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1963
I aggressively wiped down diner tables with a rag dripped in cleaner, then followed by another rag to dry. My apron swayed with the aggressive turns I was taking, "You should calm down there Cynthie." My coworker, Mary, called out to me as she watched me with amusement. I slapped the rag covered in cleaner down on the diner table. "I'll calm down when I wanna calm down Mary." I spat, "I'm supposed to be at the movies with Tom right now!" I huffed, taking a seat on the diner booth seat, "But no, Mr. Jackson insisted I worked today, on a Sunday I might add! The day known for being called 'Rest Day'!"
"You and Tom are still together? I thought y'all would be over by now." I gave Mary a pointed look as I crossed my arms across my chest, "It's unfair! I am twenty-two years old and I'm stuck in this dead-end job while everyone else is out enjoying life." Mary leaned against the counter, "Life's got its own schedule, Cynthie. You'll figure it out." I sighed, getting up from the booth seat and continued to wipe down the table tops. "Yeah, well, I'm tired of wondering when life will open up an appointment for me, I'm tired of this, I was made to be something great!" I exclaimed, Mary snickered, "Somethin' great huh?" I turned to face her holding the wet rag in my hand, "You think a twenty-two year old from a small town in Texas... Is destined for something great?" She asked mockingly, "Mary!" I whined, but the raven haired girl just shook her head while smiling.
"Sugar, the only thing you're 'destined' for is to get married, become a teacher probably, then die in this slow ass town. That's it." I scoffed at Mary's prediction, determined to prove her wrong. "Somethin' has gotta change sooner or later..." I grumbled, "The only thing that changed was when all the men here went off to war twenty years ago," My co-worker countered, "Now hurry up and wipe down those tables." I bit my lip to refrain from throwing any last minute remarks and did as I was told, every swipe I did with the rag made me wanna punch a hole in the wall. I was Cynthia Marie Miller, the Great Change Marfa was gonna see, and what was I doing? Workin' at a crummy diner that nobody even came too. This town felt like chains, gripping my arms and legs keeping me trapped, but eventually, chains rust and get broken, and so would mine.
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦
"I'll see you tomorrow Cynthie!" Mary called as she watched me leave the diner, "Yeah, you too, Mary!" I shouted back giving her a small smile, the Texan cool air nibbled at my skin causing goosebumps to spread, damn! I should've brought a jacket. I thought to myself, and as I turned the corner, all feeling of cold bitterness left my body and mind as I saw a familiar pair of brown eyes and dirty blonde hair, "Thomas?" I breathed out in surprise, he smiled brightly at me as he held out his arms.
I immediately rushed into them, wrapping my own around his neck as his settled on my waist, "Hey crazy gal," he murmured in my ear as he picked me up and spun me around, I giggled, my cheeks flushing as he settled me back down, "Oh Thomas! I am so sorry, I didn't mean to keep ya waiting! Mr. Jackson decided to keep me more than he had too, I know I should've called but I was just so busy and-"
