Right to be Loved

"Earth to Apollo..." She gently roused him with a hand on his shoulder. Apollo stretched his eyelids open, overtaken by the lethargy of sunrise hours. She just shook her head as she unlocked the bakery's employee door. "You really don't need to come around before opening time..."
"I wouldn't miss this for the world." He mumbled. "Besides, this is the only time of day I get to spend some time alone."
"Well, if you're spending it with me... you need to look up the meaning of alone."
"I mean alone with you, Vivi." Apollo stood up and stretched, sucking in cool morning air.
"Mm." She nodded and smiled, opening the door and turning on some lights in the kitchen. "Come on, I'll get started on the coffee."

She could feel his eyes on her as she busied herself about the kitchen, prepping the first wave of fresh pastries and baked goods. Getting up to dust her hands, she turned and smiled at him from across the counters. "How is it?"
"It's lovely, as always. Best coffee I've ever had." Apollo raised his cup to her and smiled. "You should trademark it or something. 'Viola's blend.' It has a very... arousing aroma."
"Heh, you think so? My first job here... was actually making the coffee." She proudly tucked some day-old products into paper containers. "I was just a waitress."
"Seriously?" He looked at her again. "I have a hard time imagining you in one of those skimpy orange dresses."
"Oh, do you?" Viola paused in the middle of an open area where he could get an unhindered view of her from head to toe. Even in her trademark sable dress and apron, she wasn't sure this was the best angle to admire her from. The smile on her face faded slowly as she turned away to hide a blush. "...you'll have to move out to the customer seating area once my employees get here."
"They're late, as usual." Apollo shrugged and took another sip of coffee. "Let's just enjoy ourselves while we're here."
"Well, I... have to get things ready." Viola went back to work, sorting out equipment, organizing the pantry, even stepping into her office to on the morning deliveries of ingredients that had yet to arrive. Putting down the phone, she turned to see Apollo leaning in the doorway. "Is everything alright?"
"Maybe I should help out. I mean, I keep coming around here just to hang out before going to work and such."
"I could start charging you for the coffee." She chuckled as she tried to get past him. "But really, Apollo... your friendship is all I could ask for."
"Is it?" He gave her his trademark intent stare, the sort that made her hot in the face but unable to look away. It sent shivers down her back, a little uncomfortable being examined so intimately.
"You're... too good to me, Apollo." Their eyes had locked for a moment, and it seemed like an hour before she could break it off. She stepped out into the hall and saw a young woman in a light orange uniform with accompanying frills and apron.
"Morning, Miss C." The waitress tilted her head when she saw a surprised Apollo poke his head out of the office. "Oh... am I interrupting something?"

"Off to work already, Apollo?"
"Yeah. Mr. Wright's probably already got a case lined up for me."
"Pro bono or otherwise?"
"Don't even joke about that, Vivi." He rolled his eyes and turned for the door.
"Hey, wait up." Viola walked up and handed him a restaurant take-out bag, with Apollo's name written on it. "Your lunch."
"Oh, almost forgot." Apollo took the bag with a smile crawling across his face. "Thanks."
"It's nothing. See you tomorrow?"
"Always." They stood at the doorway for a bit, not saying anything. After Apollo left, Viola turned the sign on the entryway over: Bienvenue! Trés Bien.

"Ah, no paramour z'is fine morning, Madame Viola?"
"He called, actually. Said he'd show up for lunch today, with a friend." Viola hummed to herself as she went over the day-old goods from the previous day, stacking them into boxes with marked-down prices.
"Une petite fille, her heart is aflutter to even think of it, non?"
"Jean!" She scoffed. "He's ten years my junior... It would never happen."
"Z'ere is no harm in hoping, oui?"
"Nothing's official, so I'm not counting on anything. You remember the last time I fooled myself into thinking I was in love."
"It was so many years ago, Madame, but I remember it as though it were yesterday."
"Well, if I've lived without it for this long, I guess I don't need someone after all." She made a fist for emphasis. "I have a restaurant to run. No time for silly romance."
"Le chef, she is resistant, and fiery! What inspires her mood so?"
"Oh, come off it. I need the daily specials prepared." She playfully pointed a stove lighter at Jean. "Or maybe you'd like to see how fiery I can get?"
"Oh, Madame, you make light of me so!" They shared a good laugh over that one.

"Miss C, we could use your help out here! Stop prettying up!"
"I-I'm not prettying up! And this is supposed to be a private office!"
"You left the door unlocked, Miss C..."
"Well, I told Jean not to let anyone bother me... unless Mister Justice showed up."
"Well... He showed up. They're waiting to be seated." The waitress' eyebrow cocked upwards at Viola's wide gasp upon hearing that particular sentence, and continued to eye her incredulously as the older woman continued to fuss over herself as she left the kitchen and trotted towards the front end of the restaurant.
"Viola! Hey."
"Bienvenue, Apollo, and...?" She had seen the blue-haired waif from a distance, at which point she slowed her walk, but not her heartbeat. The welcoming smile on her face and the carefully placed tiger lily in her hair were in danger of coming off.
"This is Vera Misham." Apollo looked back to the teenager hiding behind him, clinging to his arm, in fact. Her other hand clutched a sketchbook to her chest. "She's not so good with being in public, still. I thought I told you about her?"
"Oh, you did. You did..." Viola extended a hand towards the girl. "Viola Cadaverini. We seem to have... a mutual friend in Apollo, hm?" Her hand was left hanging as the girl considered it. Viola fought the urge to make it into a fist just long enough for Vera to reach out and gently take her hand.
"You don't seem to be a bad person." Vera smiled very slightly, Viola exhaled a little audibly, and Apollo broke into a wide grin.
"So, uh... let's do lunch."
"Hm? Oh, right! Let me show you to your... seats." Viola straightened a loose bit of hair and tried smiling again as she lead them into Trés Bien proper. She had reserved a good table for them, it had an unhindered view of the nearby park square, as well as a relatively private corner of the restaurant that didn't see much foot traffic. She started wishing it were closer to the kitchen.
"You weren't going to join us?" Apollo pulled out a seat for Viola, but it became Vera's when Viola politely declined. "Thought you said you would."
"Apollo, I have work. Besides, don't you like it when I... wait on you?" Viola tilted her head.
"Why don't you just take a lunch break?"
"Yes, Miss Cadaverini... Please..." Vera mumbled. "I wanted... to meet Apollo's friends."
"I... Can't... Um." Viola blinked. "I had something in mind already for your lunch, and I was going to prepare it for you first, is that okay?"
"Oh, and you can serve it, too. The prettiest waitress in Trés Bien!" Apollo sat down with a smile on his face.
"I'll be back with our meal." Viola curtseyed and dashed off. Her steps were a little unstable, and she nearly faltered as she entered the kitchen, nearly bowling over a waitress when she swung through the door. Jean took notice of her state and hurried over.
"Madame Viola, is something wrong?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Oh my God, he didn't." A staffer looked over his shoulder.
"The girls told me he brought another woman with him."
"I don't want to talk about it!" Viola shouted loud enough to be heard throughout the kitchen, and possibly outside of it as well. She took a deep breathe, ripped the tiger lily out of her hair, and straightened up. "Now, this is what we'll be preparing for them..."

"Miss Cadaverini... Apollo likes to take me places... He wants to help me get over my shyness... And he saved my life... I think he is a good person."
"Yes, he's such a nice and generous man." Viola smiled sweetly as she continued with her lunch, especially as she examined the divergent expressions on her guests' faces. Apollo looked like he was turning green, whereas Vera was nibbling demurely, absolutely enveloped with curiosity at the strange dish.
"So... I hear that escargot has to be raised on—urp—a specific diet to get the toxic... contents out of their digestive system?" Apollo struggled with his words as he politely munched on another gastropod.
"Oh, yes, but you don't have to worry... I've run this French restaurant for years now. I know my cuisine." Viola speared a snail with her fork and offered it to Apollo. "Here you go."
"Um... please, I can barely finish my own plate."
"Vera seems to be enjoying it."
"It's strangely filling!"
"Open wide."
"Vivi, I—" Apollo clamped his lips around the seasoned mollusc and did his best to chew, offering an embarassed nod to Vera.
"It is... interesting." Vera suckled on one, savoring the flavor and texture of the meat. "Miss Cadaverini, you are... a fine cook... though I can't say I know much about cooking."
"Thank you, Vera. I wanted to put my best foot forward for my dear Apollo, and any good friends of his he refers to my restaurant." When she saw Apollo had hastily swallowed the last escargot he had eaten, she quickly stuffed his mouth with another. She smiled and tilted her head, and Vera tried to mirror the expression. "It's just good business."

"I don't think she means any harm." Viola rested her chin in her palm as she looked at the finely detailed sketch portrait of herself, mounted neatly on the wall over her office desk. She sighed. "How could she? So young and innocent. So earnest. Unspoiled by years of repression and guilt." The little snail drawn into the picture, perched on the illustrated Viola's palm, was a whimsical touch that never failed to bring a smile to the real Viola's lips. "She'd be so much better for him. Not some old, bitter, vindictive, selfish woman. No, he needs a good girl."
"Madame Viola, is everything alright?"
"I'm fine, Jean, go away." She could do little to disguise the strain in her voice, other than hiding her face in her hands. "Just go."
"I cannot close up and leave you here, all alone in ze restaurant."
"Just go!"

"Who the hell are you and why won't you stop calling me?!"
"Monsieur Justice! You must come to Trés Bien at once!"
"The hell...? Aren't you the souschef guy?"
"What, are you dense? Retarded? Who the hell do you think I am? I'm Jean Armstrong! Mon dieu!"
"Right! Right, I got it... this is about Viola, isn't it?"
"Of course. I am standing here in ze kitchen, she has locked herself in her office! You must apologize to her at once!"
"I'm getting my keys, I'll be there in a jiff."
"Do not hang up! I am not done with y—"

"So how did you get my mobile number, anyways?" Apollo stepped through the employee door, holding his dark red coat close to himself.
"I called ze office."
"What? Wright Anything Agency? Are you serious?"
"Oui." Jean crossed his arms, clearly upset. He was a big man, and despite his age, Apollo didn't feel like getting in an argument with him.
"Look, Mr... Armstrong. I'm sorry about what happened earlier today."
"Tell her that, after you coax her out of ze office?"
"Well, sure, but... don't you have spare keys or anything?"
"Non."
"Could we break it down?"
"Have you gone mad?" Jean bristled. "This is all your fault! Bringing in that little girlfriend of yours! Toying with Madame's heart! I did not question her when she would let you in for ze mornings, but now I see what you are, like all other young men not keeping it all zipped up and in le trousers! I see!"
"This is all a big misunderstanding, and you're blowing it out of proportion. Vera's just a friend of mine, nothing more, nothing less. She asked to see a restaurant and I thought of the best one I could think of."
"And what are we supposed to think? How am I supposed to know you are not gallavanting about with these young fille?"
"You don't know anything about me! This is supposed to be between me and Viola!"
"There is nothing between you two, as far as I am concerned!"
"That's because your fat ass is in the way! How am I supposed to tell Viola that I—" Apollo yelled out, choking on the word. "I'm..." The two men turned to see Viola's office door open.
"Jean, I said to just go away."
"Non. I must look after Madame—"
"I... said... go." Viola hissed through her teeth. Apollo could see the streaks of makeup running over her face. Jean gave him the evil eye as he stepped out of the building.
"Vivi?"
"Don't touch me." Viola retreated into the dark office, towards her desk and the mass of disposed tissues and tissue boxes.
"Vivi, come on, I had no idea." He slowly approached her from behind, tentatively putting his hands on her shoulders after pausing for a moment. "Are you cold?"
"I said don't touch me." She was cold, not so much now, though.
"Here." He took his coat off and wrapped it over her. "Can you look at me, Vivi?"
"No. You don't want to see me."
"I do, Vivi, I do. That's why I'm here, that's the only reason I ever come here, to see you."
"Free meals and pleasant conversation."
"No, it's more than that. Come on, look at me."
"No."
"Give me a good reason to go. I can't tell what you're thinking if you don't turn around." When she refused to turn around still, he went around her and tried to look in under her curtain of black hair. "Vivi?" He reached up and lifted her chin with his finger, getting stained with makeup-caked tears. Viola's eyes were closed, and the rouge on her lips had spotted from biting.
"Admit it, I'm ugly."
"No, that's not right at all."
"I'm a ugly, old, bitchy hag. I was going to put something in your lunch."
"You mean you didn't?" He chuckled weakly, but stopped when she looked up at him. "Okay, bad joke... what do you mean?"
"I just saw... that girl... and I just lost it. I lost it, and I wanted to do something bad. I wanted to hurt her. I wanted to hurt you. I wanted you, is that so bad? It's bad, isn't it."
"I admit, it was a major faux pas, what I did. I just wasn't thinking."
"Just go away. Go away, before I do something. I'm a horrible person."
"No you're not, get over it." He tried to pull her towards him, but she actively resisted. "I didn't think you'd be so hurt by it. It's just, you know... stupid thing."
"I don't think you get it. I just... wanted to... It was cowardly, and selfish, and wrong, and you didn't deserve it. You deserve better than I can give you. I'm just a jealous bitch."
"Vivi, it's fine. I'm still here. You didn't poison me, it's okay. Okay?" He ventured to cradle her cheeks in his palms. "Okay?"
"She's so pretty. And young. And talented." Viola shook her head and tried to look away. "She's more your age. You looked so good together, red and blue."
"That's what everyone says, yeah..." He nodded, but caught himself. "But you know what she isn't? She isn't you."
"That's for sure."
"Well, I'm not in love with pretty and young and talented and whatever the hell else she is. She's a nice person, but... I'm not going out of my way to see her every day. And I don't talk about her with other people all that much."
"That's for sure."
"No, I mean... look, before this I visited Mr Wright's place for breakfast sometimes. And  let me tell you, his daughter makes some mean waffles. I've been skipping out on all that to come here, before sunrise, even if I've only got, like, what, four hours of sleep from the night before, staying up late studying for a case? Every day, I try and come back here somehow, even if it's not in the morning, for lunch, or sometime in the afternoon. Somehow."
"And you call when you don't show up at all."
"Yeah, well, I try." He felt her weight slowly drifting towards him. "I mean, hell, they think I'm in a relationship."
"But we're not."
"But we should be."
"What?"
"I said we should be. That's what I wanted, all this time."
"I don't believe it. I don't believe a word of it." She pulled away from him entirely and turned around again, standing in the center of the room and holding herself.
"Viola, what the hell's going on? I come in here and the first thing on your mind is how jealous and unworthy and unhappy you are with yourself. Jean seemed more concerned about me... 'cheating' than you did." Her heavy breathing and quiet sobbing were catching, and he tried to compose himself before continuing with his words. "You were making me pink doiley lunch bags with my name hand-written on them with hearts in the Os. And I willingly took those with me, every time you gave them to me. It's not very subtle in the courtroom cafeteria, let me tell you..."
"Hehe, yeah, they do look a little stupid, I guess."
"Something like that takes guts. I did it because I l—I like you. And I thought you did it because you liked me." He softly slapped himself in the face and shook his head. "No, Vivi... Viola. I love you. I love you and I want you know that it's not wrong to have that."
"No, it is wrong."
"Why not? Tell me why not!"
"I'm sorry to have mislead you, Apollo, but I'm just a desperate spinster. I just wanted some company. You don't have to believe anything I say, it's all just... I just want to keep you here, with me."
"Damn straight I don't believe what you're saying. What the hell are you trying to prove? You've got this good thing right here staring you in the face and you don't want to take the chance to have it. Why? Why do you hold yourself back?"
"I don't know if I'm just fooling myself!" Viola collapsed to the floor, huddled on her knees and heaving with sobs. "I'm just fooling myself... I don't know if you'll just up and leave me, like the others. I was just fooling myself the whole time. I don't know why I keep doing it, I'm just desperate."
"Vivi, that's the one thing I don't want to do. I don't want to leave. I don't want to do that to you." Apollo did the same, kneeling down at her side and putting his arms around her. "God, you really have no idea." His head nestled on top of hers, tears mingling with the alien silvers streaking through her black hair. "It's the same, it's the same for me. Everyone just comes and goes. But I want to be able to have someone that, forty years from now, I can look at them and say 'I've known this person for forty years straight, and they've always been and always will be a part of my life.' I don't have anyone I can say that about. Not even for ten years, or five years, or two years. I don't have anyone. I don't have anything at all, and then I found you, and it's only been months but God damn it, seeing you every day and just not being afraid of anything when I'm around you..."
"You don't know me that well, Apollo." Viola shook her head, her hands coming to rest in his lap. "I've done so many bad things in my life."
"But you're not that person now, you told me. I don't care who you used to be, I fell in love with who you've become, now, here, the woman I met that cold Christmas morning not even half a year ago." He held her close to himself, and she wrapped her arms around him in kind. "I'm yours. Believe what you will, but it's your God-forsaken right to be loved. I should've said this earlier, but I kept hesitating, I kept waiting, I don't know. I've never felt like this before, and that's why I wanted to hold on to it for as long as possible, didn't want to do anything that could hurt it, and then I got too comfortable, and then this happens."
"Apollo..."
"Viola, please. Believe me. I believe in you. Believe in yourself, just this once."
"Just this once."
"Please say yes. Please, please, please..." He straightened up, pulling her flush against him, a kiss from all parts of his body.
"I'm yours, Apollo." She lay there with her head in the crook of his shoulder, silently listening to his heartbeat, a lullaby before she drifted off to sleep in his arms.