I left the club behind me as I walked down the street, taking one last look. It looked the same as it did when I first started working there three years ago. The place was called The Diamond Dollhouse but the neon sign hadn't properly lit up in years. Only the first half. So people had grown accustomed to calling it simply The Diamond. 

Us girls were still called Diamond Dolls by those who frequented the place. I liked the name. It had a nice ring to it.

Holding the coat tight over myself I ran across a busy street toward a 24/7 diner I loved. It was delicious, friendly, warm, and most importantly, affordable. I knew all the workers there by name and they knew me. There was never a line and the food was always fresh. I was looking forward to a plate of eggs and coffee before food shopping. Keeping my money tucked in the inside pocket of my coat next to the switchblade, I entered the Silver Dollar.

"Work finished already, Esther?" Joe asked behind the counter. He was drying a few plates while coffee poured in a huge pot. 

"Yeah, I'm calling it a night," I said taking a seat at the counter. A couple booths were filled near the windows and a few tables too. I didn't pay them any mind. I only wanted my hot food and a friendly face to go with it. I could sure as hell use one after the night before. 

"Will it be your usual?" Joe asked.

"Yes please," I said and made myself comfortable on the seat. I loved the Silver Dollar Diner. Family run by Joe's father in the 1950s before being passed down to Joe himself. A friendly guy, albeit a bit of a wise guy. No customer was exempt from Joe's teasing but we all knew he never meant a word he said. Always smiling, always in a good mood. A happy atmosphere, that's what this place was. No strangers coming up to you after a long night of work asking for your number or anything. No stares, no flirty smiles. 

I felt a pair of eyes looming on me from the stranger who sat next to me.

I spoke too soon. 

Thinking he was here for food like I was, I gave the man the benefit of the doubt. No way in hell was I entertaining the likes of some man who felt it his duty to chat me up while I was trying eat. I kept my eyes straight ahead. 

"Hello," he said in a friendly voice.

"Hi," I muttered to be friendly back. Maybe he wasn't flirting with me.

"Ya' come here often?" he asked. 

Oh yeah, he was flirting.

"All the time," I said, still not looking at him. His voice....his voice was so familiar....I almost swore I heard it somewhere before....

"Me too," he said. I could feel a smile radiate from his direction. "Well, ever since last Tuesday, like."

"Hm," I said smiling, finally chancing a look. Whatever I was expecting him to look like, it wasn't this.

He had long dark brown, almost black hair with very large doe like eyes. He hadn't shaved in a day and it already showed. There was an earring hanging from one ear and a necklace around his neck. He had taken his coat off and set it on the counter, now only wearing a t shirt and jeans with several tattoos peering at me underneath the short sleeves. His smile was bright and warm and I couldn't help but feel safe around him. 

It was a trap, it had to be. 

"Ya' don't sound from around here," he said. 

"I'm from New York," I said keeping a straight face. He nodded and snapped his fingers.

"Thought so," he said. "I been there before. Great place. Great food."

"It's the best," I said. As much as I liked London, I loved my hometown of Queens, New York even more. New York pizza is only second best to Italy itself and the City during Christmas was like nothing else in the world. I wanted so badly to come over for Christmas last month but I couldn't afford it. Mom begged me to make the trip and I turned her down. 

I'd regret that the rest of my life. 

Joe slid a plate of eggs, bacon, and a mug of steaming coffee in front of me. I took some notes from my pocket and set them on the counter before digging in. "Hey kid, you going into the Navy with those tattoos?" Joe asked the man next to me.

Unsure of his reaction I looked over at him. He laughed and his voice sounded even more familiar than before. Where had I heard it? "Naw, but they catch plenty of fish all the same."

I didn't understand what that meant but Joe laughed at it. I put some egg on a strip of bacon and took a bite. Was there anything better than that? I was hard pressed to think so. The coffee was warm and black, just how I liked it. Joe turned his attention back to the man after taking my money. "And what'll you have?"

"Beer's fine," he said and put a bit of money on the counter as well. I looked at him. 

"Bit early for alcohol, isn't it?" I asked.

"No," he said before smiling. His teeth were very straight and very white. He had to have gotten them done or something. Joe grabbed a bottle of beer from behind the counter and cracked the lid off, sliding it in his direction. He caught it and drank a hefty amount. I shook my head and kept eating. "That's good," he said placing the bottle on the counter. "Want some?"

"No thanks," I said, drinking more coffee. Don't get me wrong, I liked a good glass of whiskey on the rocks myself. But not at this time of day. If he wanted a real drink he should have gone to The Diamond. The girls there are trained to make the best of the best for paying customers. 

Including me.

The man sipped his drink while I ate my food. As long as he kept to himself I didn't mind his company. He was a handsome guy, I'll give him that. And friendly enough. I just hoped he knew to keep his hands to himself. 

"So ya' jus' gettin' up or somethin' for work?" he asked, ignoring my mental pleas to leave me be. 

"Actually I just finished work," I said, hoping he wouldn't ask where I worked. 

"Where do ya' work?"

I sighed. "That's classified."

"Oh, I see. I've been up all night myself. I'm in a band."

I'd heard that one before. Guys love telling girls they're in bands in hope the girls will magically lose all their clothes and hop into bed with them. It worked on me once, and it would never work again. 

"That's nice," I said. 

"Thanks. We're stayin' in London for a bit, playin' concerts here an' there." He drank some more. "Ah, but enough about me, what about you?" he asked staring at me with those very large eyes. They sparkled under the light. 

"What about me?" I asked, my mouth full. 

"What's your story? Your name, your hobbies-" I couldn't take any more of this.

"Listen, buddy, if you're just gonna get fresh with me, then-"

He held his hands up. "Alright, alright," he said. His voice didn't sound at all offended, just concerned. "Don't have to talk if ya' don't wanna." I turned back to my food which was getting more unappetizing by the minute. "I uh...wasn't meanin' to get fresh with ya' or nothin'..."

I didn't know how to answer that. What, was I supposed to believe him? "Sorry I snapped," I said. He smiled. 

"Sorry I bothered ya'," he said, his voice back to its cheerful self. I wouldn't mind listening to him talk if he would just talk to somebody else. Someone who wasn't getting a wedgie from the dental floss  underwear she forgot to change out of. He finished the bottle right as I finished my meal. I hoped he wouldn't follow me out the door. To my luck he ended up ordering a second bottle as I gathered up my things, thanking Joe for the meal. 

"Anytime, love." I slung my bag back over my shoulder and left the diner. I could feel the man's eyes watching me as I left. The ice cold air never felt better. 

**********

I pushed the cart down the aisles, the store almost empty. The sun was just starting to rise by the time I got there and the place was lacking in business. Lucky for me, the shelves were stocked to bursting. I grabbed a bag of oats and threw them in the cart, along with a modest bunch of bananas and a carton of milk. Boxes of rice, beans, and loaves of bread went in too, along with a jar of crunchy peanut butter. Everything was on sale. 

The only thing that wasn't on sale was the bag of chips I snatched and the Coke bottles I took. I winced at the rising prices but I wasn't about to go without my chips and soda. I couldn't ignore all my cravings.

I found the pet aisle and grabbed the biggest bag of dog food I could find. It was Scout's favorite, made with meat. He always scarfed it down, the silly boy. The price was outrageous. Didn't they know my boy had to eat like the rest of us? I heaved the bag into my cart which was already full of my food and my work bag. Things were getting crushed for sure. One carton of eggs later and I was ready for check out.

**********

It took several trips to get all my stuff back to my apartment. I left the bags unattended at the bottom of the stairs and carried things up to my door a few bags at a time. The dog food was last. That was hell to carry home without a car, the bag almost tearing under the sheer weight of it. 

Barney saw me with all my bags and set his magazine down long enough to open the gate and let me in. Staring at me the whole time. I know, such a treat to watch this skinny woman stumble around as she carries home her groceries. 

Grabbing the keys out of my pocket and panting like a dog, I finally opened the door to my apartment. Right on cue Scout came running straight for me, his ears flapping. 

"How's my boy been?" I said, kneeling down to pet him. "Scare away any bad guys? Yes you did, yes you did!" He followed me inside, watching me struggle to get the bags in. I'm sure he thought wagging his tail and getting under my feet was his way of helping. I got the dog food inside and he took a minute to sniff the bag. While he was distracted I brought in the rest and closed the door, locking it behind me. I pulled out a semi squashed loaf of bread and set it on the counter. I took out the carton of eggs to find two were now cracked. Cracked, but still edible. I put them in the fridge planning to cook them that night. I threw the milk in the fridge and just stuffed everything else in the bare cupboards. I still had some cans of veggies and boxes of soup. I wasn't completely screwed. 

Scout whined. He started biting and pawing at the bag. "Hold on, I'm coming." Ripping the bag open I poured out a generous amount of food for his dinner and he greedily accepted. I collapsed on the couch. I needed a good long sleep. My Blondie record still spun under the needle where I left it. I clenched my fists to keep the tears from coming. Had it really been just a few hours ago?

The drawer was right where I left it too. Slightly open. 

I should have locked it or something but I didn't have any spare locks. It was an old cabinet drawer. I thought I closed it but it must have fell open again. 

It fell open on purpose. The Universe was testing me. 

I got up and kicked it closed. The force hurt my foot like hell but I ignored it. I wouldn't break my promise. I wouldn't open that goddamned drawer. No matter what. 

No matter what.