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"That's right, take it all out on him." Walter said, nodding appreciatively since someone else was actively taking the brunt of Elena's inexplicable rage.

"I'm assuming you wanted another one." Brandy said, walking back and setting another beer on the counter by Walter.

"Thanks." Walter said, anxious to get her to agree to something before Thomas showed up.

"So what're you thinking?" He asked, watching her as he wrapped his hands around the cold glass.

"Why don't you guys work tonight and we'll see how it goes." Brandy suggested, looking to Elena to see if that was an acceptable suggestion. She was pretty sure Walter would jump at any chance she threw at him since he seemed more than anxious to start working there.

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Elena raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise. "Wow, that's . . . that'd be great." She wondered if Brandy was just an extremely nice person, or if she was just oblivious to how horrible Elena and Walter were. Comparatively.

A short minute later, Thomas stepped into the bar, looking around for his cousin. Once he spotted her, he headed over, music loud in his earbuds. He sat down next to her at the counter and gave Walter a chin-up greeting.

"Get those out of your ears," Elena said with annoyance. "It's rude." She reached over and pulled the buds out. "How did you get here so fast?"

"I was in the park," Thomas said, frowning slightly as he put away his iPod reluctantly. "Listening to some different compositions. Way to kill the inspiration, cuz."

"Just do your best not to be completely worthless?" Elena said, scowling.

Thomas shrugged and eyed Walter's glass surreptitiously.

P.S."Brooklyn!"

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"Can I get you anything?" Brandy asked once Thomas could actually hear anything. Walter chewed his lip and glared at Thomas, hoping he got hired and put on washing dishes or something equally miserable. Brandy was also thinking maintenance would be a inspirational job that would suit Thomas since he could listen to his music and be mostly undisturbed...and they really wouldn't have to pay him much at all to do that.

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"Y-" Thomas started to say before Elena butted in.

"He'll have a ginger ale," she said, ignoring her cousin's glare. She turned to him with a look. "I don't care what your 'ID' says, you're still underage."

Thomas did not look very happy, but he nodded to Brandy. He then noticed her belly and smiled slightly.

"Do you know what it is yet?" he asked, deciding to be nice despite Elena's bad attitude.

P.S."Brooklyn!"

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"Keeping it a surprise." Brandy beamed at Thomas, resting her hand lightly on her stomach.

"My wife made us keep it a surprise...I thought I was gonna go insane with curiosity." Walter said, feeling like he was a valuable participant in any discussion about expecting babies since he'd had to go through that.

"You survived." Brandy shrugged, wondering if Thomas would be capable of running a grill when the cooks were taking their breaks.

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"Have you picked out any names anyway?" Thomas asked, wondering why Walter insisted on butting in to every conversation that was going on next to him.

Elena really hoped Thomas was not flirting. Sometimes it was hard to tell with the younger generation. She fingered her now empty glass and wondered if refills were free.

P.S."Brooklyn!"

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"I was thinking something unisex, since I'm waiting." Brandy replied, sitting back down on the stool since this was technically kind of like a job interview now and therefore a good excuse again.

"But I haven't come up with anything that I'm absolutely crazy about. Seems like everything has some brutally negative associations that they're gonna hate me for." She said with a light laugh.

Walter suddenly hated Thomas more than anything, and starting having nightmarish visions of the kid working a good job while he himself was stuck washing dishes....such was his belief in the power of boot licking.

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"I personally like the name Cameron," Thomas said. "Or maybe Riley. Either could be a boy or a girl's name. But there are a ton of names out there, so it's hard to choose sometimes. My mom liked to tell all our relatives at family reunions how she thought I was going to be a girl and was going to name me Serafina. But then I came and my dad called me Thomas. Thank goodness." He grinned.

Elena was beginning to feel more annoyed than ever at her cousin. She reached over and took Walter's glass, downing what was left in it before putting it back. With the interview going the way it was, she figured she might need a couple more drinks in an attempt to relax.

P.S."Brooklyn!"

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"Wow, even if I was born a girl I'd have killed anyone that named me Serafina." Brandy laughed.

"I think you got off easy." She said, grinning back at him.

"Why did you invite him here again?" Walter asked Elena quietly as he watched her down the last of his drink.

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"I'll say," Thomas said with a laugh.

"I don't remember," Elena muttered irritably.

"So what kind of jobs are available here?" Thomas asked, leaning forward on the counter slightly. "I'm pretty sure I can do just about anything."

P.S."Brooklyn!"

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"Well, your friends assured me you have no experience." Brandy said, glancing at Walter and Elena.

"But this would be a great place to get some." She said with a shrug. "I started here and got experience fast...though the reason I have this job now is more just right time right place kind of deal." She admitted.

"That usually counts for more than much of anything else." Walter offered, still bothered by the feeling of being left out with nothing but a grumpy Elena for company.

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"Yeah," Thomas nodded sheepishly. "To tell the truth, if I get this job it would be the first I've ever had. I've been more into my music, you know? But since my parents' death I've had to live with my cousin," he glanced at Elena, "and she needs me to pull my own weight now, apparently." He shrugged.

"I suppose it's about time anyway. I'm not getting any younger."

Elena sighed and wondered why Thomas always seemed to agree with her when they were in public.

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"That's probably true." Brandy said, feeling a little sorry for Thomas since this would be his first job.

"The only position we really have for you right now is a kitchen assistant." She said, trying to make it sound as nice as possible.

"But it's all yours if you want it, and it's just a starting block." She said, wondering why she was trying to justify the crappy job to some nobody kid that hadn't ever worked a job before because he was too into his music...whatever that meant.

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"Really? Just like that?" Thomas asked, surprised that it had been that easy. "Wow. Thanks! Sure I want the job. I figure it's better than anything else I could find right about now. And kitchen assistant shouldn't be that hard to maintain." He grinned and did his best not to show that he was slightly disappointed that it was not a better job.

"Hey, what about us?" Elena asked, trying not to sound grumpy.

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"I told you we'd do a trial with you guys running the bar tonight, remember?" Brandy said, turning to Elena and wondering why the pair looked so irritated over there. She was under the impression that they'd called Thomas in to help him get a job, so it didn't make sense that they'd be all a**l about it now.

"I remember." Walter piped up quickly.

"Hey Brandy, sorry I'm late." Helena said as she came in through the door with her coat and bag thrown over one arm.

"You are?" Brandy said, glancing at the clock behind the bar. She honestly had no idea what time they had Helena scheduled to come in that day, and didn't appear to be too worried about it.

"This is Walter and Elena, they're going to be running the bar tonight. And this is Thomas, he's gonna be working in the kitchen with Lynn tonight." Brandy said, hoping this wasn't going to upset the inner workings too much all at once.

"Hi." Helena said, waving at the group.

"This is Helena, she waitresses here." Brandy said, since Helena seemed to be failing at introducing herself.

"If you have any questions tonight and Lynn isn't helpful you can ask her for help." She said with a sympathetic half-smile at Thomas.

"Yeah, just let me know if you need anything." Helena confirmed with a rushed smile as she ducked into the back to put her stuff down and get to work.