The Rebel

Dylan-1

Dylan

As I fight with Liam, I swipe the tablecloth off by accident, and the glasses fall all over the table with a clatter. Of course, it’s not a big deal, just a little display of manpower, as it usually happens between us. I drove a few fists into his stomach, and he gave me two punches in the face with joy when we caught sight of one another at the restaurant. Mrs. P. screams out loud and presses her hand in front of her mouth with laughter as she watches us.

“For goodness’ sakes, boys, will you never grow up?” she says sternly, but tears of joy are glittering in her eyes at the same time. I know it’s because she sees us together again.

Liam and I give each other a few more slaps, then we sit down on each side of Mrs P., Mr P didn’t come. Apparently, he didn’t feel up for the journey, but he can’t wait to see me at his home. I swear, I’m not far from being overwhelmed with melancholy as I look at my adopted family. Not far. Am I getting old, or what the f**k? When the drinks arrive, Liam and I clink glasses and as I get comfortable at the corner table kept for staff, I realize it feels great to be here again. I was away with the Black Swan for six months, and the truth is, I was beginning to miss this work, the restaurant and my brother Liam, and of course, the family. That is Liam’s family, but it’s like my own. I’ve never had a family other than them. Katie and Brian Parker have treated me like their own son from the first moment onwards as I set foot in their house as a dirty little kid, ten years of age. They are the greatest people I have ever known. Lily Parker feels more as a sister than Cat, my blood-sister, who has lived with relatives in the States since our childhood.

“We’ve been worried sick when we heard about that storm on the North Sea, right, Liam?” Mrs P. turns to her son, but he just howls out loud and shrugs his shoulders.

“Not me. Tough guys like Dylan are made of hard stuff,” he says, throwing the cap of the beer bottle at me.

I catch it in the air, and throw it back.

“Shut up, Parker, or I’ll push the bottle down your throat,” I threaten him, and I swear it feels great to be able to give each other a hard time again.

“Of course, we were worried,” Mrs P waves us both down. “There were horrible images about it in the news.”

“It wasn’t that bad. The storm ripped the foresail, but it was easy enough to fix.”

“Whatever it was, thank God, you are back intact and healthy,” she puts her hand on mine, but the smile fades away from her face. She frowns with harshness, and slaps my face in a motherly manner. “But it’s time for a thorough shave. You look like a mountain hermit. You will give the girls a fright, Dylan. Decent girls will, anyway,” she adds, lifting a forefinger, making Liam laugh out loud.

A hermit! Hah! A good one, Mrs. P. I scratch my beard which has indeed grown out of proportion in the past weeks. I don’t normally shave on open waters? Why would I? Anyway, you don’t really meet decent girls at the docks.

“Will do, Mrs. P,” I consent, and wink at her.

“It was time you bring your ugly face back home,” Liam notes with a grin. “Collin can hardly handle the restaurant on his own.

Collin is our chef, and he is in charge of Villains Tavern during the months I’m away sailing. Liam must definitely be exaggerating, because the truth is, Collin does a much better job managing the restaurant than I do, and if I wasn’t a hundred percent sure, I would have fired him a long time ago.

“The business is in good hands with Collin,” I shrug and take a big sip from my beer. “I already looked at the books. The past spring has been one of the busiest.”

“That’s great,” Katie smiles. “Every time I’m nearby and check in, the restaurant is full.”

“At least in the evening,” Liam adds.

“There’s nothing wrong with it, although we might need to take on some more wait staff. Demi apparently has tendonitis, so she will be able to work less shifts for a while. Also, I have to meet a couple of new wine suppliers next week, and do up orders, so extra help will be much needed.

The truth is, Villains Tavern is going better than I have ever thought. When I inherited the run-down restaurant from my uncle six years ago, I had no idea what to do with it. True, I had a profession as a confectioner, and I was doing a winemaker’s course, but place was in such a poor state I saw no potential in it. To be honest, I wanted to sell it, but Mr and Mrs Parker talked me out of it. They said the place was like a gold mine, and its location was one reason for that. It’s in the heart of Camden Town, directly next to Camden Lock and the Market. They were right, but I would never have started it on my own. Even back then, I wasn’t very fond of fully committing myself. Liam finally agreed to became partners. We invested all our money and a bank loan into the renovation, and hoped for the best. The building of a covered rooftop was Lilly’s idea, and damn it, we did well by allowing ourselves to be talked into it, even regardless of the extra expenses. The people love it, and since this gourmet genius Collin has been on board, the Villains Tavern constantly runs at full house.

Yet, from time to time I just have to beat it. Whenever I begin to feel there is too much stress and I take it out on the people around me, then restaurant or not, I have to be off. The Parkers have known me since I was a kid, they know I need freedom, and I’d be unable to stay put for a long time. But they also know that I always return, so they have accepted my way of life. Katie and Brian used to take care of the restaurant when I was away, but since Mr Parker has been feeling unwell, Katie has no more energy to continue either. I know Liam keeps his eyes on the business, even though he does not have much time beside his own dental practice. However, since we took Collin on, I don’t have to be worry even if I am away for months on end.

Mrs Parker always tells me that the time will come when I will become serious, and once I’ve found the right girl, I will settle at last and will give up all this travelling. I like Mrs P as my mother, but I don’t think she is right. I will never change. Not ever.

＊

Tired, I’m massaging the back of my neck, lifting my face towards the ceiling. It’s 10 in the evening, Collin has sent out the last order and I’m also ready with the final order of chili chocolate mousse. We’ve been at it since opening, it’s been full house, so I’m absolutely knackered. After half a year of a hermit’s life on sea, I have to get used to restaurant work. Plus, now that I’m back, two of the staff went on holiday, so for a few days I have to press on for all the others too. Liam has texted me asking if we should have a drink later, and honestly, something strong would really do me good, so I said yes. I go back to the staff room, have a shower, put on fresh clothes, and start out towards our favourite place. That is, our second favourite place, because the coolest, after all, is Villains Tavern. We also have a bar, but our place is more like a restaurant than a pub, and after slave labour for a full day, I can’t wait to leave it at last.

I start on foot in the direction of Regent’s Park. It feels good to air my head out a bit. I’ve been back from my trip for a week, and I still have to adapt myself. For the past six months, my home was the 12 metres of the Black Swan, and I have grown estranged from people’s company, and also human silliness. In the past week at the restaurant, I had a chance to get used to it again. It’s not that I don’t like working there, but when the bald bloke made a scene like a three-year-old, because the Thai green curry soup he had ordered was hot… well, I wasn’t far from hitting his face into the bowl. Most guests are quite decent, but there are some whom I could drown into gravy before turning the table on them. Whenever I am fed up on land and feel sick of everything, I set sail and on the sea I go. Liam says, I flee. I flee whenever a girl becomes too committed, when a relationship threatens to turn into something serious. He is right, but I don’t give a damn. Liam is like a brother to me, he has known me since I was a kid, but even he can’t see into my head, and that’s better for everyone. It sucks, but I have to fight my own demons. There are certain things, memories that haunt me every single day. I can’t get rid of them, and have long ago given up the fight. I’m not an ideal boyfriend type, your typical husband material, and all the chicks, who I date, know that. I play my cards openly; they get what they see; I never do any monkey business. They still want me.

I turn into Oakley, and already see the crowd hustling in front of Sparrow. As I get closer, some of them recognize me, say hello, we give each other high-fives. At once, they begin to ask where I have been, how the journey was, and all. A black-haired girl jumps on me and rubs up against me as if we were old friends. For the life of me, I can’t remember her name, but looking at her behind, it begins to ring a bell. I’ve had her once for sure, maybe even twice. I remove her arms from my neck and wink at her. You never know what turn the evening might take. I nod to the others and push myself through the door. I look around the half-lit space, but I can’t see Liam just yet, so I go up to the bar and order myself a beer.

“Dylan! Holy s**t. Is that really you, old mate?”

I shake hands with Cody, the bar tender, and just then, Cass also make an appearance from behind his back.

“Dylan, love!” she coos, and leans in to allow me a view of her cleavage, and I, not wanting to be impolite, have a good look.

Cass is a good girl, and she has worked here for an eternity. One time, after she broke off her engagement, I comforted her. Then she comforted me when… when… I was horny. We shag when it works out like that, but it’s nothing serious. I like her because she’s cool, nothing complicated. She doesn’t nag me, never asks unnecessary questions. From the way she offers herself now, I assume she is single again, so the night is becoming more and more promising. I have barely been here ten minutes, and already have a choice.

“I can’t even remember when I last saw you.”

“Six months ago,” I complete it dryly, and take a drag of my beer.

“Are you alone?”

“I’m waiting for Liam.”

“Then you don’t have to wait any longer,” she licks her lips and blinks in the direction of the entrance. “Your sexy little friend is here.”

I turn to look, and see that Liam is indeed stepping through the door and says hello to a few friends. Cass looks at him as if the Saviour has entered the pub. With that typical “marry me, take me and make a child with me” kind of stare. But every girl looks at Liam like that, so I’m hardly surprised. They don’t look at me like that. They look at me as their next great conquest, the mind-blowing Saturday night shag after the party, and they are right. That’s me. The weekend adventure, with no strings attached.

“Hi there, bro!” I slap into Liam’s palm as he drops himself next to me.

“How long have you been waiting?”

“I’ve just come. Beer?”

He nods, and runs his fingers through his hair with a sigh. He seems to have had a hard day. Cass straightens herself.

“Liam, sweetie. Can I bring the usual?” she murmurs, pulling her most attractive smile at him.

Liam gives her a generous and charming smile. He knows Cass is a slut and it would be hard to find many men in the pub who hasn’t had her yet, he still treats her like a gentleman. He would never make her feel that he actually considers her a b***h, but he would never lay a finger on her, I’m sure about that.

“Thanks, Cass. You’re an angel,” he answers, and I just giggle to myself as she smooths the minidress down her hips, and her panties go almost visibly wet. That’s the typical Liam Parker effect.