She smiled a little as he apologized, and assured her it was her job.  "Serge..."  She said leaning forward and lightly touching his arm.  "Your job is to be here in the unlikely event my identity is discovered, not so much because I need protection, but because footage of me kicking a reporter and calling him a nasty name wouldn't go over well.  That being said. I have no intention of ever mentioning this incident again.  If it does come up however, my response will be that You left me in a previously secure location to remove what you judged to be a threat, you exercised your judgement that leaving me momentarily alone was the lesser threat than allowing the situation to remain." 

She let go of his arm, and pulled her hand back to glance at her watch.  It was after 11.  She was supposed to be off at midnight.  She didn't have any tables currently.  "My Shift?  I can make it over pretty quick."  She turned in the booth and hollered across the room. "Bill.  I'm fried... I am done for tonight.  Cool?" 

Bill set down a glass on the bar and kind of glared at her, but decided better of it.  "I was hoping you would pick up the next shift."  He said grumpily, "but since you have other plans... I guess letting you go now won't do any harm."  

Lu grinned and turned her attention back to Serge.  "Officially done as of now.  Our best bet is to catch a few hours of sleep, and we can hit the gym in the morning.  I am seriously considering taking what my Mother always called a Mental Health Day tomorrow."  She said as she stood up.  

"I'll be right back."  She hurried back to the bar and waited a minute until Bill gave her an envelope full of her cash out from the nights credit card receipts.  She appreciated that Bill still did it this way rather than make her wait to get them on a Paycheck.   She blew Bill a kiss as she turned to head back to Serge, tucking the envelope back into her apron.  "Ready?" 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


When they arrived back at the apartment Lu handed Serge the key so he could let them in and of course perform his inspection.  Things were a little different this time.  There was a double size air mattress already set up in the middle of the living room.  It looked more like an actual bed than an air mattress.  It was one she had borrowed from her neighbor.  His mother in law was picky, so she bought one that had a built in pump that ran almost constantly to keep it at a constant inflation.  The counter in the kitchen was littered with grocery bags with all non cold items.  

Lu walked to the stack of folded towels on the couch and read the note. "Chica, Jesus saw you bought towels, AND that you have an overnight guest.  He assumed that the latter was the reason for the former, so he washed them for you.  Have fun.  Don't do anything we wouldn't do, and we want ALL the details.  XOXO Carlos and Jesus" 

Lu couldn't help but laugh as she read the note and waited for Serge to complete his inspection before heading to the kitchen.  She began looking through the bags and laughed again.  She had asked the right guys to go grocery shopping.  She hadn't had this much food in the house in forever.  Heck she wasn't sure she even KNEW what to do with half of this.  She shrugged and started putting away the groceries.  

"I love my neighbors."  She said with a smile.  "THIS is why they have a key to my place by the way.  I have a key to theirs too, but I did get a present for you."  She said and reached into a brown paper bag marked with the words PRIME NOW  She pulled out a brand new dead bolt and a box of long screws holding them up for him to see.  

"I figured this would help you sleep better."  She told him setting the package on the counter before walking out of the kitchen towards her bedroom.  She left the bedroom door open and got down on her knees digging around under her bed to find her drill.  She just used it to repair one of the drawers in the dresser, so she knew it held a charge. She would replace the lock before bed so he could get a solid nights sleep.  

She got up with a soft groan and headed back to the living room.  She sat down on the couch and started to unzip her boots, setting the drill on the coffee table which had been shoved out of the way of the air mattress.  She moaned softly in relief as she slid the three inch heels off her feet.  She set the boots on the floor and leaned forward so she could reach under the couch and grab a tennis ball.  She set the ball on the floor and began rolling her feet over it letting her eyes close slowly.  "I am kind of glad I didn't pick up that extra shift.  It has been a very long day." 

She sat up and rubbed her eyes.  "Let me change that lock, and then I will wash my face and get out of your way so you can get some sleep."  She stood up, moving a little more slowly than she had earlier in the day.  "My room has windows, but since we are on the third floor, I don't think those are a concern, but I can either sleep with my door open or out here on the couch.  Which ever makes it easier for you."  She said as she reached for the drill.