Page 24 of Summer Ever After

On her drive back, she decided that she needed something more substantial than the salty air to ground her. When she hit Pelican Point, she parked in her usual spot for her apartment and then walked across the street to a little burger place.

It was one of those small, retro diners with red vinyl booths and a hand-painted sign advertising shakes and fries in cursive. She slid into a corner booth, trying to blend into the background, letting the casual hum of conversation and the clatter of dishes fill the silence she carried inside.

The waitress, an older woman named Cherry, approached with a warm smile. “What can I get for you today, sweetie?” she said with a grin.

Beth didn’t even need to glance at the menu before answering. “Cheese burger with fries. And a large chocolate shake, please.”

“Oh, it’s one of those days,” she said with a chuckle and a wink.

Beth wasn’t quite sure what the woman meant, but she nodded as she scribbled her order down.

She leaned back and sank into the familiar comfort of the booth. The smell of grilled onions and fried potatoes was oddly soothing. She let her fingers trace the edge of the table, thinking of the morning, her mother, the beach, and of Aaron.

A burst of laughter as the door opened drew her attention. Andrea and Kara, two of her coworkers from the camp, had just stepped inside and were glancing around.

She smiled and waved at them, and they happily hurried over and sat in the booth with her.

“Wow, this place is packed. How’d you get a booth?”

Beth shrugged. “I think Cherry saves it for me. She might have ESP.” She narrowed her eyes as Cherry headed their way with two sodas.

“Coke and diet Coke,” she said as she set them down for Andrea and Kara. “And a large chocolate shake for you, sweetie,” she added with another wink.

“Definitely,” they all said together after Cherry shuffled off to help someone else, and they all burst out laughing.

“Chocolate shake?” Kara nodded. “Problems?”

Beth hesitated, then let a small smile tug at her lips. “Not really.”

“We heard about the PI,” Andrea told her, taking a sip of her diet Coke. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s not… My need for chocolate isn’t because of my ex.”

“Oh?” Kara shifted as she sipped her drink. “But you’re okay?”

“Do I have a sign on my face that says I’m in a mood?”

Kara and Andrea glanced at one another.

“Not a sign, but…” Andrea dug in her bag and pulled out a tissue. “Tear trails.” She motioned with the tissue.

Beth sighed and took the tissue and the mirror that Kara offered.

Sure enough, there were trails from her earlier tears streaking her makeup. She wiped at them until her cheeks were red.

Beth shook her head, laughing softly despite the lingering heaviness of the day. “You two are a blessing.”

Kara nudged her lightly. “We’re here if you need to talk.” She handed Beth a straw for her shake. “Drink up. It’ll help.”

Beth took a tentative sip, the chocolate sweetness hitting her like a balm. She let herself relax, allowing the laughter and chatter around her to pull some of the tension from her shoulders.

“My mother,” she said after her third sip, “is a holy roller. She takes every opportunity to remind me that I’m damned.” She shrugged. She felt foolish telling these two her problems. Especially after knowing what they had both gone through so far in their lives.

Kara had been abducted as a teen and then escaped only to end up in an abusive relationship, sort of like her own. Now, however, she and Carter were happily married.

Andrea’s family was a little worse than her own. Her mother was a very prominent real estate agent in Destin and her sister was, well, a drama queen.

Beth had had dealings with them both over the past few years.

Still, she filled them in on the trouble her mother gave her on her once-a-month visit and both of them listened and gave her some really good advice.

After the food arrived, the topic of conversation thankfully changed.

Andrea told a story about a camper mix-up that had the entire camp running in circles, and Kara added snarky commentary that had Beth laughing until she nearly spilled her shake.

Being with them made her feel lighter. The anger and ache from her mother’s words still lingered at the edges, but it was softened by the warmth of friendship, the comfort of shared jokes and familiarity. She hadn’t even noticed the time passing until the waitress returned, setting fresh fries and another round of drinks in front of them.

Beth lifted her shake, clinking glasses with Kara and Andrea. “To surviving the week… and surviving family.”

They all laughed, and for a moment, the world outside that little diner didn’t matter. No judgment, no panic, no fear, just three women sharing burgers, shakes, and a little piece of freedom together.

Beth leaned back, closing her eyes briefly and let the laughter and warmth settle into her. Maybe she didn’t need to fix everything today. Maybe it was enough to just be here, alive, and surrounded by people who didn’t judge her.