The waitress

[susurrus]

This thread is presently closed for MelancholyBaby and me. Later, who knows?



Pulling into the little motel along the two lane road, I realized how ready I was to get out of the car. I wasn't actually sleepy-tired, but I was way finished with sitting behind the wheel. There'd been some really pretty country to see, it was my favorite part about getting off the interstate.

Checking in, I was amused and pleased by the fact that I received an actual metal key instead of a plastic card, like you get in all the big chains anymore. When I asked, the lady at the counter pointed me in the direction of a local cafe that, she claimed, served the state's best meatloaf platter. I thanked her for the suggestion and headed for my room.

This was one of those old motels that was a stretch of rooms side-by-side, with one access door facing the road. It gave me the uncharitable impression of a "by-the-hour" type place, but what I'd seen of it so far indicated that the folks who owned it were proud of their business, and meant to keep it presentable.

The bed looked awfully comfortable, and a quick peek into the bathroom showed that it was economical, but still would get the job done sufficiently.

Thinking about the cafe, my stomach reminded me of the last time I'd eaten. While I didn't relish getting back in the car, I needed to eat.

I loaded myself in and headed in the direction I'd had pointed out to me. A half mile down the road, and there was the cafe. Now *this* looked like it had seen better days, but it had a car and a handful of pickup trucks parked around it, so at least the locals came here.

Inside, there were a few folks inside eating and chatting, and the inside belied the worn-at-the-seams look outside.

Taking a seat, I looked around while waiting to be waited on. Glancing out the window, I saw fields and a stand of trees in the distance.

I felt the presence of another person, and heard a glass of water and a menu placed on the table. Turning from the window, I looked up and my breath was taken away.

The waitress was stunning. Not in a beauty queen, Playboy model way, but in an honest, *truly* girl-next-door manner. She wore tight, faded blue jeans and a T-shirt that hugged in a way I suddenly found myself wishing I could clutch onto her. She didn't wear a nametag, but it didn't matter at that point.

 

[MelancholyBaby]

There had to be something more than this. I knew there was. But, a few months ago, I had a choice. At the time I thought I made the right one, but these days I’m just not sure. I had worked in my parent’s diner since I was old enough to walk it seems. I don’t remember my exact age but I can remember bussing tables and helping out the waitstaff when I was still in elementary school. Waitstaff, seems funny when I say it, like you would call something in a more dignified place. Not that they weren’t dignified. We were. We were small is all, but we had heart.

Anyway, awhile ago I graduated from high school. I did pretty well and was in the top ten in our class. There weren’t many of us in my class but I remember my teachers telling me I had potential. One of my teachers wanted me to do some work on getting into college. I thought about it long and hard but we had just found out my dad needed surgery on his hip and we didn’t have insurance. I knew that dad needed mom just then so I decided I would stay and work at the diner so she could be with him and we could begin to make a dent in what we owed the hospital. Dad is doing great now and we’ve been lucky that some people have helped us out with our bill.

I made the right choice, I know that deep down; I sacrificed for my parents who had sacrificed for me. But now that things were better and most of my friends had moved to college I felt like I was missing something. Don’t get me wrong, working at the diner and living here wasn’t hell on earth. But I had ideas. I wanted to renovate the diner. I wanted to redo the menus and do the outside and all these things, but there was no money. The cheery yellow seats against the white counter would never be. I liked my job though, even if most of my customers were the same and I had grown up with them.

Tonight was a slow night but during the weekdays things were slower. We had a big crowd for breakfast on Sunday, both before and after services which were pretty evenly spread out in the morning. I needed to work then so I missed going to church. I wasn’t saintly or anything, but I enjoyed the fellowship and the hymns; it was comforting.

I was working on filling up the salt and pepper shakers when a man walked in. I hadn’t seen him before and I know practically everyone in town. He must be passing through. We didn’t get many of those types, there was really nothing here to see and our only motel wasn’t exactly the Hilton or something but it was cozy and clean. I looked him over as he found a seat, a booth facing the window. He was handsome. Hopefully he was nice. Some of the visitors were snobbish and I hoped he wouldn't be. I made my way over to the booth and presented him with a glass of water and a menu. “I bet you’re here for our famous meatloaf,” I said, smiling. “We have lots of good things here, so take a look at the menu. Can I get you a coffee or soda," I asked, taking the pencil that I kept tucked behind my ear and pulling a pad of guest checks from my apron.

 

[susurrus]

This girl had a beautiful smile. I could have just sat there and watched her smile for hours. Then, my stomach rumbled, reminding me why I'd come.

I grabbed the menu and glanced quickly for drinks. "Uh, I'll have a lemonade, please. I had the meatloaf suggested to me by the woman at the motel, but I'll take a look, just in case." The waitress jotted down a note on her pad and headed toward the back.

As she retreated, I couldn't help myself. I had to look. The strings of her little apron dangled down over her shapely butt, and along with her smile, I could have watched that rear for quite a while, too.

Then, it occurred to me: I was old enough to be her father! Well, if I'd have skipped college anyway. There were obviously a few years between us. I couldn't help it, though. She was beautiful, in my eyes.

Shortly, she came back with my lemonade, and I hadn't even looked at the menu aside from that brief glance earlier.

 

[MelancholyBaby]

He was different. Most travelers we got around here would take whatever I suggested to them, saying they were in a hurry and then leaving me a crumpled dollar and change on the table before hurrying out of our place like they were afraid they were going to catch something. He just seemed to be content looking out of the window, looking at the scenery. I suppose I was a bit used to it. You could tell the season by how the corn looked; the fields white and barren in the winter, short green spikes in the springtime, corn as tall as I was in the summer, and the gradual dry beige color that would fall upon the stalks in autumn.

I guess you could say I noticed but I hadn’t realized I had noticed as much as I had.

One thing I would notice is the sunrise and sunset. You couldn’t miss it. The sky, the moon, the sun, the stars; each day they were composed of a different palette of colors. Tonight there was a bit of purple and orange, the sun vibrant; its last stand against the gray clouds and darkness that would soon obscure it. I had felt a little guilty interrupting his view of it as I had been able to watch it the entire day, but Mama didn’t like to keep customers waiting, especially new faces. ‘People tell people who tell other people’ was mom’s favorite phrase. We couldn’t afford to give bad service. We needed all the business we could get.

He seemed nice enough when I took his order and I knew he’d like it; it wasn’t the typical fountain lemonade, we made it from scratch. It was cool and sweet and sour all at the same time. I hurried back to his table under the watchful eye of my mother. It was difficult working for your parents sometimes. You would feel their pain during the slow wintertime where my tips helped keep the place open. On the other hand you would also feel the joy when summer came and the place was buzzing with nearly ever person in town in front of the ice cream counter. I felt a little guilty that I was not sure I could do this for my entire life. But, for now, I would do whatever I could to help us and make Mama and Dad proud of me.

He was looking at me as I came back to his table; maybe I hadn’t been fast enough and he was impatient to order or he was just checking out the place. Either way, if you don’t know what to do or say, you just smile.

I sat down the lemonade in front of him and I realized he had hardly touched the menu. You just get any idea of things from being around so long. I saw his hands reach toward the menu but I just smiled and shook my head. “I’ll make it really easy for you, ok? We serve breakfast all day so if you’re wanting some eggs or pancakes we can do that. We’ve got practically every kind of sandwich you can think of, burgers and fries, and then some dinners…let’s see if I can remember them all. Cod, fried chicken, meatloaf…usually I can recite them all, but it’s been a long day. What sounds good to you? Then I’ll tell you if we can make it for you or not.”

 

[susurrus]

She caught me looking when she came back with my lemonade. I quick grabbed for the menu, but she stopped me, telling me approximately what the menu said, without looking.

I really should have made a decision, but I hadn't. I guess I could have defaulted and asked for the meatloaf, as had been suggested, but for some reason, I said, "What do you usually have? I don't mean something necessarily off the menu. When you have a craving for something, and you're back in the kitchen by yourself, what do you fix? Bring me that."

 

[MelancholyBaby]

I paused for a moment, bringing the eraser of my pencil up to my bottom lip, thinking. What would I make? It wouldn't have been the meatloaf. Everyone said it was the best they'd ever had but it didn't do much for me. Of course I hadn't had any other meatloaf to compare it to. Not that I was complaining. "Ok," I said with a twinkle in my eye, "I'll see what I can fix up for you."

I hurried back to the kitchen where my dad was working. Typically he ran the register but one of our cooks was sick so he had jumped in. Lucky for the travelling man he was back there, Dad puts Mama's cooking to shame. I had barely got two steps past the doors to the kitchen when she pointed out two tables that needed bussing. It seemed like most everyone was leaving for the night.

Listening for the bell to indicate my order was up I started cleaning up for the night. Everytime I gazed his way he was looking out the window. Finally the monotony of washing down tables and booth seats was broken when I heard the bell and my father's voice. I winked at Dad as I took the hot plate from the window and delivered it to the stranger.

"Here it is, Maggie's special." I smiled and hoped he would enjoy the fried chicken. I didn't eat it often but it was a favorite of mine. Combined with my dad's mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans it was probably the most perfect food. I may be a little biased, of course. "I hope you like it."

 

[susurrus]

I sort of looked out the window while I waited for my food. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched the beautiful waitress bus some tables. I didn't really want her to know I was staring. I hoped I was doing a good job of it.

After some time, she disappeared into the back and returned with a big plate loaded with food. The last fried chicken I could recall having was from Colonel Sanders. In fact, the entire plate was filled with the kind of stuff I'd last had at KFC. This looked vastly more appetizing. My mouth literally watered at the smell of it.

When she said in a rather sheepish tone, "I hope you like it," I couldn't help but smile. She'd already helpfully supplied me with her name, so I wouldn't have to ask.

"Maggie, I like it already. My name's Hal." I held out my hand.

 

[MelancholyBaby]

I blushed in spite of my best efforts not to and took his hand. His handshake was firm and honest; it was real and not a limp one offered for the sake of politeness or necessity. Dad had taught me you can tell a lot about a man through his handshake and even in my limited experiences I had found that to be true.

"It's very nice to meet you, Hal." I pulled my hand away, suddenly aware of Mama's eyes upon me. "Now you should get eating before it gets cold. I'll check back with you in awhile, but if you need anything in the meantime just call me. I'll be around." I smiled and I hoped he would recognize the sincerity of it.

I didn't mean to hang around his booth or anything but it seemed as if there was always something to do around there. I hope he didn't notice as it appeared Mama had, reminding me that I had a whole dining room full of tables that needed attention. I did not argue with her although there were only two other tables I had at that time of day and, having known them since I was a baby, knew that the minute they needed me they could yell "Miss Maggie" and I would be there.

I finally made my way back over to him with another lemonade, just in case. "So is it as good as I think it is?"

 

[susurrus]

I really liked that fact that Maggie seemed to hover a little closer to my table while I ate. I really enjoyed watching her move, and I was trying to think of a way to get her to stop and talk to me for a bit without getting her in trouble with the older lady in the corner by the kitchen door, who I assumed to be the owner.

The food was fantastic. Everything was hand-made and not from a box or bag, and the mashed potatoes were hand mashed from real potatoes, so they still had a few lumps in them, just like I always had when I was growing up.

Maggie was Johnny-on-the-spot when it came to keeping me in fresh glasses of lemonade - which was excellent, by the way. I'd gotten so used to fountain lemonade, I'd almost forgotten how heavenly the real thing could be.

Now that it was getting dark, it was getting harder to pretend I wasn't looking directly at Maggie, so eventually, I gave up trying. At one point during my meal, she caught me looking. Our eyes met, and she gave me a smile...

A couple more tables cleared out, leaving me, an elderly gentleman, and the owner or manager or whoever the lady by the kitchen was. Eventually, the elderly gent got up and left, and the lady got out of her seat and went in the back, leaving me and Maggie.

 

[MelancholyBaby]

I hadn't been in the kitchen much so when Dad had asked that someone help him with the cleaning Mama knew that I would do a fine job getting the dining room and lunch counter fixed up and she could go help Dad. Although he got around pretty well after his surgery he was not up to some of the cleaning tasks. Mama was a sturdy woman and was better suited to some of the equipment back there than I was. They had made the decision early on that they would keep me out front as "pretty girls sell things." I thought it was kind of silly, good food sold itself.

I had caught Hal looking at me a few times and was flattered. It wasn't like I had never seen anyone looking at me before but seeing as most of the the guys around here weren't anything special I hardly noticed. Maybe Hal wasn't special but he was different and in my limited world that was a compliment.

I poured myself a small glass of lemonade and took a seat at a booth, stretching my legs under the table and then my arms. Open to close most days was my usual shift and after a few days it took its toll on my body. I took a long drink of the lemonade feeling its coldness leave a trail from my mouth to my stomach. I looked out the window then, it was dark and there was nothing to see. Maybe that was why I liked it, a heavy curtain of dark blue draped over the world. Once the lights from our place were out and we would drive home I would be able to look up and see the stars.

Dad had taught me a bit about them; Arcturus' brightness in the northern sky, a glimpse here and there of the white Venus, and on a very clear nights the big and little dipper. When I was younger I always used to want to sleep outside but Mama insisted that it was not something little girls should do. Who was I to argue with her?

I pulled my eyes away, ready to get up and finish whatever I needed to do to close up. I knew anything I missed tonight I could easily finish up in the morning. My eyes met his again, this time longer, and I smiled. I made my way to his booth which was only a few feet from where I had been sitting. I was sure I would get a lecture later tonight. But for now I just wanted to find out who Hal really was, how he had found himself in our little town.

"Is there anything else I can get you? Dessert maybe? We've got pretty good ice cream here, nothing from a machine."

 

[susurrus]

I watched Maggie pour herself a drink and sit down. Regrettably, she sat with her back to me, but I watched her stretch, then look out the window at the darkness.

She was turned in partial profile to me, and the way the light fell on her showed me a woman who had been through more than a lot of people go through most of their lives, yet somewhere, there still was a hopefulness that there was something more out there for her.

After a few minutes, she got up, wiping the table with a rag she pulled from her apron, and turned. In turning, she caught me looking at her.

This time, though, she didn't divert her eyes like she had previously. For quite some time, it seemed, we just looked. It may have been only a few seconds, but for some reason, it felt like a lot longer. I couldn't tell if she wanted something from me, but I realized suddenly I'd tell her anything she wanted me to say.

"Is there anything else I can get you? Dessert maybe? We've got pretty good ice cream here, nothing from a machine."

Ice cream would have to wait. The massive pile of food I'd just consumed was threatening my belt as it was.

Patting my stomach, I said, "Sorry, Maggie, I don't think so, thanks. I wouldn't mind some after-dinner conversation, if it won't get you in trouble."

 

[MelancholyBaby]

I looked around the diner for a moment, stricken with the emptiness. A few noises emerged from the kitchen, mostly Mama's voice urging Dad to sit down or he would hurt himself. I chuckled to myself. This was my world. Love it or leave it, it was mine. Smiling, I sat down, unable to resist Hal's invitation.

"I think I'll be ok. They would have to forgive me if I did, anyway, I'm their only kid." My eyes met his and for a minute I didn't know what to say. The way he looked at me alarmed and excited me. His gaze felt safe yet new. I pushed his plate away to the side of the table, nothing in between us but the paper placemat on my side of the booth.

"What about you, Hal? What brings you here?" In my mind I finished the thought with 'and how long will you be staying?' Mama said I was always too curious about things. Why did the sun set? It just did. It did before I was born and it would continue to rise and set after I was gone. Dad knew there was an answer more than that, he just didn't know what it was. I scooted forward a little, my hands reaching behind me to untie my apron while I waited for his answer.

 

[susurrus]

I was delighted when Maggie agreed to sit and talk for a while. I'd been watching her for the last hour or so, but I couldn't help myself and watched as her body moved to slide into the booth opposite me.

"...What brings you here?"

I figured that'd be the first thing I had to answer, before anything else.

I took another sip of lemonade. "Well, that's kind of a long story, but the short version is: I grew up in a place like this. When I was about twelve, my dad got a new job that took him into the city. We uprooted my entire life and theirs and moved to the suburbs. I haven't been to a town like this since I can't remember when."

The look in Maggie's eyes was intense. I found myself speaking not to her, but to those eyes...

"I now work out of my home as a computer consultant. I saved up enough money that I figured my clients can do without me for a few weeks. For six days, eighteen hours and..." I glanced at the clock on the wall over the kitchen door, "thirteen minutes, I've been on a road trip. Not necessarily a 'find myself' kind of thing, I did that when I was nineteen, I won't go into that, but just a 'get the hell away from the damn rat race' kind of thing. I left the computers, the cell phone, my watch and the maps all home. I've been avoiding the interstates and seeing where the roads lead me. I've seen a lot of pretty country, and I've also seen places that I'd have loved to have seen during their prime.

"Like here."

My hands had been waving and gesturing while I talked, but when I finished for the moment, I brought my hands down onto the table. I hadn't paid attention to where they landed, but I ended up placing them where they pressed right up against Maggie's...

 

[MelancholyBaby]

I knew he had been different but he was also the same. Different than anyone else around here, it seemed, but the same as me. Mama always said I was a good judge of character. Of course that was only when I agreed with her. But I had put a lot of faith into that ideal and I knew I had been right about him from the beginning.

I watched him closely as he spoke. What kind of person gets away from the city, from a fast and exciting life, and comes here? And who isn't itching to get out of here once they find out that there is nothing out here that can compete with the city? Alright, so that's not exactly true to me, but most people I've found don't see what we do have here. There is no light up sign advertising clean air and green grass. It's our little secret I suppose. I was glad he understand. He was one of us too.

I stifled a giggle, noting just how precise he was about the time. Most people would have said about a week, but he knew right down to the minute. It couldn't have really been that bad, could it, that he would remember the exact time he got away from it all? Mostly I just smiled.

When he had finished speaking he had placed his hands back down on the table. I hadn't noticed whether his eyes had guided them there or that was where they had naturally fallen, but they ended up touching mine. They were just hands, obviously, but still they were an extension of you and there are times when you shouldn't let a man touch your hand.

But this wasn't one of those times. I didn't move mine, I just let his rest against mine. I did look down on them, they were soft and uncalloused, there was not dirt or grease that seemed caked on some other man's hands. His nails were neatly trimmed. There was no ring. I felt ashamed of mine just then, no stranger to hot water and cleaning. I closed each of mine into a ball just then, hoping he would not notice the imperfections of my hands. I didn't pull away, though.

I looked up at him, his eyes were gentle on mine. I didn't know what to say just then, Mama would have had been pressing him for where he grew up and what did his dad do and where he had been, but it just wasn't me. Sometimes you could speak volumes by just looking at each other without chatting away all the time. I did find the voice to whisper one short sentence before falling silent. "I hope you'll stay awhile..."

 

[susurrus]

When my hands touched hers, Maggie didn't quite pull away, but in the split second it took to realize what had happened, I only caught a glimpse of her hands before she curled them into fists to hide them.

"I hope you'll stay a while."

She said it so quietly, I thought it had been my imagination.

Was *this* the unspoken reason I'd gotten away from my crazy life and started on this journey? Maggie's eyes looked so sad, so lonely, I wanted to pull her in close and tell her, "It's okay. I'm here and I'll never leave you."

Was this "love at first sight?"

I didn't think that happened outside of movies and romance novels.

Maggie hadn't moved her hands when she balled them into loose fists, so they still lay close by mine. I slid my palms under them and gently pulled them open again.

They were definitely hands that knew work. Mine were practically feminine in comparison. They were still beautiful, and a large part of that was that they were a part of such a beautiful woman.

"So much like my mother's" I muttered. looking down at her hands. "She had a hard time, keeping up with my dad, my three brothers and me. Every other day, she had full loads of clothes to wash, we didn't have a dishwasher until shortly before Dad died, and once he was gone, and my brothers and me out of the house, she continued washing by hand because she didn't figure she generated enough dirty dishes to merit firing the thing up."

I took Maggie's left hand and lifted it off the table, drawing it toward my face. Placing it against my cheek, I snuggled against it.

 

[MelancholyBaby]

If he’d heard my unspoken plea he hadn’t acknowledged it. Which was fine by me, it probably wasn’t the thing you are supposed to tell people you just met. Especially a man that you don’t know very well, even if you really do want to get to know him better, more than you’ve ever wanted to get to know someone better before.

I wanted to pull away but his hands were so soft and gentle on mine that when he took them in his I just couldn’t. He had probably already seen them anyway, and even if he hadn’t I couldn’t hide them forever. Silly me, here I am talking about seeing him again. For all I knew he wouldn’t even be here in the morning for breakfast. And probably three nights from now he would be in another diner in another state off another interstate talking to another girl who was probably a lot like me. And in another three weeks he would be back to his “rat race” friends, surrounded by pretty girls with pretty hands and fake nails.

But I had right now with him.

I closed my eyes as he began talking about his mother. I could picture his poor mother surrounded by 5 boys. It was work enough looking after one and both Mama and I looked after Dad! When he spoke of her my hands didn’t seem so shameful. And when he brought one up to rest it on his cheek I almost started to cry. He was so unlike anyone I had ever met before.

“Your poor Mama,” I said softly. “Five of you and only one of her! I hope you were all good boys and that you minded her. But I’m sure you were.” My eyes met his. I wished at that moment I could have been anywhere but here, as long as he was with me. It was all very innocent, mind you. I just wanted to hold him, smell his cologne, feel his hair; be myself around Hal without worrying about two other sets of eyes on me. More accurately, on him.

“Are you all finished up here, Maggie? Your mother’s just checking some stock before we close up.” I prayed silently, thankful that it was Dad who had interrupted. I pulled my hand away and stood up. I was sure Dad had seen but he was more sympathetic to these things than Mama was. “Oh, excuse my manners,” Dad said as he approached the booth where Hal and I had been sitting. “Michael O’Reilly,” he said, extending his hand toward my new friend. “I hope you enjoyed your dinner and you’ll be joinin’ us again soon.”

 

[susurrus]

I wanted to tell Maggie that my brothers and I were perfect angels growing up, but it would be a lie. We were typical boys, getting into trouble, although not *bad* trouble, getting hurt roughhousing, tracking mud into the house, getting mad at one another and getting in fights. We were anything but perfect. But Mom loved us, and wouldn't have traded us for the angels she always hoped for.

I wanted to tell Maggie the truth, but then an older man came from the back, asking Maggie if she'd finished the front. I had a good idea he'd seen me holding Maggie's hand, if the glint in his eye was any indication, but he refrained from saying anything. Instead, he shot out a hand and introduced himself. He seemed a pleasant guy. He limped a bit, a bad leg or hip or something, probably.

I took his hand and said, "Harold Jenkins. Pleased to meet you." It was then I saw the resemblance. This was Maggie's father.

"If you're the one who fixed that chicken dinner I just had, it was fantastic. I haven't eaten like that for quite a while. Thank you very much."

I looked directly into Maggie's beautiful eyes when I said, "I'll see you at breakfast."

 

[MelancholyBaby]

He was coming back tomorrow. Dad and Hal exchanged words. I didn't know what they were saying. All I knew is I would see him tomorrow. Well, at least that is what he said. But I had no reason to doubt his honesty. And I wouldn't.

I saw Hal move toward the door and I finally was able to speak. "I'll see you tomorrow, Hal. We open at seven." I walked over toward the door. "Sweet dreams, Hal," I said softly. I watched him walk out, a little smile tugging at my lips.

"Well, well, Miss Maggie..." I felt Dad put his arm around his shoulders. "It looks like someone thinks you're mighty nice."

"Huh?"

Dad chuckled. "C'mon, let's go home. I think Mom's all done in the back."

I was lucky that Dad didn't mention Hal to Mama. I knew I wouldn't hear the end of that. Her eyes would be on me enough tomorrow anyway without her having to keep tabs on my attention toward Hal. I wished so much just then that I had a day off once in awhile, some time to spend with Hal. That is what I dreamed of that night.

I woke up early the next morning, taking some time to put on some makeup and curl my hair. I smiled at my reflection in the mirror. We piled into the truck and made our way toward the diner, stars still visible in the sky. That was our life. We worked from sunup to sundown.

"I talked to Mary yesterday, Dad," Mama said. "She'd like to come work for us again. I don't know about that girl but I told her to come by this morning and we'll talk." My heart lept a bit. If we had Mary working for us again then maybe... I put it out of my mind as I began brewing the coffee and opening the diner. I unlocked the door at ten minutes to seven and began rolling silverware while I waited for the day to begin.

 

[susurrus]

I wanted to back out of the diner, so I didn't have to take my eyes off Maggie. I didn't, though, knowing her dad would be watching.

God, I felt like I was back in Junior High, where I had my first truly major adolescent crush. It was an eighth-grade girl, where I was only seventh. Her name was Amelia Jones. Her family had moved in next door to me three weeks before school started. I got one look at her and I was hooked. I wanted to be in her vicinity every chance I could. Of course, there were massive amounts of hormones involved, but I couldn't get enough of that girl.

I felt like that now.

I got into my car and watched as Maggie, her dad and the woman-who-I-now-had-worked-out was her mom got into the last pickup in the gravel lot and pulled away. I felt a little like a stalker sitting there in the dark observing them like I was, but I couldn't help myself.

Starting my own car, I pulled out to the road far enough that I could see which direction they went, and continued to watch until they turned a corner about a half mile down the road and disappeared behind a cornfield.

I hadn't been a victim of love at first sight since Amelia. In the past, I'd just chalked that up to puberty.

Next thing I knew, I was sitting on my bed in my room, not even remembering the drive to the motel or how I got in.

All I could see was Maggie. Her face, her hair, her body. I was in love with the whole package. I hadn't seen her naked, and yet I knew there was nothing that I'd wish changed.

It'd been so long since I'd had a girlfriend, I just figured it wasn't meant to be for me. The lonely part of me started to see Maggie undress for me, similar to the way I'd seen Amelia - her bedroom across from mine - undress a few times the couple years her family lived next to mine. The difference was, I was even more attracted to Maggie than I could recall ever being to Amelia.

Before long, I could see Maggie completely naked in my mind's eye. A part of me was horrified at my carnality toward this simply amazing woman, yet there was a part of me that reasoned I was simply human.

I fell asleep with my cock in hand, a vision of Maggie in my mind.

In the morning, I woke up long before seven, by the clock beside the bed, got myself ready and was out the door and down the road. I hadn't brought a watch, so I wasn't sure exactly when seven o'clock came, but I waited for a bit, then went inside.

 

[MelancholyBaby]

I had just poured myself a cup of coffee when I saw Hal walk in. My heart started beating faster and I felt energized. All of a sudden I felt like a morning person. I wouldn't need the coffee with Hal around. I resisted the urge to walk right over to him, to throw my arms around him and give him a hug and tell him I missed him.

I saw Jimmy walk in right behind him. Jimmy had worked for us for as long as I remember and was a great cook and a great guy.

"Morning, Maggie Mae," he called to me. "My, my, you're looking pretty this morning." I handed him the cup of coffee I had poured for myself.

"Hi Jimmy," I said. "And you're looking mighty pretty this morning, too."

"I guess I got all my beauty sleep then." He sipped at the coffee, black just as he liked it. "Thanks for this. Not all of us are naturally perky."

"You are, Jimmy, quit faking." I glanced over at Hal. "I should get to work. But later on will you make me some breakfast, please?"

"Anything for you, Maggie Mae." He disappeared in the back after giving me a quick hug. I liked how things were around here, how there was always warmth and camaraderie. I felt like Hal fit in with that. I could just tell.

I hurried over to his booth, he had taken the same one as he did yesterday.

"Good morning, sunshine," I said smiling widely. "I'm glad you decided to join us for breakfast." I turned around and looked over my shoulder. Mama and Dad were talking to Jimmy so I decided to sit down for a minute. "Thank you for coming back," I whispered. Raising my voice to its normal level I continued. "So, are you a coffee guy?"

 

[susurrus]

As I walked in, I looked around for Maggie. It wasn't hard to find her, as it wasn't a huge diner, and the tables were all in one large room. She was back by the kitchen door, handing a coffee cup to a middle-aged man. They exchanged some friendly pleasantries, then the man went to talk with Maggie's folks.

I sat in the same place I had the night before, and Maggie came over to me with a big smile on her face.

"Hello, sunshine, I'm glad you joined us for breakfast." She then glanced over to where her parents stood, then sat down. I wished she'd sit with me the rest of the day, but I knew better. She leaned in toward me and whispered, "Thank you for coming back."

With another glance toward her folks, she then said, a bit louder, "So, are you a coffee guy?"

I grinned. She was as glad to see me as I was to see her. I looked her straight in the eye when I said, "I couldn't *not* come back." I wanted to reach out and touch her face, but knew I didn't dare. Then I took her cue and told her, "I never got into coffee. Me a computer guy and not a caffeine freak, odd, huh? Can you just bring me a huge glass of orange juice?"

 

[MelancholyBaby]

“Mmmmm…orange juice.” I smiled at Hal. “That sounds really good right about now.” I hopped up from the booth and made my way behind the counter and poured orange juice into the biggest glass I could find. I felt Mama’s eyes on me but I didn’t care right then. There were no other customers then besides Hal. How could she possibly scold me?

“Here you are,” I said, presenting him with the large orange glass and pulling two straws out from my apron. “A huge glass of orange juice.” I sat down again. “You wouldn’t mind if I had a sip, would you?” I looked at Hal with my best puppy dog eyes before starting to giggle. I just wasn’t the type of person to give a guy certain looks to get what I wanted. He offered no objection and I dunked my straw into the sweet orange liquid, bringing my lips to it and taking a small sip. “Yummy. Thanks.”

I smiled at him and I realized just then I wished I could spend every morning with him, drinking orange juice with him out of the same cup, eventually with the same straw. I was thinking of things that would never happen but they were fun to think about. “So, Mr. Hal…what would you like for breakfast? And…” I took another sip of orange juice quickly, “What are you up to today?”

 

[susurrus]

I watched interestedly as Maggie bounded to the counter and poured me an enormous glass of orange juice. Her mother seemed rather shocked at the container she was putting the juice into, but Maggie ignored her.

When she pulled out two straws back at the table, I wondered what that was for. One would be plenty for me. In fact, I didn't really need the straw she was offering.

When she sat back down, I felt a flood of gratitude. The way Maggie had reacted last night to her mother's gaze indicated to me that this morning, she couldn't care less that she was watching. I wanted Maggie to spend as much time with me as possible, even if it was only in one and two minute increments.

I had to smile when she asked, “You wouldn’t mind if I had a sip, would you?” I wouldn't have minded if she'd said she wanted to split it half and half. Even though we'd only met the previous evening, I was pretty sure I'd share just about anything with this woman. The look she then gave me was comical, and I had to laugh.

I felt like Archie and Veronica in the soda shoppe when Maggie stuck her straw in the glass, with mine pointing toward me, and we both drank from the same glass at the same time.

Time slowed down as our gazes locked. I studied the contours of her face, placing the unique shape into my memory, I admired the subtle details in her beautiful eyes, I realized I wanted to kiss those lips and never stop kissing them. There was a slight twitch in my crotch that told me more wouldn't be unwelcome, but I wasn't about to screw things up by making to quick a move. This was a romantic thing I couldn't remember ever feeling before. I wanted Maggie, but for far more than a quick vacation screw. This truly was "love at first sight." I could acknowledge that now.

If she'd have asked, I'd have let her drink from my one straw, but she didn't ask, and I found myself wishing she had.

She turned her stellar smile on me then and asked what I wanted for breakfast. What ran through my head was, 'As much of you as I can have,' but I ordered a big bowl of oatmeal, some bacon and wheat toast.

In response to Maggie's question, "What are you up to today?" I returned, "It depends. What is there to do or see around here, and do you get off work anytime soon?"

 

[MelancholyBaby]

Oatmeal. I wrinkled my nose. I wasn’t very fond of oatmeal. Still, I knew that the oatmeal Jimmy would fix him would be delicious. Everything he made was. I scribbled his order down as he asked me what there was to do here. I didn’t have the heart to tell him flat out there was nothing very interesting. Nothing except me, that is.

“I’ll probably be working all day today, Hal. Good help is hard to find around here and I’m pretty much the only waitress we’ve got. I wish things weren’t this way; I’d love to show you around, it’s just that…” I stopped as a few local guys entered the diner. I felt my eyes get moist and my cheeks get warm. I almost felt like I was going to cry. I swallowed hard. “It’s just my parents are counting on me.” I got up from the booth and looked at Hal. It was the hardest thing I had done in a long time. “I’ll put this right in for you.”

I made my way over to the table where the men had sat down, dropping off Hal’s ticket to Jimmy on the way. And so my day began. I had got our morning regulars their coffee when Mama came up to me. I knew what she was going to say.

I heard Jimmy’s voice calling me, letting me know that Hal’s order was up. His timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I knew I was not getting out of the talk from Mama but I could delay it, at least a little bit. I placed the bowl of oatmeal in front of Hal, following it with the toast and bacon. “I can’t believe you chose oatmeal,” I teased. “I’m not really an oatmeal girl myself.” I didn’t know what to say. The longer I stayed the harder it was for me to walk away. I heard the jingle of the door and knew that things were picking up. “I’ll leave this,” I said, setting the check down near the edge of the table. “I’ll check back but…I’m sorry, Hal. I’m really sorry. I wish things could be different.”

I hurried away, hoping he hadn’t seen the sadness in my eyes. I was sure he had. It was pretty obvious. I darted behind the counter to start another pot of coffee before greeting the couple that had just walked in. Today would be a long day.

 

[susurrus]

Maggie didn't care for my choice of breakfast. I couldn't help it. I'd picked up the habit when I was little. It had gotten to the point where I couldn't function properly during the day without it. In actuality, this had been the first day since I'd started my trip that I'd actually got oatmeal.

Maggie started to apologize in response to my request for her to get off work. It appeared she was the *only* waitress for the place. The look on her face when she essentially told me there was no way she'd get any time off told me everything.

Her sense of obligation was heart-breaking, in that I could tell she felt it held her back from discovering what else was "out there." She worked for her parents, of that I knew, and this was likely the entire family's source of income.

How was I going to get some time to get to know more about her than the yearning for something more? I found myself hoping I could be part of that "something more," but it was going to be difficult with her mom apparently watching over her like a hawk.