“I know I should but she’s probably blocked me by now.” He takes in a deep breath and slowly releases it.
“I don’t blame her,” I mumble to myself.
He ignores me.
“Does she have a name?” I ask.
“Jo.”
“Jo… is that short for anything?”
“As far as I'm aware, it’s just Jo, we didn’t really get into the specifics.”
“You were getting into something though, that’s for sure.” I don’t try to hide my smirk.
“Henry, please shut up.” He groans when the song changes to yetanothersad rock song.
“Jesus Christ, Miles. You need some therapy… in the form of food. I’m starving, are you hungry?”
“The diner should be open for breakfast. Otherwise you’re on your own.”
“Say less, let’s go. I could eat anything.”
A few minutes later, we’re pulling up to Ruby’s Diner—a Ruby Lake staple. The red sign hasn’t changed since I was young but the building has gotten a fresh coat of paint sometime between now and the last time I was here.
We both hop out of the truck and head inside. The smell of coffee, bacon, and pancakes hit me as soon as I open the creaky door and step inside.
“I forgot it’s Sunday,” Miles says, looking around the busy diner. “Do you want to?—”
“I’ll be with you guys in just a moment!” a young female voice calls from the kitchen. She’s got blonde hair, but I can’t see anything else with her back facing us.
“Hi, honey.” An older woman with long, graying hair appears in front of us. Her name tag readsElaine—this is the same woman who has always worked here, there’s just more age to her appearance. “Oh, Miles! I almost didn’t recognize you!” She beams, and it somehow pulls half a smile out of him. “Congrats on taking over Dew Drop Inn!” She grabs two menus and gestures for us to follow her through the bustling restaurant.
The place is packed, but somehow we got lucky. In the back corner there’s a booth by a window overlooking the lake and adjacent park where children are playing tag. Ripples of dark blue water catch fragments of the sun’s light. The lake stretches far into the distance, wrapped by a soft sandy shore. The sight of it steals my breath away, like it always does the first time I see it each summer.
“Thank you, Elaine,” Miles says as we both settle into the worn red seats. He tilts his head toward me. “Do you remember my cousin, Henry? He’s staying with me this summer to help with renovations.”
“Been a while, Henry! You were so small last time I saw you!” She holds out a hand for me to shake. “The blondie over there is my daughter, Maisie. I’m not sure you guys have met. She’ll be over in a second to get your orders.” She shoots us a wink before walking away, leaving us to our menus. I glance at the waitress again, eager to get a good look at her, but she’s still facing the other direction.
A tragedy.
2
MAISIE
“Table ten wanted sunny side up instead of scrambled,” I shout to the kitchen over the chatter of customers and sounds of glass plates being stacked behind the bar.
“The slip says scrambled eggs,” Kevin, our main line cook, yells back, clearly overwhelmed with the morning crowd.
“Yeah, I know,” I sing song. “Just please make some sunny side up. The customer isalwaysright!” After working here for so long, I’ve learned to take the loss with pride. Smile, nod, and bitch later when it’s quiet. “And don’t forget, I love yousomuch!”
Kevin shakes his head, “you better.”
Sundays at Ruby’s Diner are always busy, but today we’re down a server which leaves everyone working a little harder. I’m literally sweating in places I didn’t know sweat could come from.
My Grandma Judith put all her savings into buying the diner with my Grandpa Jon, and it’s been a family business ever since. Her and Grandpa were high school sweethearts and never left the town they fell in love in, raising my mother here and, eventually, my mother raising me. My mother became a single mom nine months after a one night stand with a guy from outof town. That same man was never to be seen again. I was quite literally born with daddy issues.
Grandpa Jon passed away when I was a toddler so my memories of him are sparse. When my Grandma passed away last June she left the diner to my mother and I to continue the business’ legacy.
