2. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Aunt Beth is gone the next morning when I wake up. I trudge into the kitchen and spot a note on the table, her handwriting scribbled across it. She’d gone into the diner, so after a quick shower to help fully wake myself up, I decide to head there as well.
The diner is just a couple of blocks from the house, a short walk that I use to accustom myself to the neighborhood.
It’s quiet, filled with cottages like Beth’s and tall-standing condos.
A couple of kids are playing in a sprinkler in one front yard.
They giggle and shriek with such childlike wonder it almost makes me jealous.
I smile at them as I pass by, wishing I could revisit the days where bedtime was my biggest rival.
Beth Ann’s Diner comes into view as I round the last corner.
Like her cottage, it’s quaint, but definitely not small.
The outside of the diner is painted a lovely shade of blue, like her eyes, with white shutters on the windows.
The parking lot is already full for nine in the morning but I’ve gathered that it’s a pretty popular place on the coast. Tourists flock to it and of course, her regulars do, too.
A bell rings above my head as I push the door open and I’m blasted by a gush of air-conditioning.
I glance around the diner; it’s still the same from my memory, frozen in time.
The walls are a light blue and decorated with lighthouse wallpaper, along with framed nautical posters and images.
There’s a jukebox in the corner and framed newspaper clippings line the wall behind the counter.
It’s homey and the kind of place you know you’ll get quality service.
I spot Beth behind the counter and walk over to it, taking a seat at one of the bright blue barstools. Her uniform is simple — jeans, a white T-shirt, and black apron.
“Morning!” she says cheerfully as she sees me.
“Good morning,” I offer in return, taking another glance around the place.
There’s a variety of customers in this morning.
I see a tall and slender waitress at the corner booth, taking the order of a couple with two small children already clad in their swimsuits.
The kids are climbing all over the booth, anxiously pointing out the window at the distant shore, ready for the beach day that awaits them.
The waitress smiles as she talks with them and pops her bubblegum as she takes their order, her light-red hair gleaming in the morning light pouring through the window.
“Morning, Beth Ann,” a gravelly voice calls out beside me.
I’ve never known anyone to call my aunt by her full name, even though it is the name of her restaurant.
“Morning, Charlie,” Beth replies in a singsong voice. I can tell she’s had her coffee this morning with how chipper she is. She slides a mug across the counter as Charlie swings a leg over the barstool beside me and sits down.
He’s tall. He looks a bit taller than Beth. He’s bald, and his face looks weathered. He has piercing dark blue eyes, and a muscular build, seemingly to be the type of man that works out every day.
“Right on time,” I hear her add, tossing the words over her shoulder as she reaches across the kitchen window for a plate stacked high with crispy bacon and fluffy eggs.
I figure he must come here every day for her to already have his order ready.
I see Charlie smile behind the coffee mug that’s at his lips as he takes a sip and his eyes settle on her backside. I cough awkwardly to remind him that he is not alone at the counter and is ogling my aunt.
Charlie sets his mug down and cocks his head in my direction. “Is this Thea?” he asks her.
I perk up, wondering what she has told him about me.
“It is.” Beth smiles as she sets the plate down in front of him, steam rising from it in swirly streams. “Charlie, this is Thea. Thea, this is my friend and county sheriff, Charlie Gajewski.”
Aunt Beth leans against the counter in front of us after making our introductions, crossing her arms on the cold metal surface. She’s glowing this morning and exudes warmth as she watches us.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Thea,” Charlie says, extending his hand out to me. I shake it; he’s got a firm grip.
“Nice to meet you, too.” I offer a smile.
“How are you liking our little town?” he asks before stabbing his fork in his eggs.
“Good,” I say, “it’s a lot different than Seattle but I like it so far. It’s calm.”
He and Beth chuckle at my words. “You wouldn’t say that if you were on the police force.”
I find it hard to imagine a sleepy little town like Driftbay has that much action for the cops.
I offer another smile as Charlie and Beth become lost in a conversation of their own.
He says something funny, I assume, because Aunt Beth throws her head back laughing like a little kid.
Her laugh lines are more pronounced and her eyes glitter with delight.
I’ve never seen her this animated. There’s something going on between them, but I’m not sure what. I’ll have to ask her about it later.
“Do you have any plans for the day?” Beth asks me as she looks in my direction, turning the conversation back to me.
“I think I’m going to go down to the beach for a little while,” I say.
“I’m going later if you’d like to go with me.
” The waitress I noticed earlier joins us at the counter.
“With Graham,” she adds, nodding her head back towards the kitchen.
“Unless you’d like to be alone.” She tears a ticket out of her serving book and slides it across the kitchen window.
She looks back at me through circular glasses and smacks her gum again before smiling.
“Hi,” she says as she extends her arm out. “I’m Raquel.”
“Thea,” I say as I shake her hand. “And actually, that seems fun. I’d love to go with you guys.”
Beth smiles as she watches us. “Oh, I think you two would get along great!” She seems happy at the idea of us hanging out. “Raquel is my best waitress,” she adds, as if that has any merit in our possible friendship.
Raquel’s cheeks flame at my aunt's accolades, turning a fiery shade nearly the same color as her hair and her hazel eyes sparkle.
“Oh, stop,” she says, playfully swatting Beth’s arm. She looks back at me. “Shift change is at noon, so we could meet around twelve-fifteen? That would give me enough time to cash out and change clothes.”
“Sure.” I nod, my fingertips brushing the laminated menu on the counter in front of me. “That sounds great.” I feel a smile spreading across my face.
“Are you hungry?” Raquel asks, nodding towards the menu as she pops her gum loudly.
“Yes, actually.” I pick up the menu and glance at it for a moment before getting decision fatigue. I turn to Beth. “I’ll just have what Charlie’s having.”
She nods and turns toward the kitchen window, hollering to get Graham’s attention.
A tall, sandy-haired, blue-eyed boy appears in the kitchen window. Beth directs him to make another order of eggs and bacon and he listens intently. She turns back around and her eyes land on me.
“Oh! Graham!” she calls out.
Graham sticks his head back in the window.
“This is my niece, Thea.” Beth gestures at me and I feel my cheeks start to burn as Graham’s eyes dance over me. I can’t help but notice the way his mouth curls into a smile when he’s given me the once-over.
“Thea, this is Graham Gordon.”
“Nice to meet you, Thea,” he says as he grins, revealing a pearly white smile. He waves with the spatula in his hand before he disappears from view and I miss my chance to respond.
Raquel senses one of her tables needs her and is off again.
Beth and Charlie continue their conversation while I wait for my food.
I turn around on my barstool to get a better look at the patrons in the diner.
I’m lost in my thoughts for a few minutes before I hear the ding of the kitchen bell and turn back around as Beth grabs my breakfast. She slides it in front of me and suddenly, I’m famished.
I bring a forkful to my mouth and inhale the aroma.
“These are so good,” I mutter after I swallow the first bite, bringing a napkin to my lips.
“Told you Graham is my best cook,” Beth says, nodding behind her to the kitchen window.
“Got any pie this morning, Beth Ann?” Charlie asks, folding his napkin in his large hands.
“You know I do,” she laughs, putting a hand on her hip. “Blueberry, your favorite. Baked fresh this morning.” Beth scurries off to the other end of the counter and then a plate of blueberry pie is placed in front of Charlie.
He takes a bite and lets his eyes close in delight. “Mmm,” he hums, pointing his fork at the plate. “You never disappoint.”
“You made that?” I ask her. She must have gotten up earlier than I thought.
“Mmhmm. I do all the baking for this place. It’s a…form of solace for me.”
There must be something in our genetics — baking is a form of solace for me, as well.
The three of us stay silent except for the scrapes of our forks as both Charlie and I clean our plates. The radio on Charlie’s belt goes off, some code I don’t know is announced. He throws a twenty down on the counter and tells Beth to keep the change on his way out the door.
Raquel comes back to the counter not long after he leaves.
“So,” she begins as she leans against the countertop. “How are you liking Driftbay so far?”
That question seems to be the icebreaker on everyone’s mind.
“Well,” I start, “so far, so good. Like I told Charlie, it’s a lot different than Seattle. But it’s a good kind of different.” I don’t elaborate further or go into my tragic backstory.
“I’ve always wanted to visit Seattle,” she says as she smacks her gum and plays with a strand of her hair absentmindedly.
“Do you travel?” I ask her.
Raquel shakes her head. “Not often. I tend to stick to Driftbay. I’m trying to save up money to go back to school.” She smiles proudly. “But maybe we can visit together one day.”
I smile politely and nod my head in agreement. Unbeknownst to her, I have no intention of ever visiting Seattle again.