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“A Dr. Pepper please and a few minutes with the menu.”
“Coming right up.” She responds.
I sit there looking over the menu for several minutes before I decide on the Southern fried chicken sandwich and onion rings. When the waitress comes back, I give her my order and sip at my drink.
She brings my food to me in rapid time and I dig in. The sandwich is amazing, and the chicken is so moist and tender but crunchy on the outside. The onion rings are battered with corn meal giving them a nice crunch.
It doesn’t take me long to eat every bite. When the waitress comes back to ask if I want anything else, I look at the menu again. “You have pepperoni cheese rolls?”
“I do. We also have hotdogs with chili and coleslaw, if that’s your thing.” She laughs. “Where ya from, darlin’?” She asks.
“A little town in West Virginia,” I answer.
“Whereabouts?”
“Near Parkersburg.”
“I knew it. I know a fellow West Virginian when I hear one.”
“You’re from West Virginia?”
“Yep. Born and raised in Elkins. Moved up here with my husband twenty-five years ago. The name is Eliza.
”Like the character.” I state.
“My Fair Lady.” Eliza nods. “That’s who my mama named me after.”
“That’s cool. I’m Adelya.”
“Nice to meet ya.” She holds out her hand and I shake it.
The diner isn’t very busy, so we sit and talk a little before I finally ask. “I noticed the help wanted sign on the door?”
“You looking for a job, honey?”
“I am.”
“You a college student?” I nod. “You got experience?”
I nod again. “Yes ma’am. Started working at the diner in my hometown when I was fifteen. Waitressing, bussing tables, even cooking.”
“Well alrighty then. Pay is seventeen an hour. You keep your tips. Your meals are free on workdays. You get a discount any other time.” She starts to explain. I can feel my smile get bigger with every word she says.
“I’ll need your class schedule so I can work around it and I require seeing your grade report each semester. If your grades suck, you’re out of a job. If you start out with good grades and they slip, I’ll assume it’s because of the job and I’ll let you go. Do we have an understanding?”
I don’t even think before I respond. “Yes. Absolutely yes.” I gush.
“Good. You start on Sunday at noon. Don’t forget to bring me that schedule and all your tax information.”
I leave the diner pumped, a huge smile on my face. That is until I go to get in my car and again I swear I see one of my guys turn the corner. I quickly shift directions to follow, but when I get around the corner, I don’t see anyone.
My breaths are coming in spurts as I make my way back to the car. I’m losing my mind. That has to be it.
There is no way I truly saw Gael earlier, and Elias just now. No way. My imagination is running wild on me. My mood is more subdued when I get home and head up to my room.
When dinner rolls around, I head back downstairs. Now dressed in sweats and a hoodie. This one belongs to Ashby. He gave it to me the night of the homecoming game. The night everything changed. The last night I saw any of them.
Tonight's dinner consists of roasted chicken, a creamy mushroom sauce, grilled asparagus, and roasted potatoes. It all looks delicious and Creed lets me make a plate without interfering. He still takes my Dr. Pepper though. I get up to get a glass of juice.
