Dancing in Place.

Trigger Warning- This short story contains some sexual content.

Dancing in Place.

Introduction- A Brand New Life.

He was hot, and she was not, but he loved her just the same at first sight, so Carlos agreed to work for her- even at minimum wage without tips.

Part One- Oysters at Dawn.

“I had an ex once who used to make me strip down to nothing, and spread my arms out like I was Jesus on the cross. The way she would massage me in places I wasn’t ready for her to touch is what made me fall in love with her.” Carlos intimately told Marlene.

“A story you tell all of your first dates?”

“I wanted you to know what I like.”

“Well, have you ever tried our fried or fresh oysters? They’re an aphrodisiac- they say. Perhaps you’ll like them, too. Make up your crudness to me. Make me dinner, and I shall make you my speciality. A big surprise!”

“Yes! We shall surprise each other! Now, hold onto your coffee, cause I’m gonna kiss you.” He said as she laughed. He kissed, and she liked it.

“Do you ever get sad for no reason? I do.” He asked.

Marlene did not know what to say. She nodded, yes.

Part Two- A Text Message.

A text message from PharmacyPlus arrived on Carlos’s phone- “PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PICK UP YOUR PRESCRIPTION EPIPEN AT ANY TIME. OPEN 24/7. ONLY $600 FOR TWO.”

Carlos could not afford this. He had spent the last of his paycheck on Marlene’s, “Fried surprise.” It was a special fish he had flown in from The Atlantic, and she would love it to death. For this, he was certain.

Part Three- A Kind of Meet/Cute.

“Take out the trash, someone, please!” Ordered Chef Marlene, and her newest hire agreed to the task with a smile, and a nod.

“Yes, chef.” He said. Most in the kitchen yelled clearly, “Yes, chef!” But Carlos had a smoother way. A sexy way about him. He did not want to hurt the customer’s ears as enough noise entered the dining room from the kitchen, and Marlene took note of this. As she took her green dry erase marker to the dry erase board, she wrote down-

“Inside Voices From Now On, Please! Thank You!” Then she realized that she had burned her halibut for the same order that night.

Shame. Thought Marlene, as she scraped it into the trash. To avoid tears- she decided to take the halibut out herself. Poor halibut. Poor me. Poor guests that would never come back.

As the trash compactor compacted, Marlene saw Carlos who was being patient with the machine, and she liked that, too.

“You can go inside! I’ve got this!” Marlene shouted at Carlos over the loud machine. He stepped towards her, and he took the halibut, and he tossed it into the machine, and he said,

“No, I’ve got it from now on.”

Part Four- Dancing in Place.

Carlos had a thing for dancing. He would dance in place at his station. No music. Just what was in his head. He could not help himself.

Marlene approached Carlos at his station.

“Do you know why I hired you?”

“No. Not really.” He responded.

“You wrote an online review that said, “Marlene is contentious, tough, and in other words- mean.” So, I, naturally wanted to meet you since the article was all about me, and not my restaurant. I don’t even remember meeting you.”

“We didn’t meet. I heard your temper clear into the dining room, and I walked out without being served so much as a fork to eat with.”

“Will you, please, erase the review if your four course meal is on me? I promise not to disappoint, and on my honor as a chef- I will be my best self.”

Carlos cleaned up, and sat at a table for two. He waited, and he waited, but, then, out came the raw, freshly-shucked oysters. Contentious, he thought as he took the first bite. That might have been too harsh. For they tasted of the sea, and he longed to be there listening to the waves crashing up against his perfect body.

Part Five- Scallops Equal Death.

“Scallops, chef? Our customers know that scallops have hundreds of eyes. They do not find it appealing!” Carlos told Marlene.

“But they’ll be delicious. Now, cook them up. Do as I say, and all will be well.” Said Marlene with a smile.

Part Six- To Engastrate.

Engastrating a turkey with a fowl, and a duck made Marlene nervous every time, but she did it anyways for Carlos. He would surely love the Cajun sausage stuffing. For this, she was certain.

Part Seven- The Final Date.

“Thank you. Thank you for this meal. Maybe we can go out dancing sometime. I’ve seen you. You’re good.” Said Marlene with a pleasant smile on her face. Then things got bad.

“Did you feed me crawfish?” Asked Carlos.

“Did you feed me tuna? I can’t have tuna. Only salmon!” Replied Marlene in a panic. Neither one had an EpiPen. Death was inevitable.

“Did you put crawfish in my turducken? I need to know. I can’t breathe.” Said Carlos.

“You answer my question first. Did you feed me…” Then Marlene asphyxiated, and died on the spot after gasping for air for about thirty seconds. Her last words were, “There is a specific reason as to why tuna is not on my menu!”

Part Eight- Death!

As Carlos’s throat closed up, too, he thought of the two EpiPens that cost as much as the meal that was killing him. So, he said a little prayer, and he slit his wrists longways. The right way. As he bled out there on the dining room floor, he thought, Such sharp knives. As Carlos’s life flashed before his eyes, he saw Marlene, and himself dancing in place, and with tears in his eyes, he simply passed away.

Part Nine- The End.

Police investigated, and ruled one death as accidental, and the other a suicide of passion. Autopsies were to be performed since Carlos’s mother had her suspicions. He would never kill. She thought. Or would he?