Scott Koehler put the last of his belongings into his car and closed the trunk. He took one last look at the house that he called home for the previous 10 years that now a "Sold" sign in front of it. He lost his wife, Madeline or Maddy to people who knew her, and he had decided it was time to move on. Not only had he sold the house, he sold the furniture and all but that he had loaded into his car. A job offer was waiting for him on the other coast and he decided to start life anew.
Traveling the country was something that he and his wife and wanted to do. But, he traveled the world instead. They weren't site seeing or tourist trips. He was a free-lance photographer who traveled the war-torn regions of the world. It was not uncommon for him to receive a call in the middle of the night and have to leave for some distant battlefield. He could be gone for a couple of days or several weeks. He never knew.
Maddy tried to be understanding and make it work. Scott had to hand it to her, she did try. He just wasn't able to let go of his passion.
He had two weeks before he was due in New York City, he was going to take his time and see some of the country that lie in-between. His sister lived in Denver, so he knew that Colorado was one of the places on his list to see.
Scott climbed into his car, started the engine and put it gear. He eased off the brake and took one last glimpse as the home that he and Maddy built slipped out of sight.
The sun was setting as he pulled in to a small town called Buena Vista nestled in the Colorado Rockies. He found a motel and checked in. Sarah, his sister, had told him about the Arkansas River Valley and how beautiful it was on a number of occasions and he looked forward to spending a day here before moving on to Denver.
He found a small café within walking distance of the motel the next morning. He located a table near a window that opened to the mountain range to the west. The morning sun made the peaks glow with a tint of orange. The combination of the deepest blue sky he had ever seen made for a majestic scene.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" said the voice behind him.
"Um, what?" Scott said as he turned to see a waitress standing there.
She pointed with her pencil, "Beautiful, isn't it?"
Scott looked at the woman standing there. She was dressed in a sleeveless blouse and skirt. Her hair was tied loosely on the back of her head. She looked to be about his age, perhaps a year or two younger. Her name badge said "Molly."
He turned and looked back out the window and nodded his head, "Yes, it is."
"I lived here almost all my life and I never get tired of it."
"I can see why." Scott turned back and saw Molly looking at him with a hint of a smile.
"What can I get you this morning?" she asked.
"How about a couple of eggs, over easy, hash browns, bacon, and coffee," he asked.
He watched as she finished scribbling on her note pad. With an emphasis on the final period with her pencil, she looked at Scott and gave a bigger smile, "Coming right up."
He watched as she left, admiring her figure from behind. He watched as she stopped and talked to another but older waitress, turning and smiling at him. The second waitress also looked at grabbed a pot of coffee along with a mug and creamer.
"Here you go, sir. Did you want creamer?"
"Please."
She placed the mug and creamer down, poured the coffee and set the carafe on the table. She smiled as she turned and walked away.
Scott alternated looking at the vista outside and the few people inside. It seemed to be populated with what looked to be locals more than tourists. Having lived in a touristy part of California, he found that he could pick out the tourists easily. He smiled as he wondered if others in the café had him picked out.
It wasn't very long before Molly returned and set his breakfast down on the table in front of him. "Can I get you anything else?" she asked.
He looked at his plate and then to her, "No, I don't think so."
"Enjoy then," she said and turned to leave. He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a sparkle in her eye.
She didn't return until it was time to take his plate away. After hearing that he didn't need anything else, she laid the check down on the table and with another beautiful smile, "Thank you, sir. Hope to see you again."
"Thank you. And who knows," Scott replied
Scott spent the first part of the day exploring the town and the afternoon drove south towards Salida and back. He stopped at a number of places along the way and took several photographs. As beautiful as the surroundings were, the beauty that served him that morning frequently entered his mind.
The café had closed for the day by the time he returned to town late that afternoon. He saw where it closes at two each afternoon. After a light dinner, he returned to his motel room. While he felt more alive today that he had in recent memory, the sun and the thin air of being at altitude resulted in him falling asleep not long after the sun went down. Visions of both Maddy and Molly filled his dreams.
He awoke the next morning he woke and sat up in bed. He recalled part of the dreams he had. He felt guilty that Molly was in his dreams. Maddy was the love of his life. He always said that she was the better part of him. Just the same, a part of him wanted to go back to the same café and hopefully Molly was working again.
He sat at the same table as he did the previous morning. The same older waitress that served him coffee yesterday came up and placed the silverware, wrapped in a napkin, on the table in front of him. She smiled as she said, "Molly will be right with you."
Scott smiled and said, "Thank you."
"Well, back again?" said the voice he now recognized. Again he was staring out the window when she came up to the table.
"I am. Yesterday was such a wonderful breakfast. I just had to do it again," Scott remarked. He noticed that she was wearing a pair of jeans this morning and a button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Her hair was tied up the same way as yesterday. He envisioned what it would look like if it was untied and allow to drape around her shoulders. He smiled.
"Same thing as yesterday?"
"You remember?"
Without turning her eyes away, "Two eggs, over easy, hash browns, bacon, and coffee."
"That'll work," he replied, clasping his hands on the table and smiling at her.
While he waited, he looked around and noticed that the café wasn't as full as it was yesterday. He became lost in thought. He missed Maddy and he figured that he probably always will.
"Here you go," Molly said, bringing him out of his trance. He turned and looked at Molly. The sun reflecting off a window outside shown on her face, making her look a little more radiant, almost like a halo.
"Ugh, she remarked as she squinted and moved to the sign, the halo disappearing.
