When the waitress comes around, we order our food, and for a while, everything feels normal. We talk about small things. I tell them how the drive was, how long I think I’m planning to stay. We go over what I may or may not want to do next. The conversation stays light and doesn’t dig too deep. It’s nice, and it’s almost enough to make me forget—
The door opens and the bell chimes. There’s a shift in the diner. A few voices falter and an odd feeling settles in the air. Some heads turn, not all at once, but enough that it’s noticeable.
My fingers still where they were drumming softly against the edge of my coffee mug. I’m not sure why. I don’t really know what I’m expecting, but something in me already knows.
I look up and everything stops.
There’s no flashing lights. No crowded dance f
