Kitchen Sink

marshmallow pies

Joyce couldn't sleep. So, at four in the morning, she snuck down the stairs and into the kitchen where she sat at a stool at stared at the tile wall above her kitchen sink.

Matt had left a permanent smile on her face.

After the incident, he had brought her back to Julia's Waffle House where his sister Kate happened to be a waitress.

Kate didn't laugh at the frankly ridiculous situation either and together the siblings worked to get off what chocolatey streaks they could.

Despite their best efforts and the utilization of a Tide To Go stick, her plain yellow shirt was now soaked and looked more like a giraffe print than the pure dandelion she had been going for.

A shiver had run up Joyce's spine as the air conditioning made contact with her damp blouse.

Matt's eyebrows creased as he noticed the movement.

"Are you okay?"

"Just in need of a seven minute shower. I'll be okay."

Matt continued looking at her for a moment before promptly turning around and sprinting out of the Waffle House. Joyce's unhappiness doubled.

After 37 seconds of awkward silence, Kate spoke up.

"How do you know my brother? School?"

"I don't think so."

Kate seemed perplexed but didn't push any further. The silence thankfully grew less awkward and Matt reappeared after another 3 minutes and 12 seconds, panting, covered in sweat, and holding a black fabric wad in his left hand.

"I thought... you might like to... whew one second..... might like to change."

He extended the shirt and Joyce hesitantly took it before excusing herself to the bathroom to put it on. The shirt reached mid thigh and a logo for the Beatles was boldly displayed across her chest.

It had been a long time since she wore black.

Just over seven years, she supposed.

Upon her return, Kate made another milkshake and some fries, saying this time they were on the house. Kate winked at her brother before walking away to wipe down tables.

Matt and Joyce sat for over an hour, conversation slowly growing from guarded and hesitant to friendly and free flowing (though some might have suggested there were occasional flirty undertones).

They learned a lot about each other.

Where they were different, it was only in the regards that mattered.

For example:

She liked the marshmallows in Lucky Charms while he liked the actual cereal.

She liked cake, he liked frosting.

She liked olives, he liked pickles.

But for the most part, they were surprisingly similar (some might even say quite romantically compatible).

They both loved the rain and liked walking in the summer sun.

They both loved chocolate milkshakes (even when they happened to spill down a shirt).

And in the most important respect, their favorite band was the Beatles.

As Sergeant Pepper played in the background, an unspoken agreement passed that Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds was officially their song.

So, as Joyce sat in her kitchen, head upon her hand, she began to doze off dreaming of marmalade skies, marshmallow pies, and Matt's kaleidoscope eyes.