Stitches

8: Center Of Attention

Note: Time referenced below is tied to when chapter six ended.

—Travis—
6 Minutes Earlier...

Travis watched the gray expanse marked with faded, cracked white lines. Yet, everything was fine. The conversations and music playing would have been calming if not for an ominous feeling.
Were these blissfully unaware people the lucky ones?

"Joe, it's been great seeing you again." An elderly man at the bar counter said to the younger man beside him.
How long had they known each other?
Was this the last conversation they'd ever have together?

"Likewise Erick. You take care now." The younger man rose from his seat and gave the older man a light shake on his shoulder. Joe made his way to the door. Anxiety clutched Travis's chest as he held his breath and heard the chime on the door ring out.
Would this be the moment when some patchwork abomination would pop up?

"And another one gone, and another one gone." Yet another horribly timed song. Why did the radio seem to hate him today?

The man strolled through the parking lot.
Nothing...
The man made it to his car.
Everything was fine... 

His gaze shifted from the parking lot to the kitchen door. Della had stormed into the kitchen after Fred's yelling made half the diner pause their conversations.
Kendra and Tiffy still hadn't returned.
Was she–

"Hey, I'm gonna get you, too!" Worry recast to anger at the lyrics.

"Fucking song." He growled as he looked back at the fragile barrier that gave an illusion of safety and separation from what lurked outside.
Travis had seen first-hand that glass did little to stop them.

Just watch the parking lot. Be a lookout. The job felt like he was being pitied. "You think your injured ass can save her?" The words festered in his head as he peered out the window to the parking lot and road. Everything was still calm. 

"Now, where did that waitress go? I need to get going." The unease returned from her mention of leaving. Travis watched the two women; the one who spoke had her back to him and he could only see her brown hair and the shoulders of her pink blouse. 

"She must be busy. You need money for the tip, Kate?" The other woman at the booth asked when a muted thud came from behind him. "Let me see what I got in here." The quick slide of a zipper followed by the rustling of the purse's contents. "Oh, I got a five, that enough?" The woman's eyes shifted to Travis, the two locked eyes. Her head tilted to the side and down, just slightly, a smile on her face.
It wasn't the worst misunderstanding he'd been in. 

"Yeah." The bill crumpled as she took it from her distracted friend. A silence formed between the two women. "Angie, what are you..." Travis followed her gaze to the window. "Oh," Travis felt their combined stare. "Okay." The woman in pink rose from the booth. "Just text me how it went when you get a signal again." 

Angie nodded. A chuckle came from Kate as she made her way to the door. Travis's focus split between the two women, one walking away and the other sliding out of the booth to approach him. 

"So there's no way you're from here." The fake leather of the booth squeaked as the chime sounded out from the entrance. 

Travis looked at the woman across from him. "I'm not." He said flatly before switching back to the window as Katemade her way along the wall of windows on his side of the diner.
Just make it to your car.
Then I can let the other one down gently.