Rabbit Hole Carnival: Sunken

Renee yawned, as the bell rang. “Oh hey there. I got one more customer in me, I… suppose.”

“If I'm gonna be trouble, I can—” A young boy replied.

“Sit.” Renee replied. “Welcome to the Rabbit Hole Carnival. What drink will be your festival?”

“Are you sure I should be drinking tonight?” The young boy replied.

“What I’m sure of is that you shouldn’t be left alone tonight.” Renee replied. “And seeing as you’re not gonna be telling me why without a little liquid courage, you belong here right now.”

“Renee?!” Nick shouted.

“Go to bed, Daddy!” Renee replied. “It’s just another Renee case!”

“Another Renee case?” the young man asked.

“Renee Shem.” Renee said. “At your service. And at least tell me a name.”

“Kyle, and what do you care then?” Kyle asked.

“Pardon me for knowing what it’s like.” Renee replied. “I care because I’ve been on that side of the counter, and I promise myself that no one else would have to that alone ever again,”

“Give me a Citrus Earth.” Kyle replied. “Seems like it’s my kind of drink.”

“Coming right up.” Renee said, and served it to him. “It’ll be on the house, if you tell me what’s on your mind.”

“Your Father is okay with that?” Kyle asked.

“My uncle trusts my judgment.” Renee said.

“Right, it’s ringing a few bells now.” Kyle said. “And maybe it’s why my girlfriend told me to—”

The bell rang again, as a girl walked in. “Oh thank goodness.” she said. “Naomi. And um…. One festival.”

“I’ll leave you two alone for a bit, while I refill that as well.” Renee replied.

“You promise you’d tell me, if you were feeling like this!” Naomi said. “I was looking everywhere after that last text of yours!”

“You’re better off being happy.” Kyle replied.

“I’m happy with you! What about that don’t you understand?” Naomi asked.

“That.” Renee replied, planting both drinks down. “It’s hard to remember that, let alone trust it. The only reason daddy trusts it is cause he had 20 tickets thrown in his face.”

“What do I do then?” Naomi asked, with a sniff. “What is it gonna take to convince you that I love you!”

“Naomi, the only reason I came here is, because you said to over… doing that.” Kyle said.

“Why did you say that, dear?” Renee asked. “There are plenty of bars around, so why here?”

“Don’t you start that with me!” Naomi said. “Plenty of bars, sure, but there is only one bar that just might understand what he is going through. What made you do it? What made you realize that some people aren’t just okay with losing you.”

“Time, love, and a whole lot of work.” Renee replied. “On both sides, but the love came first. It took a while for me to really trust that it was real for once. That weren’t strings attached, even when I first served here.”

“It took me quite a while to adjust to that as well.” Nick replied, as he walked down the stairs with a yawn. “And I don’t think she ever really noticed all the time she was improving with even a little bit of support .”

“What are you still doing up? Ah!” Renee said, as she was pulled into a hug.

“It was quite a few weeks before she decided to work here, and I still wonder if that was because that was her feeling like a burden.” Nick said.

“That was my choice!” Renee replied, shoving Nick away.
“Was it now?” Naomi asked.

“Par-don me for wanting to give back to the one place that made me feel at home, I guess?!” Renee stomped her left boot. “For wanting to be here because the one person who didn’t just let me sink!”

“For showing up at the one bar she said to be at.” Kyle replied. “Just to wait for her to be around.”

“Pardon the sunken.” Renee said. “For feeling like planting themselves in a spot where they don’t drown.”