Finding Comfort

Chapter Three

Tuesday, May 18th.

Around 3 the lunch crowd has finally dispersed and we start preparing for the dinner rush. Since I'm working til 8 all I will be doing tonight is taking people to open tables or booths. Cheryl said around 7:30 I can be her shadow so that I can see how the waitress job really is. 

Apparently, Manning's Cafe is a hot spot in this small town. With a morning, lunch, and dinner rush for a diner is a big success. 

It's now currently 5:10 and Cheryl is starting to get worried that Tyler won't arrive for the dinner rush. 

"Cheryl, didn't Tyler say he gets out of practice at 5? Won't he have to get ready and what not before coming? I'm sure he'll show any minute. Just deep breaths" I tell the lovely older lady. 

"Oh dear, honey. What will I do without you to calm me down? I just get so worried that something happens all the time. Although a small town, accident are still bound to happen. Like one time, I was walking back from the grocery store and some one ran a stop sign! Some one could have been hit! In front of me! Oh what a terror that was." Cheryl said with a visible shake going throughout her body. 

I let out a little laugh, "Cheryl.. I'm not going to dismiss your fears. However, I think you maybe need to think on the brighter side of things. Like although I had a horrible childhood and ran away when I was 13 I always knew that I would end up in a beautiful place. and look, here I am" I say with a smile. Totally not realizing that I just spilled out a little bit of personal information about me. Not something I would ever normally do, but something about Cheryl eases me. 

"Serena, honey, what did you just say?" She gives me a questioning look. Before I can say anything back to her Tyler walks in running straight up to his mother. 

"Mama, I'm sorry the boys thought it would be a good idea to tag along. They said they were gonna hole up in the back booth until we close. Apparently they have nothing else better to do with their day." He said with an eye roll while hugging his mom. The sight brings a frown to my face, having never known what that feels like. However, I correct it real fast when I feel his eyes on me. 

"Hi again, Princess. Told you I'd see you later." He says with a handsome smile not some smirk like most guys would try. Cheryl looking back and forth from us with raised brows and a small smile after the little Princess comment. Yeah Cheryl, he calls me Princess, it does something to my body too.

I do an eye roll of my own before saying "and I told you I would be here til 8" 

"Ok you two," Cheryl says with a full blown smile now "as much as I love the Princess talk" my cheeks instantly blush and Tyler full on smiles at me. "Let's get ready for the dinner rush, we only have.." she looks over at the clock, "Oh shoot, we only have 5 minutes. Go go go!" 

Tyler gives me another breath taking smile before parting ways from me and going to the back. I walk shyly to the front and prepare to seat the guest. 

After a tiresome few hours, it's now 7:45 and I start shadowing Cheryl. She is so professional it's no wonder people love this diner so much. 

At 8 I'm dismissed for the day, so I go to the employee lounge and start gathering my things. Cheryl told me I could leave the uniform here and she would wash it as it needs. I was a little shocked because the most washing my clothes get is from the shower in whatever home I stay in. Occasionally only getting washed once in a blue moon. 

once changed back into my old rags, I go to exit but get stopped by Tyler on my way out the diner. 

"Hey, mama let me off to drive you home. Just give me a second to tell the guys they need to find their own way back." He says still smiling. 

"Oh you don't have to do that.. I don't mind walking, it's not that far." I say lying, knowing that I probably will be dead by the time I make it back to the shack. 

"It's really no problem, just give me a minute" He says walking away. 

Knowing that he can't see where I live, I head out the exit and cross the street, continuing on my way to the other side of the tracks. 

I make it maybe 2 blocks before an old truck pulls up next to me on the curb.

"I thought I told you to wait for me!" Tyler yells from the trucking. He puts it in park and jumps out next to me. "I was gone for maybe 30 seconds and I come back and you are no where to be found! You can't just walk away when someone says they'll take you home!" He shouts near me. 

I shake a little from the confrontation, but put on a front so he doesn't realize how much is shouting as an effect on me. Although I've been away from that basement for 4 years, the yelling and shouting directed at me never gets any easier. 

slightly shaking in my old beat up converse, I gather the courage to whisper and almost inaudible sorry. 

"Shit, not Princess, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted. I just didn't know where you went and when old man Patrick said you had walked down the street I got a little worried. although we live in a small town, no lady should be out walking when the sun is down. It's safe, but it's never safe as my mama likes to tell me."

"It's ok Tyler, sorry for just walking away. um, can you just take me to the tracks. I don't want you to see where I live. no offense" I say once again in a whisper. 

"Princess, I'm gonna need you to speak up, it's really hard to hear you when you whisper around me" he says smiling, obviously he heard what I said but just wants me to use my voice. 

I roll my eyes, take a deep breather, "Will you drop me off at the train tracks? I don't want you to see where I live. No offense to you, it's just not the most impressive place." I shrug. 

"You live over by the tracks? that's a four mile walk! you were gonna walk during the night over to the tracks?!" He shouts once again.

I let out a little whimper at the yelling, and once again whisper "I actually live on the other side of the tracks. 

Tyler's eyes nearly pop out of his head at this. 

"Nothing is on the other side of the tracks but a bunch of run down shacks.. where are you staying over there?" He questions already knowing the answer. 

I don't say anything, just look up at his face. He looks into my eyes searching for something. Finally he lets out a breathe, "Alright, come on, let's get you home."