Chapter 7 #4
“Glad you like it!” he called back.
I handed Levi the bag and winked at him.
He took it gratefully, mouthing his thanks, then almost bounced his way to the back, out of sight, to eat his properly cooked meal.
For the next twenty minutes or so, I wiped down all the tables and the counter, finished rolling the silverware, and even got out a broom to sweep the diner’s floor.
Levi then came out toting a mop and looking less pale than when I’d first met him. It was easy to see that the food had done him good.
He didn’t speak; he simply mopped behind me after I’d finished sweeping the floor, and as I was putting the broom away, Wanda came out from the back with a satisfied smile on her face.
“We had a good night,” she said to me.
“Oh, yeah?”
She nodded. “We never sell more than a few extra salads or desserts, but tonight, we sold out of all the pies, and I noticed extra dinner salads added to almost every check.”
“Upselling,” I said matter-of-factly.
“Up what?”
I wiped my brow and shifted on my feet again. My ribs just ached. “Upselling. You don’t do that here?”
“Honey, I don’t even know what that is!”
I laughed. “It’s when you talk your customers into getting a little bit extra than just the main course. You gotta make it sound delicious, and usually they’ll go for it.”
Wanda apprised me, shaking her head. “I know you don’t know where you came from, hon, but as long as you want a job working here, you got it.”
“Thank you, Wanda. I really appreciate that. Is there anything else you need me to do?”
She shook her head. “Naw. Come on with me, and I’ll take you up to your room. It ain’t much, but it’s a roof over your head.”
I followed behind her as she led the way through a door off the hallway where the restrooms and her office were located.
Beyond the door was a short hallway leading to the back door and a set of stairs.
We climbed them and went through another door into a large, open loft–type space, with windows that faced the back and left side of the diner.
The room had wood flooring, along with several space heaters, none of which were turned on.
Brick walls painted bright white enclosed the space, almost giving it an art-gallery appearance, ruined by the fact that no paintings or pictures adorned the walls and in the center of the large room—oddly placed—was a lumpy, black-and-white checkered sofa that’d definitely seen better days.
Across the room in the far corner was a queen-size bed with a rolled-up yellow blanket and a matching sheet set, resting on top of a thin mattress, with a deflated-looking pillow.
The opposite corner held a card table with a microwave. And that was about it.
“It’s perfect,” I said, swallowing my disappointment. I’d hoped for a little more, like a lamp. Some dishware. A place to store clothes. Maybe a book to read. At least, thanks to Cash, I had a firmer pillow than the defeated-looking thing currently on the bed.
“In there’s the bathroom,” Wanda said, pointing to the door just behind the entrance. I realized then that the bathroom was right above the ladies’ restroom downstairs. “It’s not much. Just a sink, toilet, and small shower, but it all works.”
“Awesome.”
“I’ll leave the door to the diner open so you can get yourself something to eat on Mondays.”
“Mondays?”
“We’re closed.”
“Ah. Thanks, that’d be great.”
Wanda looked around the space, her eyes perhaps seeking the same thing I was. A reason to like it.
“Is there a library in town?” I asked.
Wanda brightened. “There is. It’s on Delaware Street.” Pointing to indicate the street in front of the diner, she continued, “Take Main Street two blocks down, then make a left and follow that to the stop sign. Turn left again, and it’s right there. It looks like an old schoolhouse.”
“Awesome,” I repeated. At least I’d have access to some books to read.
“You’ll need some form of ID to get a library card, and since we don’t know who you are, get the sheriff to vouch for you with Esther, and she’ll give you a card.”
“Esther’s the librarian?”
Wanda nodded, then clapped her hands like the business of showing me around was finished. “I better get back to closing up. I saw you came here today with a couple of bags and a pillow. Where’d you leave your things?”
“Downstairs under the counter.”
“Come on then,” she said, turning to the door. “Tomorrow we open at six a.m., so I’ll need you downstairs an hour before to set up.”
I lifted my left wrist like I expected to see a watch with an alarm there. My wrist was bare. “Could you make sure I’m up?”
“Count on it,” she said.
We made our way back to the diner, and I went to grab my sad little bags of supplies, looking forward to taking a shower, when I realized I didn’t even have soap, shampoo, or conditioner.
“Wanda?”
“Yes, hon?”
“Is there soap for the shower?”
She nodded. “I just put a new bar on the shelf. Do you have a bath towel?”
I nodded, glancing down at the ugly towel while pushing what I hoped was a grateful smile to my lips. I had to remind myself that no one in this town had to offer me any form of charity, and right now I was a beggar who didn’t have the luxury of being choosy.
“You can get one of the smaller towels in the dish room to use as a washcloth,” she offered. “I just set a stack in there for Levi.”
“That’ll work. Any chance you’ve got some shampoo handy?” I asked next, hoping for treasure within that storage closet.
She shook her head. “You can go to Wilson’s after tomorrow’s breakfast rush to get what you need.”
“Wilson’s is a store?”
“Grocery store. It’s at the end of the street,” she said, pointing to the window and over to the right. “They close at seven, so you just missed the window.”
I nodded, and we moved back to the dining room again, where I paused and pointed to the fountain like I was asking her permission to take a drink with me upstairs.
She nodded. “Help yourself, Maddy. Take a biscuit or two if you want something else to eat.”
The biscuits I’d served that night had smelled delicious.
I opened the warmer where they were kept and took out a handful, putting them in a to-go container, then got a large Dr Pepper from the fountain, and headed back to where Levi was just wiping down the surface of the counter where he unloaded the bus tubs.
“Dish towels?” I asked when he looked up at me.
He pointed to his left, and I saw a stack of smaller dish towels that smelled like bleach.
I took two, shoved them into my plastic bag, then offered him a nod as I turned to go.
“Maddy?” he said, stopping me.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
I cocked my head at him. “For what?”
“For not making me eat that other burger.”
I studied Levi while his gaze was turned to the floor. His face was a mask of shame, and I couldn’t imagine what this young man had done to invoke such an expression. My every encounter with Levi showed me that he was shy, sweet, sensitive, courteous, and hardworking.
I moved over to him and set down the armload of things I was carrying. Then I put my good hand on his shoulder and asked, “Who’s beating you up, Levi?”
His eyes snapped up to mine and widened. Immediately, he wrapped one arm around his abdomen protectively. “No one. I’m good.”
Liar, liar, pants on fire…
That damn phrase again. I was already annoyed with it. But Levi looked so uncomfortable being questioned about it that I let it go.
“I’m glad you’re good,” I said, allowing my hand to fall away from his shoulder. “You coming back tomorrow?”
“If Wanda lets me.”
“Is it okay if I put in a good word for you?”
He brightened a fraction. “That’d be awesome. Thanks, Maddy.”
“You got it. And thank you for your help today, busing all those tables and giving me a hand serving the food. The cast gets in the way sometimes.”
“When’s it coming off?”
I looked down at it, now stained with bits food from the dinner rush. “Next week, as long as the X-ray shows the bones have healed.”
“That’ll be good,” he said, still doing his best to avoid eye contact.
I couldn’t tell if he was simply shy, timid, or on the spectrum. Maybe he was all three.
“Headed out soon?” I asked.
He nodded. “Just gotta wipe down everything.”
I glanced at the dish area. It appeared everything had been wiped down. Perhaps even twice. “All right. I’ll leave you to it.”
I gathered up my things again and walked back out to the dining room. Wanda was turning off lights, and I could see Gus strolling down the street, the orange light of a cigarette swirling up and away after he’d held it to his lips for a puff.
“I’m headed upstairs, Wanda.”
“Good thing,” she replied. “Oh, and Maddy, don’t leave any of those space heaters running when you’re not up there, okay?”
“Of course.” I figured she was worried they presented a fire hazard.
No way did I want to be responsible for sending this place up in flames.