Page 1 of Zombie's Howl-O-Ween
1
Trixie
Halloween was always a busy time at Schafer’s Deli Shop, my family’s place. Actually, every holiday brought in a lot of customers. Same with football season. Weekends. Then there was the work-week lunch rush.
We sold a ton of meat and cheese trays and the party-size submarines that were three feet long. My job wasn’t glamorous, and I smelled like German sausage at the end of each day. But there was no place I wanted to be more than here, helping my parents.
My dad was an only child like his dad before him. My grandpa opened the deli in Bastion Township over fifty years ago. And since I was also an only child, my dad would pass it down to me like his father had given it to him.
Basically, I’d always known what my future would look like. I’d grown up in the shop, learned the tricks of the trade, and how to run the business.
I was proud of my family’s success. Schafer’s Deli was a household name in our town. The locals loved the food and service we provided. When many small businesses had failed, ours had thrived.
Our regular customers were known by name, and they knew us. It was pretty cool, if you asked me. We were all like one large family in Bastion Township.
And I had no intention of ever moving away and doing anything else.
My gaze darted to a large analog clock on the side wall. In exactly five minutes, Brandon would enter wearing his dark shades, even though it was a cloudy day. He’d be sporting his leather biker vest and a pair of perfectly worn jeans, faded in all the right places.
Butterflies woke in my belly and my heart quickened in anticipation of his arrival.
As it was Wednesday, Brandon, akaZombiein his club, would order a footlong pastrami sandwich, only meat, cheese, and spicy mustard. He didn’t like veggies on his sandwiches and ordered a different one each day of the week.
No matter how many times I asked him if he’d likethe usual, he’d tell me exactly what he wanted as if he didn’t hear me. As if I didn’t have his orders memorized after all these years. He had never veered off his food schedule… ever.
Brandon was strange in an intriguing sort of way.
Super-hot.
And a member of the Knight’s Legion MC, which meant dangerous. He probably didn’t follow the law like I did. Not saying the Knights were a bad bunch of guys. They had protected our small town for as long as I could remember. They gave back to the community in many ways. But they were outlaws, and everybody knew it.
“Trixie, I’m running to the bank,” my mother said in her thick German accent as she appeared from the office. “Will you be okay? Papa is making sausage in the back for that club’s Halloween party.”
“I’ll be fine.” I almost groaned out loud but my mother would have scolded me for sounding like a child instead of a twenty-one-year-old adult.
But I so badly wanted to whine.
Each year we would get the same order from the biker club. A massive order for their legendary party. The bill was nearly a thousand dollars with a nice tip tacked on. I couldn’t help but wonder how many people attended the event.
“Good. Call Papa if you need help.” She glanced at the clock. “Be nice to the boy.”
The boy she was talking about was Brandon.
“I am nice to all the customers.” And extra nice to Brandon and she knew it.
She made a tsk-tsk sound as she went to the door. “You make him nervous with all your questions. Just take his order and make his sandwich exactly how he wants it. Nothing more.”
“I will.” But we both knew I would ask him questions. This guy seemed socially awkward to the ninth degree. I suspected Brandon might be on the spectrum, but I wasn’t totally sure. He definitely wasn’t like other special needs individuals in town who were autistic, non-verbal and low functioning.
Maybe neurodivergent? But then, why would he be in a biker club? It didn’t seem right.
My mother waved as she left. Neither of my parents were big talkers, just big workers. Honestly, I was used to dealing with quiet people, which might be why I was drawn to Brandon. He reminded me of my dad. Stoic. No nonsense. Loyal.
The up-and-coming Halloween Bash entered my mind. I wanted to know if Brandon would attend the party.
Would he wear a costume?
Would women fall all over him?
