~4~

Enzo dunked a rag in a bucket of tepid soapy water and wrung it out, surveying the restaurant. There were two girls in the corner, eating their pizza disinterestedly, and a guy towards the front scarfing garlic knots. There was never much movement on Tuesday mornings. 

"Merda! (*In Italian* Shit!) Enzo, grab cleaner from closet, hm?" Louie shouted from the back in choppy English. He'd come from Italy in the 80's and he still only said what was necessary to be understood. He didn't give two shits what was grammatically correct, as Enzo had thoroughly learned on his first day. 

"One sec!" Enzo shouted, dropping the rag on the counter and pulling open the door to the supply closet. He surveyed the shelves and grabbed a spray bottle full of cleaner. 

He pushed through the swinging doors to the kitchen and tossed it to Louie, who was sopping up a spilled Coke with paper towels. 

Louie muttered a distracted "Grazie," and began spraying the cleaner on the sticky spots. 

Enzo ducked out of the kitchen and glanced up at the counter. Aud looked as surprised as he was to see him there. 

"Oye," (Hey) Aud said, forgetting himself for a second. "I mean... um... hey," embarrassment bloomed in his chest. 

Aud raised an eyebrow. "Spanish, huh? I should've known, you got a pretty awesome accent." 

Enzo smiled. Most people around here spoke Spanish, even the little kids. 

"What can I get for you?" Enzo asked, wiping his hands on his apron. 

Aud turned her attention to the display window, then pointed to the last slice of spinach left. 

"It looked lonely," she explained herself when he made a face. Enzo slid it onto his spatula and shoved it into the dingy industrial oven. 

"Spinach was a hit today," he said, pointing to the two girls in the corner, eating their slices. Aud shook her head. 

"They're just eating spinach to make themselves feel healthier, you know. Because sausage is so much worse," she said mockingly, and Enzo laughed. 

Aud lowered her head, a strand of blonde hair falling over her face. When she lifted it again, it was stuck in her eyelashes. 

"Hey, did I by any chance leave my sweatshirt in that store a few days ago? I can't find it," she said, raising her eyebrows hopefully. 

"Yes! I was just going to say something, it's at my house. You can stop by later and pick it up, if you want," 

Aud sighed, relieved. "Thank God! That's my favorite sweatshirt. Which street are you on?" 

Enzo furrowed his eyebrows at the question, realizing now that he may have made a mistake. 

"Um, maybe you don't have to come to my house," Enzo said, turning around and opening the oven. Her pizza wasn't done. He closed it and turned to face her again. 

"Why not?" she asked, leaning her elbows on the counter. 

"It's, uh... dangerous" Enzo muttered, rubbing his chin self consciously. 

"I have mace," she said matter of factly, shrugging her shoulders. "C'mon, what could happen?" 

Enzo raised his eyebrows. "You want to hear the list of the crimes that happened just on my street alone in the past year? It's pretty long, I should warn you." 

Aud laughed breathily and shrugged her shoulders. "C'mon. I'll come at eight, and it'll all be fine." 

"Seven." 

"Why?" 

Enzo sighed. "It starts getting dark near eight."

Aud pursed her lips, then slowly stretched them into a smile. Enzo noticed she had a gold molar you could only see if she smiled real wide. 

"What?" Enzo snapped, shifting his weight nervously. 

"You're worried about me, hm?" she said, smiling wider. She looked crazy, with her knotty blonde hair and her strange, dirty grey eyes. He liked it. 

"I'm worried about anyone out on Holsman after eight," Enzo said, turning his back to check on her pizza. It was finished. 

"How do I know which house is yours?" she asked as Enzo slid her pizza out of the oven and onto a plate with a big wooden spatula. 

"It's white," he said, grabbing the flimsy paper plate and setting it in front of her on the counter. "It's ugly. The top middle window has wood in it instead of glass. And I'll be standing in the downstairs window, making sure you don't get mugged." 

Aud smiled to herself as Enzo bagged her pizza and slid it towards her. She took it and nodded at him. 

"See you at seven, then," she said, handing him $5 even though the bill was only $3.

"See you,"

She pushed through the door and swung her bag down to her side, undoubtedly running the cheese on her pizza all to the bottom. 

It was hard to tell through the front window, but Enzo thought he saw her chuckling as she walked briskly past. 

She was definitely a hard one to explain. 

~~~

Do you think she knew he worked there, or was it a coincidence? Not sure... :):)

Anywayyy.... Make me super happy and comment and vote!

<3Liz