Ink Stained Soldier

'Swirls of blue could be the sky, not the blue jay, the turquoise with a hint of midnight. The clouds they're real wispy. Then, the Amerson's barn with its bright red glow, cant forget the cows in the pasture.  Instead of the boys in the field Amy and her braids along with dame Jane will be there tending to the crops, maybe Mrs.Ame-' I was distracted from my thoughts when my swigger of a boss called out for me. "Ms. Ross your break ended ten minutes ago, get that head of yours out of the paint sets and your butt behind the counter."  Mr. Redman's five o'clock shadow darkened his face even though it was only half past one, his face scrunched in that permanent scowl. I had been working at 'The Dreamboat Diner' since the first week of summer, and after a month I still couldn't get over the crunch of his booming voice.

Mama was the one who suggested I ask if the place was hiring, since daddy was overseas, even twelve year old Jamie picked up a paper route a few towns over. Since both me and mama were working most nights -she works at the elementary school from eight to two and then from two-thirty to seven at 'Mr. Garthy's Grocery'- my sister, fourteen year old Sandra, has to take care of our 3 younger siblings.

Edward is the oldest, nineteen, -He's off in the war like daddy- then there is eighteen year old Dianne who is married to James Stanley. His family owns a shoe factory that most of the women in town are working in now. Sandra is fourteen but acts like she's thirty half the time, she's a lot like daddy in that sense, very mature. Jamie and Keith are twelve and twins but they are completely opposite. Jamie is loud and Is always the center of attention, he is the best at sports and is full of energy. While Keith is artistic and loves to draw, he keeps to himself mostly but is very thoughtful and insightful when need be in a few years he'll be a sap that all the girls carry a torch for. The baby of the family is Lorraine ,or Lori, she's 6 and adorable. Then, somewhere in the middle of all that is me, Valerie June Ryker , I'm sixteen and a junior in high school, and art is everything to me.

When I walked back into the diner I saw the Jensons and the Farleys, I saw a few girls from school, and Toni with her sugar-daddy, but among the sea of faces I had known since birth I saw a pop of green that caught my eye. There was young man in uniform sitting at the counter, usually they come in pairs or more, never alone. The bus stops in town once a week, every Tuesday, to pick up soldiers, but most have gone off already so the bus hasn't actually stopped lately. I went and got the orders of the others quickly then went to stand in front of the soldier, once I got closer I realized he wasn't anyone from town or even the surrounding, I'd remember a face like that.

His dark brown hair was cut short but you could tell he ran his fingers through it often, his cap was clenched in his fist and he was tapping his foot against the ledge on the stool. Once I got closer I noticed he had soft green eyes and a hard jawline. He was young, no older than nineteen and the hands that clutched that hat so tightly were roughly callused, the kind that you only get from hard work, the tips of his fingers were callused as well just like Edward's, he said they were from playing guitar. As I approached I assumed he would look up at me but instead he just continued staring at the white counter-top, lost in thought. I stood for a moment shifting my weight awkwardly before plastering a smile on my face and crouching slightly as to be on the same level with his hunched state. "Hi-de-ho soldier."

He jumped, surprised at my presence. Before replying to me he observed me swiftly, first he glanced at my name tag, then the soft pink bow that was wrapped around my brunette ponytail, then lastly his gaze fell upon my eyes, which in my opinion are quite dull; when I was born Mama said they were a dazzling blue but by the time I was a year old they turned a boring grey and have been that way ever since. But when he looked into my eyes his whole stature softened, as if he saw something in them no that no one else had seen. I then nervously looked away whilst tucking a strand of loose hair behind my ear, I don't deal with being the center of attention very well. It's easier just to slink into the background in most situations.

After he realized he was making me kind of uncomfortable he cleared his throat and murmured a soft "Hi.". His voice was deep, and a little raspy, but it was smooth. I wanted to hear more.

I straightened  back to my full height and grabbed a menu from behind me, most people round here know the menu by heart but we kept a few spare for any stray tumbleweeds that roll into town. Handing him the menu I said, "Would you like anything to drink? I know its kind of late but we've got some joe brewing." motioning back to the pot behind me and glancing at the clock that showed it was almost two o'clock.

He quickly took a gander at the drink section on the menu, and nodded sharply with a crooked smirk "Never too late for a good cup of coffee, especially from a pretty girl like you." He said the last part quietly, and his cheeks began to flush red along with mine.

I smiled at the ground and spun on the heel of my shoe making my apron and dress flutter lightly. I clumsily grabbed a cup from one of the hooks making the others clang loudly against the others and began to fill it with the steaming hot coffee, but in the fit of my blushing and the nervous butterflies that were fluttering around in my stomach I spilled coffee all over the counter which then flowed right into his lap "Oh my! I-I-I'm so sorry sir!" I exclaimed using my apron to dry off the counter and passing him a handful of napkins.

"Valerie! What's all that commotion about?!" Mr. Redman yelled from inside the kitchen.

"N-nothing Sir! Everything's just peachy!" I stammered with a nervous laugh. I brought my tone down to w whisper "I'm really sorry."

He was pressing the napkins to his trousers, but then he did something that really surprised me, he looked up at me a grinned like  a mad man, then he started laughing. "No, no, you're fine honest," pausing for a moment to glance at my name tag once again, "Valerie is it?"

Pausing from my cleaning I nodded then in turn asked, "What's your name?"

"Jessie, Jessie Garrison."

"Nice to meet you Jessie, sorry again about.. the coffee."

"No harm done. This has actually been the highlight of my day, would you mind sitting down for a while a talking with me?" a smile playing on his lips, and a glint of hope in his eyes.

"Well, I'm off in an hour and I know just where we can go."