The Diner

I am Canadian. Canadian spelling is used here. Care to edit my next story? Send me a message.

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On her eighteenth birthday Jenny aged out of foster care and was facing homelessness, not that she'd ever had a real home to begin with, only a succession of houses to survive in and a series of guardians for parents. Some of her 'parents' didn't expect her to be a daughter, but rather a domestic servant, these were not the worse. The worse wanted her to do things that she was too young to understand, she was a quick study and learned to protect herself.

It was always the same, sometimes it was the 'father', sometimes the older 'brother', more than once it was both. Friendly smiles and pledges of good will would turn into leers and inappropriate offers. She learned to distrust the welcoming hand shakes and hugs that would eventually become uncomfortably intimate and make her feel queasy.

Shuffled between schools and neighbourhoods it was a miracle that Jenny was able to graduate high school at all. Her home was now a room at the hotel where she worked as a chambermaid. The job payed less than minimum wage but a room was included as part of the package. Jenny's room was one of those that hadn't been updated since the hotel had been a Holiday Inn, she kept it clean and did what she could to make it a home but it was still just a room in an old hotel. All the same Jenny was grateful for her room and to her employers, the Patel's, for a safe place of her own to live in.

Tonight was a bad night, the hotel was booked up with guests, overflowing with refugees from a norther native community who's village had been flooded out when an ice jam had prevented torrential spring rains from running off. Jenny tossed and turned, repeatedly flipping over her pillow to rest her face on the cool side. The pillow stayed hot no matter how many times she turned it over. There was too much racket to sleep, exuberant youths ran the hallways and Jenny could hear loud voices through the walls. In the next room a baby wailed and something pounded against the wall. The baby stopped screeching after the pounding ceased, Jenny hoped most fervently that these two things were unconnected.

Jenny sighed and sat up in her bed, there would be no sleep for her tonight. Through her window Jenny could see a diner's neon sign down the street, at this time of the night it would probably be more quiet there than in her room so she got dressed and set off into the night.

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Craig excelled in school, it was a sanctuary from his home and his parents. His mother treated him like a possession, more like an inconvenient pet than a son. She was disinterested and cold unless acquaintances or her church-friends were present, then she would lay on her attentive and loving mother of the year routine. What her son thought or felt mattered far less to her than the opinion of strangers.

Beaten down by his wife Craig's father deferred to his wife and mostly kept silent to avoid her scorn and criticism, he never understood that the word father was most important when used as a verb. The one and only time he ever stood up for his son was when Craig was not only accepted to all the universities he applied to but was offered substantial partial scholarships, not that he needed one.

Craig's late grandfather had set up a trust fund for Craig, it would put him through any university he chose, for any course of study he picked. If he didn't pursue a higher education he couldn't touch any of the funds until he turned twenty five. Craig's mother could taste the money, if he stayed home she would find a way get her hands on his inheritance, after all she would put it to better use. If Craig's granny had kept quiet he'd never have known about it to begin with.

His mothers insistence that further education would only be wasted on Craig only ended when Craig's father pointed out that Craig was now eighteen and could do as he pleased. Craig's mother decided to make the best of circumstances beyond her control and used Craig's opportunity to burnish her reputation at her church, boasting about her son's success and laying claim to all the credit for his hard work.

For Craig moving from a mansion into a cramped apartment was like being reborn, even his roommate's party life style was easier to live with than had been his parents. His mother only allowed him the luxury of his own, albeit shared place, because she couldn't stop him, He could even afford to buy his own car, mother wasn't pleased.

Tonight was, as most nights were, another party night for his roommate and Craig couldn't sleep. Blaring music was one thing but raucous recreation with random girls was another. The walls of their small apartment were just to thin to allow for any privacy. Craig sandwiched his head between the mattress and his pillow in an attempt to block out the banging on his wall.

Craig sighed and sat up in is bed, there would be no sleep for him tonight. Through his window Craig could see a diner's neon sign down the street, at this time of the night it would probably be more quiet there than in his room so he got dressed and set off into the night.

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Marla wondered why the owner kept the diner open this late during the week, the only customers they had were drunks that didn't spend much, and cops that didn't pay much, some of them paid nothing at all. Sure, they drank coffee, they just expected it for free, like their mere presence in the shop was payment enough. Marla didn't care if they paid for their coffee or not, she did care that since they didn't pay they certainly wouldn't tip. Did they not understand that if they wouldn't tip for good service they should at least tip to keep spit out of their drinks?

A constable who was taking too long to order asked if the meat loaf was as good as it had been two weeks ago. "Should be, same meatloaf," Marla drawled. He ordered a grilled cheese instead.

Tonight was slower than usual, good Marla thought, she could keep off her feet for a change. Just as Marla was about to sit and relax the chambermaid from 'The Luxury Lodge' walked in, Marla had always thought her uniform made her look like a big grey band-aid. She only came in when the hotel was too noisy for sleep and she was an undemanding customer. Marla waved her onto one of the stools at the counter, less walking for her. Before the door could shut a bleary eyed young man, probably a student, pushed it wide, Marla motioned him over to the counter too and he seated himself two stools down from the 'band aid' girl'.

Marla stood behind the counter between her two customers and made small talk, the prospect of large tips from either of them was nil but every bit counted. She had been right, 'Bleary Eyes' was a student, not that she had any interest beyond how much change he left when he did. It turned out that he and 'Band-aid' were both escaping sleepless nights. She thought it was sad that they would rather be in this crummy diner than in their own beds, not that she really cared.

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Craig gazed sidelong at the girl in the mirror behind the lunch-counter, she was hauntingly beautiful but seemed shrouded in a forlorn cloak of tragic sadness. She wore a shapeless grey uniform, it's plainness only called attention to her beauty. He tried to read her name tag but the combination of the mirrored text and it's small size made that impossible. During a stolen glance Craig saw Jenny looking back, they both froze, each trapped by the others reflection. Smiles broke the mirrors spell and when they turned to look at one another, neither could speak, or had to.

Laughter is a language all on it's own, whether in a dialect of giggles or in it's purest form, straight from the belly, it can be understood by all it's speakers. They spoke for hours that seemed like seconds and the stool between them disappeared, so did the space between their lips, only a delicious, almost electric charge separated them.

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It had been another long night for Marla and she tried to amuse herself any way she could. She took perverse pleasure in writing out her orders in an old school counter cheque-book and presenting the bills to the cops she enjoyed watching them flinch. They handled their bills just as if they were poisonous snakes. The cops would examine these mysterious new things, curious abstractions they'd heard about but had never actually seen before. They would look chagrined when they saw their badge numbers written on the top of each form. Chagrin would turn to sullen resignation when they realized that Marla had a carbon record of each bill!

Marla cheered up when ever the kids walked in, she'd been steering them to a booth near her station by the cash so she could listen to their conversations and secretly enjoy their moments together. They would sit in their booth and Craig would do his homework. Craig was studying to be an architect and would spread out his books on the table and explain his homework to Jenny as he did it. Jenny didn't understand any of it but by explaining it to Jenny Craig would comprehend it better.

Jenny loved all the things the couple did together but her favourite, by far, was the time they spent at the diner. For Jenny it was like having dinner with a family of her own, stretching things a bit she could even imagine Marla as being an eccentric aunt rather than a misanthropic old waitress.

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As the season grew on the couple blossomed together. Jenny worked while Craig went to school and they would spend their free time visiting museums or local landmarks where Craig would explain to Jenny the significance of various architectural feature or unique design elements.

Craig introduced Jenny to his grandmother who lived in a retirement home, after their first visit the couple became frequent guests, often staying for lunch or taking the old lady out with them on afternoon excursions. Old ladies in senior living facilities can never have enough visitors and they take an odd pride in introducing their quests to their fellow residents, not to share them, just to show them off. It was in this way that Jenny and Craig met all of the elders and staff members at Shady Oaks. To Jenny the old lady became like a doting grandmother, someone who cared about her just because she did and not because she was mandated to. Jenny soon fell into the habit of addressing Craig's grandmother as granny, much to the old ladies delight.

Every morning was the beginning of a sunny day, no matter what the weather. The couple spent all of their free time together and as these things do they fumbled and bumbled their way into 'a situation'. At first both hoped the alarm would prove false and all would resolve itself happily next month, and then the prayed the one after. Hopes turned barren and prayers went unheard, the sun hid amidst clear blue skies.

Jenny was despondent, was 'a situation' the reason for her wardship and lack of any family? Would her daughter, she was sure it would be a girl, grow up the same way she had? Abused by neglect and raised by bureaucracy? Hopelessness was her constant companion and despair her shadow.

Craig was heartsick for Jenny and although he had no clear plan, he resolved to not only make things right but to make things great. He went to his faculty adviser in search of advice and had discussions with his favourite prof. As he found out what options he had Craig began to feel if not upbeat at least less bleak, even cautiously optimistic, after all he did have the girl of his dreams and now the semblance of a plan.

The first thing on Craig's to-do list was to reassure Jenny that everything would work out and that he'd look after her. Jenny cried with relief and joy when she realized that Craig was taking her out of the frying pan and into the future. She was going to have a family, a real one, for the first time in her life.

Next on his list was to inform his family, Craig knew his mother would be a problem so he decided to visit his grandmother and see how she reacted to his news before having the inevitably difficult conversation with his parents. Old ladies have seen everything, it is hard to truly shock one, Craig and Jenny were not the first young couple that granny had seen in this situation, besides she had grown fond of Jenny and had been secretly hoping that she would stick around.

Craig was gratified beyond belief when granny not only received his news with understanding and empathy but gave him his great grandmothers ring to present to Jenny. The ring, a beautiful confection from another age, was a nest of diamonds and rubies surrounding a sapphire nearly the size of his fingertip. Granny smiled inwardly when she handed on her mothers ring. Her daughter in law had always coveted the heirloom and expected to wear it herself one day, she was in for a well deserved shock. Granny giggled inside.

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Marla had just started her shift when she noticed 'the kids' were already there, that was odd, they never came in until much later. She could tell by Craig's pallor and by the way he squirmed in his seat that he was very uncomfortable, not with his chair but by the situation, strange. Jenny kept wringing her hands, she seemed to be wearing a large piece of garish costume jewellery on her ring finger, could it be a gift from her boy? Marla looked away when the door opened and a middle aged couple came in and looked around before spotting Craig. They began walking towards him, they paused when they saw Jenny and the woman's mouth pursed and her lips twisted into the perfect likeness of a cat's arse.

Craig stood and introduced Jenny to the couple, his parents? Jenny shook their hands as she was introduced, her polite smile was returned with a stormy glower from the older woman. The older man stood back and seemed to be examining the tips of his shoes. The four took a booth and Marla brought over a pot of coffee and two more mugs, when Marla tried to place the mugs in front of her new guests the woman waived her her away and glared the man into silence when he started to object, Marla shrugged and returned to her station, pretending to fill out her bills she watched as Craig spoke to the older couple, his gaze darting nervously back and forth from one to the other.

Craig pause and Jenny shyly extended her hand to show the older couple her ring. Marla grinned. It was an engagement ring! The kids were getting married! The table froze in silence for a moment before the woman began screaming at Jenny, "You whore! You dirt little whore! That's my ring! Give me my ring! "She grabbed Jenny's hand and her bony hands clawed at at Jenny's finger, trying to remove the ring. She pulled Jenny half across the table while Craig tried to free Jenny's hand from the woman's grip. The woman clutched Jenny's wrist with one hand and slapped Craig with the other, when Craig recoiled the woman began smacking Jenny, all the while screaming almost unintelligible abuse. Craig tried to shield Jenny from the spitting fiend who Marla now understood, was indeed his mother. Craig's father sat shame face and silent, not daring to look up from the table.

Before Marla could react two of the cops sipping their coffee in the adjacent booth jumped up and pulled the shrieking harridan off of Jenny. The demons face, a mask of hate and fury, turned on the police, clawing and biting. Police are trained to deal with maniacal violence and they quickly had control of the enraged lunatic. Craig's father tried to intercede on his wife's behalf but was warned by the cops to sit back down, he did.

The situation now calm and Craig's mother having regained her composure, the police tried to get to the bottom of things. Craig's mother spun a story about having been attacked by "that little slut who stole my ring." Craig's father said nothing but deferred to his wife when asked questions. Marla could not contain her anger and told the police the true course of events. The police knew better than to dismiss Marla and despite protests from Craig's parents they watched the security video that She offered to corroborate her story.

Craig sat with Jenny and tried to comfort her. The blows she'd received hurt but what stung her the most was the realization that her dream of being accepted into Craig's family was just a fantasy. She'd had such hopes, all dashed. Craig assured her that he would be her family,and granny too, not to mention the baby.

Craig's mother protested in vain when she was read her rights, her husband sputtered and wrung his hands. The only new jewellery she got to wear that day was a pair of silver bracelets. A free ride downtown in the back of a chauffeured sedan soon followed. Craig's mother peered wide eyed out the back window, her mouth gaped like a fish with a hook in it's mouth.