Page 55 of August
“What do you have?” Myra asked.
“What do you need?” Melinda asked her back while she checked the computer behind the counter.
“Something fun. Maybe for a couple of hours.”
“Well, I have a ghost and vampire tour that’s an hour and a half, a French Quarter food tour that’s two hours, a history tour, but that’s only an hour and probably more boring, and I have the cemetery tour, too. It starts in an hour, though.” Melinda looked away from the computer toward Myra. “Do you want a private tour? We could arrange something custom just for you. It’s busy tonight, so I’ve got an extra person.”
“Private? Just for me and Elisa?” Myra shook her head. “No, that would be weird, I think; just us and a guide.”
“Okay. No problem. Any of the others sound good? The food one is going to be pretty packed.”
“Not the cemetery one because I don’t know how she feels about that.”
“So, maybe not the ghosts and vampires?”
“That’s better than cemeteries, right? Cemeteries have actual dead people in them. Vampires and ghosts aren’t real.”
“Orarethey…” Melinda said, lifting an eyebrow.
“Is it fun? I’ve never done one.”
“You’ve lived here your whole life, and you have never done a vampire and ghost tour?”
Myra leaned over the counter and replied, “Yeah, Ilivehere. This stuff is for tourists.”
“Then, why are you asking me to book you a tour for a date tonight?”
“Because Elisa just moved here and hasn’t done any of this. I thought it might be fun. I’m going to get us sandwiches from Henry’s, and I figured we’d eat them at my place or hers after the tour.”
“Do the vampire one, then. It’s fun.”
“Itisfun. I’m doing that one tonight,” Rory said as she walked out of the back office. “You should come. There are, like, ten people. Right, Mel?”
“Uh…” Melinda checked the computer. “Twelve now. We just had a booking for two.”
“So, fourteen with you two. You can just hang out in the back if you want,” Rory said. “You get stickers for this one.”
“Stickers?” Myra looked at Melinda.
“They have little ghosts on them,” Rory explained. “We started it for the kids, but we had a few adults ask for them, so we just give them to everyone now.”
“Sold because of the ghost stickers, obviously,” Myra said as she laughed a little.
“Cool. We’ll see you then,” Rory replied. “Want to go to Candace’s after? I’m heading there to meet Logan, and Enid will be there with Caroline.”
“I’m kind of thinking we’ll just go home,” Myra replied.
“Hoping for more than just a goodnight kiss?” Melinda teased.
“I have no idea. It’s only our second date, and she’s never been with a woman, so I’m not about to push anything.” Myra stood up and added, “I’ll be back in a couple of hours, I guess. Rory, you promise me you won’t make a big deal or act weird tonight?”
“No, Idon’tpromise. It’s the ghost and vampire tour. I make great tips if I act weird and pretend everything is scary.” Rory smiled at her. “But I do promise that I won’t make a big deal out of the fact that you’re on a date. I’d like to introduce myself as your friend, though, if that’s okay.”
“Yeah, that’s okay,” she replied. “I’ll see you later.”
Myra had gotten the idea when she had been about to leave the office. It seemed like something fun for them to do where they could take a little pressure off and relax as they walked around the city. She hoped Elisa liked the idea, too.
Arriving home about twenty minutes later, she decided not to dress up tonight. They were going to keep things casual, so she texted Elisa and said as much.
