Happy Memorial Day everyone. I am going to keep this short and sweet. I’m doing my morning prompt and fifteen minute novel and then I am jumping back into my three day weekend. I hope everyone has taken some down time for themselves as well.
I like this one. Not sure where it is going but I like the set up and characters.
Monday, May 30th: The air smelled of maple syrup and warm melted butter.
The air smelled of maple syrup and warm melted butter. It was a friendly smell, a welcoming one. He let the scent guide him to a booth and he gratefully collapsed into his chosen seat. Coffee and a large stack of pancakes was his order, the scent of syrup and butter rendering him incapable of ordering anything else from the menu. Later there might be eggs or bacon but for now he could only think of pancakes.
His order taken, his waitress bustled away with quiet efficiency as though realizing he didn’t want chatter.
There was noise all around, a veritable cacophony of clattering pans from the kitchen, metal spatulas on the grill top, wait staff and kitchen exchanging information about orders and the burble of conversation from the tables around him. But as no one was directly addressing him, Nathan sat in a blessed well of silence.
For now, no one was asking him for anything. There were no demands, no orders, not even the silent pleading some of the others did with their eyes when he told them their requests were impossible to fulfill. Here he was alone.
His coffee arrived first. Held in a heavy ceramic mug that looked like it wouldn’t crack no matter how hard it was slammed against the table was placed in front of him. A pitcher of milk in an industrial silver pitcher set into a heavy ceramic bowl of ice was placed next to it. The waitress then set down the insulated carafe next to his cup.
“Sugar’s on the side, Hon,” she said, gesturing to the metal container holding various colored packets of sweeteners. “Short stack’ll be out soon.” She took a roll of napkin and silverware from the pocket in her apron and placed it on the table.
He nodded at the information and she walked off leaving him to his coffee. By the time he fixed the cup as he liked it, she was pack and sliding a plate of pancakes on the table. She placed a small plate of gold foil wrapped butter pats down and then gestured back to the sugar packets, the maple syrup silently waiting beside them. She then left him to eat.
For her quiet and efficient service Nathan mentally doubled the tip he was planning to leave. He took a sip of coffee and let the warmth flow through him. He then set the cup aside and reached for the first of the foil covered butter pats. As he began to unwrap the top one, he let his eyes flick upwards, drawn by the movement of the opening door.
Kevin was walking in. His eyes scanned the room and locked on Nathan’s. He nodded, a smile spreading across his face. He strode over and slipped into the seat across from him.
“So this is where you disappeared to, we were wondering,” Kevin said. He smiled at Nathan. When his smile wasn’t returned, Kevin forced his smile slightly wider as though that would force Nathan into complying with his attempt at companionship.
Nathan continued unwrapping his butter and slipped the pat between two of the pillow-y pancakes. They were hot enough that the butter began liquefying on contact.
“What do you want Kevin,” Nathan said as he reached for the second foil wrapped butter pat.
Ten til Midnight 