Shadow of the Storm by Candle Sutton

Author:Candle Sutton [Sutton, Candle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-03-29T23:00:00+00:00

ᴂ ᴂ ᴂ ᴂ ᴂ

“One Bahama Mama coming right up.” I tell the pixie-faced blonde before turning to the long-haired, bearded man sitting across from her. “Sure I can’t get you something?”

He shakes his head and I turn away.

Business has dropped off the last half hour, although it was busy enough earlier. No sign of Drew, so evidently he took a day off.

I’m sure he needed it. He’s been here pretty much every day since arriving home for Christmas break.

No shortage of work for those of us who actually show up, right?

Zak whistles something tuneless as he blends one drink, stirs another, and dispenses beer on tap, all at the same time. In a way, it’s kind of like a dance. Especially as we both maneuver in the same congested space without collision.

It’s coming up on eleven p.m.

A few more tables vacate and I clear those before turning in my apron for the night.

My usual seat beckons. Malachi has already settled on the bar stool beside mine. I take my seat and order a raspberry limeade.

Malachi grins. “Am I rubbing off on you?”

“Well, you order the same thing every night. I thought I’d see if it’s as good as you’d have me believe.”

Zak delivers my limeade and I take a sip.

I have to admit, it is pretty good.

“I’ve always thought that if there were beverages in heaven, this would be one of them.” Malachi punctuates his statement with a long drink of his limeade.

“What, there’s no drinking in heaven?”

“There’s no need. In heaven, we won’t have bodies that need food or hydration.”

“Sounds like a pretty miserable existence to me.” Zak leans on the bar near us, his gaze passing over the two occupied tables in the center of the room.

“On the contrary. It’s more wonderful than you can imagine.”

How can Malachi know such a thing?

He can’t, not really, can he? Something keeps me from asking. Maybe I don’t really want to know the answer.

“You know, you aren’t exactly what I imagined a religious person to be like. Drew either, for that matter.”

Malachi quirks an eyebrow. “And what did you expect religious people to be like?”

“I don’t know. Doing church stuff or something. Certainly not hanging out in a bar. Or working in a restaurant, serving alcohol.”

Chuckling, Malachi says, “Church stuff is great and we each need that. But the mission field is outside the church. Jesus didn’t spend all his time inside the temple. We can’t either.”

Zak snorts. “Yeah, well as long as you don’t focus that evangelical energy my way, we’re good.”

Malachi studies him. “You don’t believe in God?”

“I find it hard to believe in God when my family was taken from me by a drunk driver. My sister’s been in a coma for five years. Where is God in all of that?”

“Man, that’s rough. I’m sorry.” Sorrow lines Malachi’s eyes. “But you said she’s just in a coma, right? So there’s hope.”

“A few years ago, maybe. But the doctors say she’ll have permanent brain damage if she wakes up now.

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