread filled the street as the door opened. A group of 4 giggling high school girls practically tipped out of it into the street as they fell on each other in hysterics. They carried bags of sweets and cell phones and continued to laugh and whoop their way down the street in the direction of the school. Tamela couldn’t help but chuckle to herself. She both fondly remembered and pined for those carefree days.

The bakery’s aroma got the better of her and she suddenly found herself standing in the lineup. There were the typical heart shaped cookie offerings and pink cupcakes with white icing heart confetti. Tamela made a face at the display and then her gaze settled on the tray of brownies. Those would do nicely. Her turn came up and the 20 something freckled brunette female clerk greeted her with “What can I get for you Officer Douglas?”

Tamela half smiled “One brownie please.”

“Just one?”

“Well I could happily eat the whole tray but one is the more reasonable choice.”

The clerk laughed and placed one brownie in a white paper bag, sealing it with a small red heart sticker.

Tamela paid and thanked the clerk and then kept walking towards the corner. She slowed as she passed the window of the hair salon peering in discreetly and looking from chair to chair. With a small frown she glanced to her bagged brownie and then back inside, as if something was amiss. Suddenly another stylist emerged from the wall that divided the chairs from the hair washing sinks, accompanying a middle aged woman with a towel draped around her neck under a mop of wet chin length dark hair. It was Brandy Miller, the honey blonde with lightly sun kissed skin and plump perfect lips. Tamela felt her face go flush and looked towards the street, taking a few slow casual steps. Out of nowhere someone came flying past her from behind and bumped her shoulder in their haste.

“Sorry Tams!” She heard a familiar voice call back as a tall man with flyaway dark brown hair burst through the salon door carrying a bouquet of a dozen red roses in front of him like an Olympic torch.

Tamela slumped her shoulders and rolled her eyes as she rounded the corner onto Galley Crescent and shot a glance into the windows facing her now. Lee Chen was presenting Brandy with the flowers and she was fawning over them while her wet headed customer looked between the pair like they were adorable.

“For fuck’s sakes….of course.” She muttered and quickened her pace.

She passed the main entrance to the Lavender Dreams and took the second sidewalk to the basement apartment door and then knocked loudly. The door opened a crack with the chain on and rattling before it pulled tight with a clink.

“Password?”

“Cupid must fucking die!”

Anna’s laugh preceded the chain being unhooked and the door pulling open “That’ll do. Where are your pjs?”

Anna was fully in pajamas with flannel pants with sheep on them sticking out from a soft grey terry cloth robe. The ensemble was completed by a pair of obnoxious bunny slippers.

Tamela raised a brow “I sleep in the nude lately. I can strip if you like?”

Anna turned a bit pink “Uh…whatever makes you happy Tams. You don’t look happy at all. Is that a brownie?”

Tamela followed Anna down the stairs and kicked off her boots at the bottom “It wasn’t supposed to be for me…or us…..but meh…. shit happens.”

Anna looked sympathetic “I’m sorry. We have ice cream and chic flicks.”

Tamela smiled “That’ll help. So you really did it huh?”

Anna exhaled and deflated “Yes….it was horrible….he cried. Worse I feel like I broke up with the whole Yamada family. Steph hasn’t texted me back in two days.”

Tamela shrugged “They’re close but she’ll get over it. It’s you. You’ll just have to go to Steveston for Sushi for awhile.”

Anna’s eyes went wide “Oh my god I’m sushi shunned. I should have just married him.”

Tamela burst out laughing “Awkward. Garrett I don’t love you, but I’ll sell my soul and suck your dick forever just for the red tuna.”

Anna sighed “I do love red tuna…….but to hell with it. Tonight it’s all about salted caramel.”

Tamela followed Anna into the kitchen and they got out formidable bowls and scooped obscene amounts of the stuff into them. There were toppings and sauces laid out on the counter, a buffet of post breakup and romantic angst suicide by sundae extravaganza. Tamela ripped open the little red heart sticker and crumbled the brownie evenly over both their bowls.

There was a reverent silence for the first few bites and then Anna asked “So what is Steph doing anyways?”

“She has a blind date. Met him on some online dating thing.”

Anna’s eyes almost fell out of her head “Steph’s  doing online dating starting with Valentine’s Day!?”

Tamela laughed “Yep. Go big or go home right? She said she’d text me from the bathroom with updates. They’re at an Italian restaurant in Surrey.”

Nick

Nick Callahan surreptitiously stepped out of his jeep in front of Chen’s Supermarket. He craned and surveyed the store from end to end and then exhaled audibly and headed inside. Nick stooped and picked up a shopping basket and soon began inspecting heads of broccoli. The automated produce prayers kicked in and lightly misted the sleeve of his black leather jacket.

A lanky male clerk was squatted in front of the dairy cooler stocking milk on the lower shelves as Nick rounded the corner of the first aisle. He leaned sideways and checked who was working the cash desk. Jade Chen. She smiled and nodded at him as she started opening a roll of quarters. He nodded briefly back, looking relieved once again. He picked out a bottle of olive oil after carefully reading three others and then a quality brand of balsamic vinegar. After procuring fresh boneless chicken breast from the butcher he was ready to pay. Just then the side staff door by the meat department burst open and Ushi Chen charged out like a bull after a red flag. Nick, of course was said flag. What Ushi lacked in height she made up for in volume.

“Hiya handsome! What are you cooking for me tonight?” She slid her hands to her robust hips and looked into his basket. “Shallots, chicken and fancy vinegar? You’re really trying to get laid huh?” She grinned mischievously at Nick.

Nick instinctively shifted his weight to his back foot and pulled the basket further out of her reach “Hey I like good food. Don’t get excited now.” He joked with a nervous twitch pulsing behind his left eye.

Ushi looked him up and down and her pupils dilated “I like tasty things too. Come on hot stuff, I’ll ring you through.”

Nick gestured feebly towards the till “Well Jade is…uh...”

Jade looked like she was halfway between a laugh and a wince as she watched the interaction and then quietly side stepped out from behind the desk and disappeared down the first available grocery aisle.

Ushi walked past Nick and firmly grasped the handle of his basket, wrenching it out of his hands and plunking it down on the counter. She briskly barreled her way to the cash register.

“So what time should I come by? I’ll bring pie. I make a nice banana cream.”

Nick laughed and then said sternly “Look I’m flattered, but I have other plans.”

Ushi raised a brow “Alright. So who’s the lucky lady?”

Nick hesitated and pulled his wallet from his back pocket, fumbling for his debit card. He smiled awkwardly and didn’t offer any kind of answer.

Ushi scanned the bottles and dropped them into the grocery bag with intentional carelessness, her flirtation visibly changing to seething scorn.

“You’re not going to tell me?” She said after keying in and bagging it all.

Nick swallowed and picked up the pin pad, gingerly handing his bank card towards her “Debit please.”

Ushi snatched the card from his hand roughly and swiped it on their antiquated machine “Fine. I think I know who it is, the slut.”

Nick exhaled and picked up the bags after she stared him down as she dropped the receipt in “Have a good one eh.”

“Uh huh.”