Mitzi was now permanently on table duty. As much as she was going to miss the deep fryer, she knew she was needed out here. She also realized after watching some of the other servers that she was actually pretty damned good at this. Maybe it was her looks. Maybe she just had a friendly demeanor. Maybe she had a way with words. Whatever it was, people that came to the restaurant liked her. Whether she loved the job or not, doing something well went a long way toward satisfying something inside her.

  The only snag she’d hit had been shortly before five. She’d been in the kitchen dropping off orders when Dan somehow sent something through the bond that had dropped her to her knees and left her crying. It was like having him wrapped around her like a blanket. Everything he felt for her had flooded her all at once. Bandy had been there to help her up. She figured out how to send something herself. She did it partially as payback, but mostly so he’d understand the intensity of the experience. She’d save that for nights she stayed at Goblin House and wanted to remind him of her.

  She had gotten her stride back quickly and was headed to the back with dirty dishes and utensils, one stack on her head and one in each hand. It always seemed to impress the humans. She played it off like it was no big deal and the tips flowed. Honestly, any goblin could do this, with their sense of balance. Or they could until someone kicked them square in the back and sent them flying, which is exactly what happened to Mitzi halfway to the kitchen.

  There was no stopping it. She landed face first in the floor surrounded by breaking glasses and plates. She felt hands on her arms helping her up and heard Talwick quietly asking if she was ok. She nodded, checking her nose for damage. Then she heard Bandy.

  “What in the FUCK was that shit?!?” For a minute, Mitzi thought Bandy was yelling at her, but that didn’t sound right. When she turned, she saw her sister standing there with her hands clenched in fists staring up at a thin human woman with mousy brown hair and. . .

  It was the woman from Dan’s work. Candy. The one who’d tried to get her thrown out of the office. She was drunk. Correction. She was SHIT-FACED. AND she was HERE.

  “You fucking goblins. . .” The woman slurred. “Fucking got me fired, stole my fucking man. Buncha fuckin’ roach-people. Y’fuckin’ green bitch.”

  “THAT’S IT!!” Bandy yelled. Mitzi was already there and grabbed her sister mid-jump and pulled her back, Talwick helping to steady them both. Candy stepped back in a panic at the jump and tried to take on some kind of defensive stance. It turned into a stagger knocking her into an occupied table.

  “Let me go, Mitz. This bitch is TOAST.” She said, struggling to get free. Her hands were clawed. She was ready to shred this woman.

  “No, you ding-bat! You even TOUCH her and someone will call a knight and I GUARANTEE it won’t be that Errant Apprentice guy you tried to hook-up with!”

  Before Bandy could say anything, Runt AND Larry came out from the back, both in their nice clothes.

  “What’s goin’ on here?” Runt asked.

  “Y’fuckin’ lil’ shits.” Candy said, slurring and then, surprisingly, tried to kick at Mitzi.

  “Okay.” Larry said, grabbing the woman by the arm. “Out. We run a respectable establishment here and I’m not having you disrupt things. We have tourists here and-”

  Candy called Larry something. It was a bad something. Mitzi had heard Larry mention it once or twice as a thing he’d been called a lot as a youth. Larry turned red. He stared at Candy who suddenly seemed to realize what she’d done.

  “RUNT!” Larry yelled.

  Runt ran up in shock. Runt actually ran the restaurant, but this was personal for Larry now.

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m going to hang on to Paula Deen here. Please call the police, tell them you’re me, and have them get here A.S.A.P.” With that, he marched the staggering woman straight out the front door.

  Mitzi turned and found several other servers already cleaning up her mess. Runt ran back to the kitchen, and Talwick had begun calming guests. Bandy escorted Mitzi through the kitchen to the break room. Bandy shut the door and immediately threw her arms around Mitzi.

  “Are you ok? When I saw that fucking bitch kick you, I was ready to murder, Mitz.” She said all in a rush.

  “I’m ok, Bandy. I’m fine. That lady worked at Dan’s magazine with him. I never thought I’d see her again. I never imagined she’d come HERE of all places.” She rubbed her sister’s back. She seemed more upset than Mitzi herself.

  “Gods.” Bandy said, taking Mitzi by the shoulders. “It was like the dungeon again. I just reacted.”

  Mitzi pulled Bandy back into a hug. She hadn’t realized how shaken Bandy still was from their old life.

  “It’s ok, Bandy. I’m ok. I can still take care of myself. Are you ok?” She asked.

  Bandy nodded vigorously.

  “Hey,” Bandy said, pulling away again, “maybe Uncle Runt would let you off the rest of the night? You could go see Dan?”

  “Bandy, I appreciate it, but I have a job and a responsibility. I can’t just stop living because I’m in a relationship.” She smiled. It was very sweet of Bandy to suggest that.

  Bandy nodded.

  “You’re right. I know. I’m just worried you’ll be shaken for the rest of the night.” She said.

  Mitzi gave her a flat look.

  “Girl, you’re more fucked up about this than I am and YOU don’t have a footprint in your back.” She went to pinch Bandy’s ear. She stopped and lowered her hand. She couldn’t stand the idea of hurting the girl’s ears any more. It didn’t help that Bandy automatically flinched when her hand moved. Shit.

  “You’re the best, Bandy. I’m sorry about pinching your ears all the time.”

  Bandy tried to play it off like it was no big deal with a series of shrugs. Mitzi settled on messing up her faux-hawk instead.

  “C’mon. We’ve got tables.” Mitzi said and maneuvered her sister back out to the floor.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  It was a little while later that the police arrived and took Candy away. She felt panic from Dan, which meant he’d seen the cops. She stepped away from the floor to meet him by the doors, because she knew he’d be there in a minute. She remained calm and waited for him. Dan burst through the doors and honestly looked pretty damned sober for having had as many beers as he'd seemed to.

  “Mitzi!” he said and knelt in front of. He put a hand on her cheek. “Are you ok? What happened? I think the beer may have softened the bond. Or my brain. I don’t know which.”

  He’d come to check on her as soon as he’d realized something was wrong. It really was sweet. He was probably in no condition to do anything, but it was still sweet, if late.

  “I’m fine, ya goober.” She pinched his nose and waggled his face. “There was a lady at your work who gave me a hard time and she showed up here drunk causing a scene.”

  He looked and felt panicked again. He looked sick.

  “Candy.” He said.

  “Yep. That’s the one.” She said. “The cops took her away. Larry’s looking into what they can charge her with, if anything. She said she was fired.”

  Dan swallowed.

  “Yeah. She vandalized my cubicle and called me a. . .” He looked around and waited till the coast was clear. “A goblin fucker. I don’t know how she knows or if she just assumed. There’s a zero tolerance policy for that kinda shit at the office though, and she’s out.”

  That was a surprise.

  “If she shows up again, you guys need to call the cops or some knights, or something. Please.” She nodded and hugged him.

  “We will. And thank you for checking on me, Dan. It’s very sweet.”

  She looked at him.

  “Did your night go well?” she asked.

  “It did.” He said. “I made some weekend plans for while you’re working. I may have a surprise for you.”

  He suddenly felt mischievous, which was new for him. It reminded her of Bandy. She smiled back at him.

  “I see. Secrets, is it? Well, that’s fine. You run along like a good boy and let me work.” She said.

  He booped her nose then kissed her forehead. The nerve. She blushed and tried to hide her face.

  “I WILL get this out of you, you complete goof.”

  He gave her a sudden hug.

  “I’ll let you get back to work. Please be safe for me.”

  She nuzzled his neck.

  “I will. Go rest, Dan. I love you, you nut.”

  He kissed the top of her head and stood. He backed out waving and left.

  So he was an affectionate drunk. Good to know. She trotted back onto the floor and got back to earning tips.

  Dan spent the next several days watching more YouTube videos on construction projects between assignments.

  The only goblin Dan let in on this was Geraldine. He wanted to get permission first, he'd needed an accurate head count, and he’d quickly realized Geraldine was the actual authority in the brood. He’d called her from work on their house phone and run the idea past her. She laughed like a hyena.

  “THAT’S why you wanted to know how many of us there were?! You are at least the second kindest human I have ever met, boy. Be careful or I’ll get you married into this brood. Laws be damned.” She’d said.

  They spent the majority of the week at Henry’s. Dan worked until well into the night Thursday and Friday and they managed to, with Shelly and Danielle’s help, not only finish the beds but make them attractive to boot using stain and varnish.

  The only downside was Mitzi. He barely saw her. He’d head down to Runts after they closed and walk her home. He held her hand and walked as slowly as he could. He missed being with her more than he ever expected. He spent far longer than he should have sitting with her on the porch of Goblin House and talking quietly. Kissing her. Holding her. It made Dan start considering further plans for himself.

  Saturday was a nearly twelve hour day for the crew at Henry’s and then at Runt’s. The only goblins at home were a woman and man named Daga and Mat, both around twenty years old, left there to watch the four broodlings. Dan discovered this when they pulled up with the first load of materials. He’d knocked and Viv, the smallest of the little girls, answered the door.

  “Geraldine told me to let you in and help if I can. Can I hold a power drill?” She asked with far too much interest.

  What Dan gave her was a screwdriver, along with the other three broodlings. They were Ric, Neal, and Mike. He was horrified as the frames went up and the kids started climbing around them and attaching parts like it was nothing. It took the whole crew very little time to get all the beds assembled.

  They got the double bed set up in the back for Runt and Geraldine. She may not like the old man, but she slept with him in the same room anyway. It was an odd relationship. They managed to get enough beds in both rooms. The extra single bed they’d made went in the boy’s room.

  In the end, the kids found the label maker the goblins used for their personal effects and started assigning goblins to bunks and then placing bedrolls. The Saturday Night Thing had placed some egg crate foam in each bunk, bumpy side down, for cushioning. Dan had worried it wasn’t enough. Geraldine had assured him it was going to be luxurious for them.

  The kids seemed to assign the spaces based on age and physical condition. They were shockingly considerate, which Dan might not have been able to say for human children. As they’d worked on that, Danielle had run to the store and by the time the beds were assigned, she had brought back ice cream sandwiches for the goblins. Even for the two caretakers.

  It was about six when everything could be considered done and Dan was walking everyone back out to their cars.

  “I seriously can’t thank you guys enough for all the help this week.” He said. “You’re sure you don’t want to stick around and see the results?”

  Rob shook his head.

  “Nah. We talked about it and figured this should be your show. Besides, I know I’m bushed.” Rob DID look tired.

  “Ok.” Dan said. “But tomorrow night I’m taking you guys out. I’ll bring Mitzi. I’m sure she’ll want to thank you all.”

  He gave each of them a hug.

  “You are just too sweet to have been given the hand you were dealt, Dan.” Danielle said, rubbing his back. “You need us again, call.”

  Dan felt his eyes start to sting and rubbed them after she’d let go.

  “I will. Thanks again guys. Be safe getting home.”

  He waved as they all drove off. He looked and the elderly black man just past the lot was on his porch again. Dan gave him a wave. To his surprise, the old man nodded to him. Dan went back inside with a smile on his face.

  Dan had dozed off. It had been several days of working into the night and then sitting up, and today had been the capper. He’d started at 6am. Dan had sat down to waste some time on his phone and the next thing he knew it was dark and Viv was shaking his knee.

  “Dan? Wake up. E’rybody’s home.” She said. She still had his screwdriver stuck through a belt loop like a sword. He decided right there to let her keep it.

  “Thanks, Viv. You were amazing today. You were the absolute best helper.” She gave him a tiny smile and she ran off, already bragging to the other broodlings when the door opened.

  Runt lead the group in and he and several of the others stopped when they saw him.

  “Uh, hey!” Dan said, waving.

  “Hiya.” Runt said, looking confused. Dan had meant to rehearse a speech, or a presentation, or something but he’d dozed off and forgotten. Instead, he stood and walked over to the girls’ room.

  “Ok. You’re all probably wondering what the gangly pink guy is doing here. Well, I know what you guys had for a sleeping arrangement, and. . .”

  Geraldine, Mitzi, Bandy, and Talwick managed to get inside and he smiled.

  “To hell with it.” Dan finished lamely. “I got you some beds made.”

  He opened the door to the girls’ room, then walked over and did the same to the boys’ room. Everyone started flooding into the two rooms to look. Geraldine just smiled at him. Runt was beside himself.

  “What in the hell made you decide to do that?” He asked after peeking in both rooms for a moment.

  Dan knelt.

  “Your highness,” he said. He wanted Runt to like him. He really did. “Like I said, I heard how you guys were sleeping. I couldn’t stand the idea of all of you on the floor or in chairs. I know the floor of a house is still an improvement over the dungeon, but it didn’t feel like enough to me.” Runt was staring at him. Mitzi ran past her uncle and wrapped her arms around Dan's neck.

  “You sweet idiot. Thank you so much.” She started kissing his face all over. Dan felt a bit embarrassed in front of Runt, but Runt didn’t seem to give a shit. Dan suddenly remembered the back room.

  “OH!” He said, interrupting Mitzi. “We set up a double bed in the back for you and Geraldine. I hope that’s ok, sir.”

  Runt finally blinked and shook his head.

  “Son, after everyone calms down, I’d like for you to stick around for a bit. I want to talk to you.”

  That got him a bit worried. It must have shown.

  “Nothing like that.” Runt said. “I want to know who my sister’s kid has ended up with. That’s all.”

  Dan sighed. They heard Bandy yelling from the girls’ room.

  “TOP BUNK, MOTHER FUCKER! YEAH!”