This is all we know || Open

Late in the evening, Ava found herself making her way toward the boats that were hitched up on the wooden docks for the night. Some boats that she had passed that were on the larger side and made for living, still had their lights on suggesting a majority of the community hadn't gone to sleep - yet.

With a small cardboard box in tow, Ava counted down the boats as she walked - her high heel boots tapping against the old wood of the docks. "Four... five... six..." Evangeline mumbled to herself until she arrive at the seventh boat. Pausing for a moment, Ava examined the sea craft in question - after a few seconds Ava then raised her voice for whoever was inside the boat to hear.

"Delivery!"

It was as simple as that, waiting for a few minutes - no one emerged from the cabin of the boat. Rolling her eyes, Ava yelled once more and it seemed as though someone finally heard her the second time. With a drink in hand, a middle aged man appeared - smiling sloppily at Ava as he walked toward her and onto the dock.

"I've been waiting for this all day!" The man grinned then, holding his hand out for the box that Ava still had in her possession. Shaking her head at the man, Ava pushed his hand away "You're not going to have anything until I get my money first, remember?"

The man in question looked offended at first, then as if someone slowly pulled on a light bulb - the memory popped up in his mind. "Oh, yes. Be right back." Disappearing once more, Evangeline sighed to herself as she waited for her customer in question to grab his money from wherever he had it in the first place.

     "Ten, no wait, twelve!"
     "Shut it, it's obviously eighteen!"
     "You fucking mong, there fifteen pieces in there!"

     The interior of the ship couldn't be as louder than it could be as many sailors, drunkards, and gamblers crowded the seats and tables with cards, dice, and whatever small objects they can use to earn a little currency. While Steve was no stranger to gambling, he was more prioritized on getting the batch of supplies that was supposed to be stored in the storage of the ship. The shipment was supposed to have been her for awhile ago, but apparently, it was delayed for another two weeks, which then lead to Steve having to spend a little extra at the town's market just to keep up with his restaurant's demand. Luckily the cold weather was chilly enough to lessen the number of patrons, ironically enough, but even then, Steve had to put as minimal in his dishes as possible without getting a dirty look.

    And now here he was, in a floating gambling den with everyone emitting various moods of excitement, anger, devastation, and oddly enough, a bit of arousal. "Aye! Here we go!" A loud voice spoke louder than the shouting and hollering as a man came up with a large package within his grasp. "Here's the late shipment! A big one at that!" he opened a bottle of booze from a nearby crate and took a swig. Steve only looked in confusion as he held the package in his arms. "W-what? This is the shipment?" he looked at the man with a incredulous face. "It's not enough for a month!"

    The man only shrugged. "I can't do anything about it mate, the rest of the shipment was on the way here, but it hasn't been seen since it left the mainland. You know how ships have been disappearing as of late." The man took another mouthful as Steve stared at the package. From his experience, a package of this size would only last for a week. He tried finding words to express this helpless feeling, but instead, he sighed out loud and accepted his fate. "Well, it can't be helped I guess." Steve said depressingly. The man patted him on the shoulder. "Hey, it's happens to the best of us. We just got to get life past us."

    A call came from outside the ship, though from the noise inside, it was hard to pick up, though Steve was able to pick it out from the cacophony, and apparently, so did the man. "Ah, that must be the delivery lass. It's about time she showed up!" He navigated from the sea of men and went out from the ship. Steve had another glance at the shipment. At this rate, his place needs to be closed down if this keeps up. "How annoying" he murmured, "maybe I should just make up a new menu with only one ingredient, if everyone is drunk enough, then maybe I could pull it off."

    As Steve went towards the exit, the man came back inside and scooted pass the chef as he went deeper inside the ship. Deciding that he had enough of the place, he went out of the door and into the cold air and the sea smell. He spotted a woman with a package within her arms. Who was she again? Steve was sure that he have seen her moving around the port a few times, though he never directly spoke to her. Well, he didn't want to be a bother, so he leaped off the ship with his minuscule shipment. He was walking down the wooden planks when he tripped on a hidden rope and fell on his face with his package landing nearby. 

Ava had been waiting for her money when suddenly another figure appeared from the boat, it wasn't the man before. Looking away and toward the ocean, Ava zoned off as she continued to wait with a package in her hand. She figured after this payment she'd be able to stop by the tavern or some resturant and get a quick bite to eat before heading back to her apartment. She found herself envious from time to time of the kids that went to the school here on the island, at least they didn't have to worry about paying for their room or board.

Suddenly, a loud thump interrupted her thoughts and Ava looked in the direction of where the noise was coming from - only to spot the man in question that she had just seen only a few seconds ago seemingly laid out on a part of the port nearby. Frowning, Ava glanced back toward the boat before glancing back at the man once more - if she was quick she probably wouldn't miss the old guy coming back with some money.

Quickly walking over to Steve, Ava bent over and held her hand out toward the man. "Hey, are you okay? I can help you up."

    Steve rose his face from the planks and blinked in surprise. He quickly scanned his surroundings for his shipment, which was on its side, right besides him. Groaning, he rubbed his face, which received a bloody print on his hand. The woman from earlier somehow got pass him, as she lowered a hand out for him to lift himself up. Still holding on to his face, he accepted the assistance and pulled himself up high. Brushing his clothes off, he nodded and thanked, “Ah, thank you, miss.” He was going to check in a mirror once he got back to his restaurant.


    Steve crouched down to his shipment and checked to see if there were any signs of damages. Besides being already roughen up when he first got the box, it only had a slight den, which made him uneasy and worried for the materials inside. Sighing in both annoyance and pain, Steve got up and lifted the large shipment with his arms. “I’m sorry for taking up your time.” He gave an embarrassed smile.

Ava shrugged in response to his thanks, seemingly not to bothered by helping the man out. After all, she knew after she got this payment she was waiting for she'd be good for at least a couple days. It was lucky that this island was so small enough to not require cars, yet large enough to walking places was actually fun.

"Ah, it's no big deal." Ava replied to the man then as he apologized. Anxiously, the woman glanced back at the ship and then back towards Steve once more. She could have sworn she recognized him form somewhere around the village, where was it exactly?

A few minutes of silent staring and Ava finally placed the man, "Hey, you own that restaurant don't you?" Ava asked him finally a look of realization spreading across her face.

Oh, she’s now trying to recall something. Steve watched his helper’s mood shift from a slight concern, to a recollective thought. Figuring from his years of experience, she must be trying to recognize him, mostly from the lack of intensity of desire, plus the non-existent presence of focus between him and the boat. Her glances at the restaurant owner is implying more so. He looked around the docks and boats around him and checked the time on a small watch on his wrist. Night service starts in more than an hour, more than enough to start a small chatter.


Shrugging to himself, he slowly placed the box of goods on the planks, and then brushed his apron. He was going to start with introductions, but Steve was already interrupted by the lass in front of him. As she spoke, the familiar shift from recalling to recognition flow through him like a breeze of wind. “Well, I do own a restaurant, and it’s not the two popular ones on the island, so I think you might be right.”


Suddenly, her identity finally hint Steve like a rubber bullet. She was the lady who keeps passing by the windows of his restaurant every so often. He mentally pinched himself at the revelation.

"Oh..." Ava looked only briefly interested as her attention was split toward between money and the gentleman in front of her. Within the next few moments, the older man she was waiting on reappeared looking around quite confused before spotting Ava. "Hey, little lady I got yer money!"

"'Scuse me," Ava mumbled to Steve before grabbing the package once more and making her way back to the old man. The exchange was brief at best, Ava received the money first and then she handed over the package. The man in question didn't really even bother to check the contents before heading back inside the boat.

Fingering through the money a third time as the man walked away, Ava nodded to herself before sticking the said green into her wallet. As she made her way back toward Steve, she seemed much more focused on the man as she approached him. "Well, maybe I'll see you around some time then?" Ava asked the man with a slight smile.