3. Chapter Three
Chapter Three
“So, what’s going on with you and Charlie?”
I drop the plate I’d been washing. It clangs around the bottom of the sink, causing me to jump before the silence sets in.
The longer I pause, the greater the implication of what I say next.
Addressing Charlie to Thea means addressing to myself what we really are as well, and that’s not a conversation I’m ready for on either account.
Charlie and I have never been on the same wavelength.
He was my first friend when I moved to Driftbay thirty-five years ago, but we were young then and he was married to his high-school sweetheart.
Later, they divorced but I was in a committed relationship at the time.
And now…we tiptoe around the line between us, fearing fate tossing another obstacle in our way.
It’s just easier this way. No one gets hurt.
I’ve spent the majority of my adult life alone.
I moved halfway across the country to go to college, away from my sister and our parents.
I craved independence and moving far away seemed like the only way to get it.
I majored in business and loved the area so much that I stayed after I finished school.
I ended up opening the diner after graduation, much to my parents’ dismay.
Maybe dismay isn’t the right word. I just know that they weren’t exactly as proud of it as they were of my sister.
Don’t get me wrong; I know my parents loved me and were proud of me but there’s just…
well, the scales aren’t weighted quite the same for a doctor and diner-owner.
I made a few other friends during my youthful years but once the diner really took off, I didn’t really have time to do much else.
I became married to the job. Girlfriends stopped coming by, boyfriends became nonexistent.
All except for Charlie. Charlie stood by me through it all — a study partner on late-night review sessions in college, assisting with menu revisions, offering advice on what to serve at the diner (his favorite activity to help with), and helping vet applications when I needed to hire more people.
To this day, he still sits in on interviews with me.
It’s just our thing. It’s part of who we are.
Thea stares at me with a bewildered expression, the smirk on her lips growing stronger by the second.
“Charlie,” I begin, unsure of how to divulge decades’ worth of will they or won’t they to her, “is my friend.”
Simple enough. I leave it at that.
“OH-Kay,” she replies in a mocking tone. It’s obvious she doesn’t believe me.
“Really,” I double down.
“Mm-hmm.” She gets up from the table and walks over to the sink, setting her dishes in the soapy water. “A friend doesn’t look at you the way Charlie did this morning.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I let my hands rest in the warm water.
“I’m just saying,” Thea begins. “He looked like he has it bad for you.” She turns to leave.
I don’t bother arguing with her. Instead, I start chewing on the inside of my cheek while I replay the morning’s events.
Besides, how exactly do I explain that he’s the right person, but we never got the timing right? Charlie and I have discussed our relationship long ago and come to the mutual realization that we’re better off as friends.
I finish cleaning the kitchen and put the dishrag down on the counter before turning the light out.
Grabbing my book, I head out to the porch and settle down into my chair.
My bookmark falls out, but I don’t pick it up.
Instead, I flip through a few pages, not fully invested in the story, still thinking about Charlie and what Thea said.
I can’t concentrate no matter how hard I try.
I give up on reading, knowing I’m not getting anything out of the words on the page.
My mind whirls as I watch the sun go down and night fall upon the sleepy little town I call home.
I finally relent and head back inside, unsure of the time.
Thea’s door is shut and I don’t bother her.
I start my evening routine, showering and skincare before getting into bed.
Her words float through my mind on a loop and I spend the next couple of hours tossing and turning.
Part of me has always thought Charlie and I would end up together.
Sort of like how people say they knew it was love at first sight.
I knew from the moment he walked into English class during freshman year that he would be in my life in some capacity forever.
But dating is messy, and feelings get hurt, and things can end badly.
If having Charlie in my life as just a friend is all I get, I can be satisfied with that.
I stare at the ceiling for a while more before I finally succumb to another sleepless night.
I get out of bed and return to the kitchen, flipping on the light as I enter.
My eyes squint as they adjust to the brightness.
I go to the pantry and retrieve the flour and sugar, my late-night friends.
I close the pantry with the kick of my heel and grab the butter and eggs from the fridge.
I set the ingredients down on the counter and roll up my sleeves before getting to work.
Baking has always been a source of comfort for me.
When I was stressed about finals in high school and college, I baked.
When I was worried about the diner in the beginning, I baked.
When the jackass that broke my heart at thirty-two left, I baked.
When Caroline died, I nearly turned the diner into a bakery.
Baking has always been there for me when people haven’t.
I can twist and shape my feelings into something tangible that I can walk away from. It’s my form of therapy.
I work until the wee hours of the morning, baking cookies and an apple pie to take to the diner later.
I wipe at my brow with flour-covered hands as I lick the remnants of the pie filling from its mixing bowl while thinking about the day.
I clean the kitchen up and package the desserts on serving trays, neatly tucking away my feelings with them.
I know I’ll regret the lack of sleep later, but for now my mind is clear.
Feeling lighter and content, I shut the light off in the kitchen and retreat back to bed.
Charlie comes in for breakfast the next morning, just like he does every day. I serve him his usual and start to hear about his day at work before getting flagged down by one of my regulars. I hit my hip on the counter edge as I round it and grit my teeth as I approach Judith’s booth.
“Yes, Judith?” I ask as I rub at the tender spot on my hip.
“Honey, could you grab me a slice of pie, please?” She stares up at me with watery dark blue eyes.
Her silver and blonde hair is a coiled cuff around her head and she’s dressed to the nines, sequins all over her top and bangles decorating her thin arms. She’s spunky and feisty and my absolute favorite customer.
Over the years, I’ve learned that she’s a lifelong resident of Driftbay and has one son, who moved away once he hit eighteen.
He doesn’t visit often, so she is pretty lonely.
“Of course.” I smile at her, the pain in my hip subsiding. “I’ll be right back.”
I head back to the counter, where Penny, one of my other waitresses, is making change for someone.
She smiles at me as I pass her by and cut Judith a slice of apple pie.
I cut an extra slice for Charlie and slide it over to him before I take Judith’s slice back to her.
Her hand shakes a bit as she picks up her fork, something I hadn’t noticed before.
She smiles as she takes a bite and snickers as she puts the fork back down on the table. She brings a napkin to her lips.
“Oh, I’m being so bad!” she declares, dabbing at her bright pink lipstick. “But oh, the heart wants what the heart wants! Calories be damned. Honey, this is delectable.”
“Thank you, Ms. Judith,” I say.
Charlie catches my attention across the diner as he gets paged out on a call.
I wave at him as he leaves. He nearly collides with Raquel as she barrels through the door.
She’s late and I know she hates being late.
I watch as they exchange pleasantries and each go about their day.
Raquel says hi to Penny before scurrying into the back room to get ready for her shift.
“Ms. Judith,” I repeat as I slide into the booth opposite her. “Got any big plans for the day?”
“I’m going to get my hair done, dearie,” she replies as she takes another bite of pie.
“Big day indeed.” I smile as I watch her chew.
“How is that niece of yours?” she asks after she swallows.
“Thea?” I echo. Judith nods, urging me to continue, “She’s good. I think she’s adjusting to town nicely. She seems a bit happier here.”
“Good. I’d like to meet her one day. If she’s anything like you, I’m sure she’s an absolute doll.”
I smile at the compliment as I watch Raquel clock in at the register. She waves me down, getting my attention, and mouths ‘sorry’ across the restaurant.
Penny stops by the table to refill Judith’s coffee — straight black, no sugar, no creamer. Just how she likes it. Penny is a newer waitress I hired on when Thea told me she wanted to come live with me. I figured I’d need the extra help once she arrived.
“Raquel and I switched shifts for tomorrow night,” she tells me as she pours the liquid.
I nod. “As long as someone is here, I don’t mind.”
She beams. “Thanks, Beth. You’re the best.”
“I know,” I laugh, “Now go check on table five.” I nod my head in the direction of her section before turning my attention back to Judith.
“You’ve got good people here,” she says. “Both staff and customers.”
“I agree.” I fiddle with her paper straw wrapper for a moment, wondering what she’s getting at.
“How was Charlie this morning?”
“Good.” My head snaps up at the mention of his name.
“Has he asked you out yet?” Judith asks.