Seize the Day, Relish the Night

"So what is this place?" Bazie asked Archzie as the three of them took a seat at a table.

Archzie shrugged. "A bar that was recommended to me."

"What's so special about it?" Jyrki asked taking off his leather jacket and hat.

"Maizie said that on Friday's a band plays here that aren't too bad." Archzie placed his sunglasses on his head and ordered a drink as a waitress came over.

"Did this Maizie want us to look at the band to see if we could do something for them?" Jyrki asked curious.

Archzie shook his head. "Nah, she wouldn't do that. She just offered if I was looking for something to do."

"Ah, I see how it is now." Bazie teased. "A love interest."

He started laughing at the thought. "Nothing like that at all. Maizie, she's . . .one of a kind that's for sure. But, nah it's nothing like that."

Jyrki saw the band warming up on stage laughing before beginning. He could tell they would probably be good just by the carefree attitude they seemed to portray even before starting.

He couldn't help but nod his head and tap his fingers along with their bass. They played covers well, but their original stuff was quite unique almost like a Gemini Five sort of sound if he could relate it to the music he was familiar with, but it was more of Folk or Indie genre.

The show seemed to be coming to an end when the singer mentioned something about a debut for his lovely friend that lost a bet.

Jyrki's breath caught seeing the blond being dragged into the light. "That's her." He mumbled.

"Who?" Bazie looked up at the stage.

"The one from the concert." He blushed lightly. They had noticed when he fumbled through some songs due to this angelic distraction.

"Yeah Maizie!!!" Archie shouted cheering her on with the crowd. His head snapped over in Jyrki's direction and laughed. "Maizie?"

"That's her name?" Jyrki smiled.

Archie shook his head. "It's just something I've always called her." He chuckled to himself. "I actually don't know her real name. She's the one that I always go to at Sinikka here on the east side."

Bazie couldn't help but laugh. "You still go to that beauty spa?"

Archzie slapped him upside the head. They turned their attention back to the stage when I laughed.

"Oh yeah. I have to make this all official and dedicate it to someone huh?" I smiled amused at how serious Kale was making this.

I know I do not completely suck at singing because I took a course way back when at the Helsinki University as an elective when I went to school there. That's how I met them in fact.

Kale nudged me to hurry up at say something as he adjusted the strings on his guitar. "So, one of my all time favorite songs goes out to the helpless romantic one who thinks that they will end up alone. They just don't realize that their lost soul is just a fishbowl away."

"Hey Jyrki, she's talking to you." Bazie laughed downing some vodka.

"Oh, haista vittu." Jyrki spat back.

"Why so touchy Jyrki?" Archzie mused.

"You're so lame." Kale laughed at me and began plucking the introduction to Wish You Were Here.

I stood way from the mike and hummed the notes softly to myself getting ready to begin. I closed my eyes and wrapped my hands around the mike when the acoustic guitar began to strum the cords.

I took a deep breath imaging it was just my friends and I messing around during the early hours of the morning long after the bar had closed.

"So you think you can tell . . ." I smiled and opened my eyes only to meet the blinding stage lights.

I felt safe behind the light's warmth. They could see me, but I couldn't see them. And that was perfectly fine with me. I would be too embarrassed to see the faces of my audience.

I couldn't help but grin ear to ear as the clapping and cheering sounded as the song came to a close. I smiled and waved shyly to the audience.

I walked into the shadow and told Kale I was drying out his bar for making me go through with the bet. "Veera." I called her over. "I'm thirsty!"

"Pushy, pushy." She rolled her eyes. "And you thought you couldn't sing." She handed me a bottle of red wine and an orange.

"I never said that." I shrugged. "I just do not like to."

"You know that they'll make you go up there more often now that you have finally sung in front of a crowd now." She smiled setting an empty wine glass on the counter for me.

"They can try." I gathered my bottle of wine and accessories back to my table where my jacket was still resting over my chair. I smiled at the compliments given along the way and was thankful that the dim lighting hid my blush.

I peeled an orange as I checked my phone for messages loving the scent of citrus that the fruit gave off. Fruit is one of the only things that keep me going during the 51 days that sun does not rise at all. I love the stars and the darkness, but I miss waking up to the golden rays of the sun and just basking in its warmth.

I poured the wine into my glass watching the red liquid swirl around. I like beer, but I love wine. I sat back into my chair sipping my wine watching my friends goof around and have fun. There really enjoy performing. They still play in symphony concerts as well.

"Oh Maizie." I heard a playful groan over my shoulder.

I laughed when I saw who it was. "Oh Archzie, I just know your spot."

He grinned. "You did lovely tonight."

"Thank you." I blushed. "It has been a long time since I have had to sing, let alone in front of a crowd."

"You could have fooled me." Archzie complimented me.

"Oh!" I said excited. "Guess what I have just realized?"

He laughed and played along with my excitement. "What?"

"Well, with everything you have told me over the years and when I saw you perform last week, I finally put everything together." I chuckled at my own stupidity. "Kale was so frustrated with me too because he is a fan of yours."

"Maizie." He chuckled. "I'm hurt."

"Please." I rolled my eyes not believing a word of his pained nonsense.

Bazie cleared his throat feeling left out. Archzie chuckled. "These are two of the lame asses that you saw perform last week with me.

I took a sip of my wine and tipped my glass to them. "Now let me guess." I smiled and looked at the guitarist. "The writer and the laid back one." I looked at the front man sitting across from me and felt my heart skip a beat looking into his two intense eyes hidden behind choppy bangs. I smiled shyly. "And the scientist that goes to make a difference in the world."

"Very good." Archie clapped impressed that I remembered.

"See I do listen Archzie." I turned back to my table and poured more wine into my glass eating another orange slice savoring the sweet juice.

"Well, will you not join us?" A sensual voice stole my attention from the stage.

I turned around to meet those captivating eyes once more and smiled at the scientist. "I suppose I could." I gathered my bottle and orange and sat next to him. "Formal names?" I asked so I wouldn't have to refer to them as the scientist and the writer all night.

"Maizie, Jyrki and Bazie. Guys this is Maizie, the greatest message therapist in Finland."

I shrugged and grinned. "I am known to make a client moan occasionally. Right Archzie?"

He glared at me playfully and laughed. "What can I say, you have magic fingers."

I sighed, "It's a gift." I heard Kale start singing one of my favorite songs just because it is a bunch of nonsense and makes no sense what so ever.

"So Maizie what have you been doing lately?" Archzie asked me.

I sighed and leaned back in my chair. "Working. Not everyone can live so extravagantly such as yourselves." I smiled teasingly.

"How about your parents?" He asked politely next.

I frowned. "I wouldn't know. Kale didn't let me read the letter I got in the mail today."

Archzie pinched my cheek affectionately. "I am sure they are all well."

"Which one is Kale?" Jyrki spoke up wanting to see those light blue eyes again. He smiled slightly at how they reminded him of ice in the in the northern part of Finland.

I looked up and grinned. "The dorky one dancing with his guitar and microphone."

Jyrki stared at those pouty pink lips as I talked and dazed off imagining them clamped between his teeth. Bazie knocked him out of his sensual thoughts when he slapped him on the back laughing.

I looked up from my wine glass shyly at Jyrki laughing as well at the joke made at him that he obviously missed being off in his own world. He smiled back softly at me. I filled my glass again feeling a lot friendlier and loosened up with the alcohol in my system.

I offered what was left in the bottle to them, who Bazie and Archzie gladly accepted taking turns drinking straight from the bottle. "So where are the other two vampires? Do you not travel together?" I asked Jyrki.

I watched as his tongue dipped out of his mouth moistening his bottom lip and his adam's apple bob as he swallowed before answering. "Timo was not feeling well and Jussi traveled to the States to visit some friends."

I nodded. "So it is true that you vampires tend to stay together." I smiled mischievously.

"Of course." He said seriously while smirking. "It is easier to get your prey that way; fun like a game."

"Oh?" I played along. "Wouldn't a one on one chase be more fun?"

He intertwined his hands and leaned on his elbows. "If the blood is worth it, then sure, one would want it all to himself."

"But then we'd come anyway and take the good stuff too." Bazie laughed swinging an arm around Jyrki breaking our eye contact.

I laughed, "Well gentlemen, I will leave you to your night." I stood up.

"You're leaving so soon?" Archzie asked surprised. Jyrki was glad he asked so he would not appear desperate or come on too strongly if he had brought up the question himself.

"My boys will be getting off soon and then I help clean up or they will just put me to work." I shrugged.

Archzie pulled me back down and kissed my cheeks. "I will see you Tuesday Maizie."

"My favorite client." I smiled and shook Bazie's hand first. "It was finally nice to put a face to a name."

When it came to Jyrki, he gently took my slender hand in his and brought it to his lips briefly. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

I looked down shyly as I felt my cheeks flush. "Enjoy your night." I smiled to the other two before grabbing the empty bottles and bringing them back to the bar, dumping them into their correct bins.

Only a few people lingered in the bar now, since it was well into the early morning of the next day and Kale would be locking the bar up soon.