desertion

66

LYDIA

I stepped into Sunset Crust, the bell above the door jingling as I entered. The familiar scent of dough and melted cheese welcomed me like an old friend. I adjust my apron strap and took a deep breath. It felt good to be back, though nerves hummed beneath the surface.

"Lydia!" Mr, Cruz, a regular who practically lived in the corner booth, called out, his face lighting up. "Look who decided to come back to work!"

I grinned, making my way over. "Hey! Miss me already?"

"Of course! Who else is going to listen to me complain about my tomato plants?" He said, chuckling.

I laughed, catching sight of a few other regulars who gave me small waves or warm smiles. I spent a few minutes chatting, answering questions about how I was doing and telling them I was feeling better.

Finally, I headed to the back to clock in, tying my apron tighter. It felt like slipping back into my routine—normalcy I had been craving.

********

The shift wasn't as busy as usual, which I didn't mind. I spent most of the day behind the counter with Delilah, joking and laughing as we folded pizza boxes and wiped down surfaces.

"Okay, but seriously," Delilah said through laughter, "if Miles doesn't propose to you in the middle of the pizzeria, I'm going to have words with him."

I nearly dropped the stack of boxes I was carrying. "Delilah, oh my god, stop!"

"I'm serious!" Delilah doubled over laughing. "I mean, come on. It's the perfect love story—two pizza workers, destined to be together forever."

I couldn't help but join in her laughter, shaking my head at my dramatic friend.

********

It was near the end of the shift when the bell above the door chimed again. I glanced up, ready to greet whoever had come in, but my smile faltered.

A man, a woman, and a little girl stepped inside. Something about them instantly set me on edge.

The woman's grip on the little girl was tight, and her eyes darted around the restaurant like she was waiting for something bad to happen. The girl clung to the woman's side, her face pale and streaked with what looked like dried tears.

The man walked confidently to the counter, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Large pepperoni pizza," he said.

I nodded, plastering on my usual customer-service smile. "For here or to go?"

"For here," the man replied curtly.

My gaze flicked to the little girl, who was looking at me with wide, fearful eyes. I softened my voice, trying to put her at ease. "Alright, it'll be out in about fifteen minutes. Is that okay?"

The man nodded, pulling out his wallet. "That's fine."

I gave him the total, and he handed me cash. After giving him his change, I gestured to the dining area. "You can sit anywhere. I'll bring it to you."

"Thank you," the man said, leading the woman and child to a table near the window.

********

My eyes lingered on them as they sat down. The man leaned over to the little girl, saying something I couldn't hear. The girl didn't respond, just stared down at her lap. The man's jaw tightened, but he didn't press her.

Delilah appeared at my side, nudging me. "You know they probably wouldn't appreciate you staring at them like that."

I tore my gaze away. "Something feels...off. The woman and the little girl—they looked terrified when they came in."

Delilah frowned, her playful demeanor fading. "You think something's wrong?"

"I don't know," I admitted, glancing back at the table. "It's just a feeling."

"Pizza's ready!" Tyler called from the kitchen.

Miles handed the tray to me with a small smile. "You okay?"

"Yeah." I took the box, brushing off his concern.

I walked over to the table, setting the pizza down carefully. "Here you go. Enjoy!"

The man nodded curtly. "Thanks."

I forced another smile before walking back to the counter. I felt Delilah's eyes on me as I set the tray down. "You're overthinking it," Delilah reassured. "Maybe they're just having a bad day."

I sighed. "Maybe."

But the uneasy feeling in my gut didn't go away.

********

The shift ended quietly. The couple left without incident, though I couldn't shake the sense that something wasn't right.

As we cleaned up, Delilah and I wiped down tables while Tyler and Miles cleaned up the kitchen. ABBA's "Dancing Queen" came on the speakers, and Delilah grabbed my arm.

"Oh my god, we have to dance!" Delilah exclaimed.

I laughed. "Here? Seriously?"

"Come on! No one's here!" Delilah started spinning around dramatically.

I couldn't resist. Soon, the two of us were dancing and laughing, our voices belting out the lyrics.

Miles and Tyler leaned against the counter, watching us with amused smiles.

"You two are ridiculous," Miles said, shaking his head.

"Come join us!" Delilah called, grabbing Tyler's arm and pulling him into the makeshift dance floor.

I grabbed Miles, and soon all four of us were dancing around the pizzeria, laughing and singing.

For a moment, I forgot about the couple, the little girl, and my lingering worries. It was just me, my friends, and the simple joy of the moment.