The harts[Unfinished]

05.

I entered the restaurant named coffee and things. It was like an old time diner. There were booths along the wall that the door was on. On the side walls there were two people per table with the tables lifted off the ground. Then on the back wall was the bar table. It wasn't a bar I don't think but it was in a bar shape and the cash register was up there. Behind that was where they cooked food, it was employees only. I sat down at the bar in a squishy chair with a circular red cushion. "good morning," a lady at the counter said. "What can I get for you?" She had a southern accent which was weird. A small town outside of Boston isn't where you'd expect a girl like her to be. She had dark brown hair that was almost black but not dark enough. She was busty and pale. She had a scar around her eye, I tried not to stare at it too much.

"Uhhh," I pick up the menu, flipped it over to the back and then to the front quickly. "I'll just take a black coffee." I say. She walks back and makes the coffee. I look around the diner. There was an older couple sitting in one of the booths eating a full meal. The bacon and eggs on their plates looks delicious. On the side wall there were two girls about my age maybe a little younger sitting across from each other, laughing and drinking coffee.

"Here you go dear," the lady comes back and placed my drink on the table. I take a sip from the mug. "How is it?" She asks. I nod in response. "I haven't seen you around, what brings you here?"

I didn't know if I should tell her. Maybe she knows who Jesse is.

"Uh" I swallow more coffee. "I heard my dad lived here once and I wanted to find more out about him." I don't know why I feel comfortable enough to tell everyone in this town about my personal life. My best friend doesn't even know what I'm doing but I've told like half the town.

"Oh," she straightens up. "What's his name? I might know him."

"Kermit-" I don't even get a chance to say a last name.

She sighs. "Good man, good man," she looks down.

"That's what I've heard." I say looking down at the ground with her. "What's your name?" I look up and ask.

I guess this took her by surprise because she looked up quickly. "Jesse, Jesse Jones," she reaches her hand out for me to shake. "And yours?" She nods.

"Maya. Maya Hart," I shake her hand and look into her eyes. I got a feeling that she was weird but also super nice.

"Pretty name."

"Thank you," I nod. "So you knew my father?" I had to get back on track. How much did she know about him?

"Yes, he was a very brave man," she was very discreet about my dad.

"How?" I lean forward intrigued. From what I knew he was a coward. Only a coward would leave his wife and kid.

"He saved my life." I wrinkle my brow in confusion this she picked up on and continued. "I was being stupid one day on the road and crashed into a tree and your father found me and got me out." I assume that's where her scar on her face came from. "if it wasn't for him. I would have burnt up in that car. Good man." She shakes her head.

"Oh," I sounded surprised but I was also angry. Angry that I didn't get to know this amazing Kermit everyone was talking about. I only knew my dad, the jerk who left his wife and kid because he couldn't handle it. 'We can work it out,' my mother would alway say to him begging him not to go. 'I don't know,' my father would respond. This happened almost every night he was home. He was a drunk too. How can my father turn into the amazing guy. He was the worst human possible in my little mind. I didn't believe it. I don't believe anything these people say. My father was a terrible human being. I stood up, slammed the money I owed on the time and stormed out, leaving everyone especially Jesse shocked.

"Maya?" Henry met me at the door and stopped me as a aggressive opened the door. He had a hold of my wrist. "What's wrong?" He seemed sincere but I didn't care.

"Nothing." I shove past him and start toward my car.

"Maya," he says my name calmly in a voice that could melt any girl's heart. He grabbed my arm and turned me around. "What's wrong?" He asked again.

I sigh in response. I don't say anything. I start to cry. I cry. I don't know what for. I had so many emotions I didn't know. I was happy because my dad became a good person. I was mad because he left. I was upset because I didn't know my father. I was in denial because a man came go from being terrible to amazing. I cried. Henry didn't say anything he just pulled me close and hugged me. His hug was warm. I was happy because I met him.

"Maya," he finally pulled me away.

I look him in the eyes. Strings of my blonde hair was falling in my face. "Yeah?" I ask barely audible.

"What's wrong?" He stared deep into my soul.

"It's too much," that's all I said. Henry crinkled his eyebrows.

"Maya..." he pauses, trying to figure out what to say to not hurt me more, "let's get you back to the hotel." He places his hand on my back and guides me toward the hotel.

Henry sat with my in my room until I collected myself. We didn't talk we just sat in silence until I was ready. "He was a good man," I repeated what Jesse was saying. That's all Jesse could say about him. Henry just nods understanding that he doesn't need to say anything. He just listened. "This town changed him." Henry was staring at me the same way he was when we were talking to Mary. "He was the terrible father that left me." I was crying again but it wasn't uncontrollable crying. It was just a few tears falling out. "But he changed." I keep my eyes away from Henry. "I didn't know him. I didn't know my father but this town did." I start squeezing my hands together getting angry. "This town made my father better but  that doesn't change that fact that he ruined my family." Henry stares at me taking all of my emotions in.

"Are you mad that he left or are you didn't come after him?" Henry asked as if he knew the whole situation. Who was I mad at? What was I mad at? I couldn't have gone after him when I was little but I could have when I got older. I know my mom would have let me.

"Thank you," that's how I responded to the question I didn't answer out loud but I knew he knew I answered it. He just pulls me in for another hug. My arms wrapped around his neck and his arms wrapped around my waist. It was the perfect moment. We slowly pulled apart. I lean in and so did he.

"We... we can't," he stutters moments about from our lips touching. Why can't we do this? I like him. And he clearly liked me.

Oh, wait, "right your girlfriend," our lips were still very close. I could feel his breath on my lips.

"My girlfriend?" He pulled away a tad.

"Yeah, the girl at junk n' stuff. Charlotte?" He starts to laugh. "What?" I sounded insulted.

"Charlotte and I have been best friends since we were little. Nothing is happening there." Oh. I felt stupid. Of course he wasn't a player. His Charlotte was like my Farkle. I loved him but not like a boyfriend, like a brother.

"Then why can't we kiss?" I get close to his lips trying to touch them with mine.

He sighs deeply. "There are still something's you don't know."