Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!
And I have a LOT to tell you my internetey friends! Is that a word? It is now!!!
Okay… first, night before last. Apparently Joe and Anathema had their coffee date, and, well, to hear Anathema tell it, it went really well. They stayed up past midnight talking, and she came out of it even more besotted than before, but at least comfortable enough to stop dropping dishes. Joe, well, I don’t know what he’s thinking, but he didn’t reject her. Even after she told him about her (recent, even) past and how she’s pregnant. He seems to be willing to let the past be the past as long as it doesn’t leak into the present.
So, last night. I didn’t post last night because we were out late and when I got home we just went to bed. I was telling you about that concert… well, it went well. And… it didn’t. Let’s just say Joe proved his worth and we might be hiring some off-duty cops to help him.
What we were afraid of, happened. Someone came in after Anathema.
It was before the concert, everyone was filing in, and some guy walked in acting really suspicious, and asked if cat-girl was around. But he used her online handle. She was pretty smart and never used her real name. I think she called herself Brandii or something. Anyway, he came in asking for her, and, well, he didn’t look like he was up to any good. Sabby signalled Joe over, and Joe told him he’d better scram.
Guy reached into his waistband.
Guy ended up on the ground with his arms twisted rather painfully behind his back, very quickly, and a gun to the back of his head. We called the cops, and they showed up pretty quickly
Yeah, he had a gun.
He’s lucky he’s still alive. It, umm… turns out Joe doesn’t mess around. And thank goodness he doesn’t.
Anathema was pretty shook up, though. As the responding cops were dragging the guy away, we told them why he was probably after her, and they said they’d be pressing charges for, at the very least, felon in possession of a handgun. Guy had a record, I guess. Joe, well… I guess he got some major points. After they left he took her aside and told her that as long he was there, no one was going to hurt her. I don’t think that was because she’s Anathema, I think it was because he’s Joe. But that… well, she’s not really looking at him doe-eyed anymore. She’s not even looking at him like a piece of meat. She’s… looking at him like he saved her life and she would do anything for him.
And with Anathema, anything is a lot. But, the difference now is… only for him. She’s his for the taking. But… I don’t think he’s going to take her up on that so quickly. And… well… I don’t blame him. He’s only known her for a couple of days, and she does have a past. But… he still hasn’t turned her down. And, at least for the short term, I don’t think he’s going to. She, frankly, needs to learn a little self-control, and I think he took my “supplemental mission” seriously.
Oh. And it didn’t hurt that Joe told the guy that if he ever came anywhere near her ever again, he wouldn’t hold back next time. Considering how, umm… wet his pants got, I guess the message came though.
Anyway, we’re going to hire one or two off duty cops, and put the word out that cops get free coffee and pastries if they hang around for a bit while eating them.
It’s all we can do. Let’s hope that there aren’t many more people like that.
Anyway, the concert was really fun. All the girls came to see it, and the band played a lot of original music, and they were actually really good. They sold a bunch of merch too, and part of the deal is, we get a cut of the profits, so… it worked out for everyone. After it was all done, though… We went home. Joe and Anathema… well, they left together. I don’t know where they went, but I asked Anathema, and she said he was a perfect gentleman and took her on a real date. Took her home and everything. And did not take her up on her offer to come in for a “nightcap”.
But he did do a sweep of her apartment and told her not to open the door for anyone she didn’t know, no matter who it was. To call him or the police, and they’d deal with it.
Apparently when an active duty Sergeant in the military tells the police something, they at least take him seriously.
She’s a little frustrated, but she’s also… well… she seems secretly pretty happy that he’s holding off. It means he’s treating her seriously.
So… ummm… today, we did Dave’s birthday at the shop.
We roasted him.
You know, like those roasts on TV where everyone swears and tells someone how awful they are?
Well, we were a little nicer than that.
Just a little.
Sabby got him good. I don’t remember everything that was said, but it was pretty funny. I couldn’t bring myself to be too mean, so I just recounted the story of the cayenne pepper in the chocolate and how I nailed him in the groin when he tried to scare me.
Anyway, after everyone took their turn, he just stood up, looked over all of us, and said “I’ll remember this”. And we all knew what he meant. He would remember that it was a token of our appreciation for him, and also… he’d remember this. Haha.
Anyway, we did all give him presents after, and he had a pretty good time anyway.
So…. it’s Saturday night now. It was a long day. Anathema seems alright, she didn’t seem too badly affected. I think she might have been if it’d escalated further, but Joe did a really good job. Hear that Mrs. X? Give that guy a medal.
I know, I know. But still. He deserves something. Maybe a little leave?
Okay. Gotta go now. Lots to do.