When He Wakes.

Chapter 2. Cara

Wiping my tray dry I filled it with mugs of hot coffee and glasses of orange juice. " Just how much had you been drinking?" Doug Barnes roared from across the room before bursting into a full belly laugh. Lifting my tray I made my way towards Dougs' table. " I hadn't been drinking!" Terrance declared, his freckled face growing more red with my approach. " I'm telling you there was a young women in the road. She was wearing a long white dress. I wouldn't have seen her if she wasn't." Terrance tried to explain as Doug shot skeptical looks to the other men around the table. Handing out drinks I tried to avoid making eye contact with Terrance as he leaned on the back legs of his chair and ran his hand through the ginger fuzz, the remnants of a recent buzz cut, on his head. " My boy, you were dreamin. I dream of young women popping up out of nowhere too, but here I am, spending my day with you ugly bucks instead." Now even Terrance was laughing. " Maybe you weren't dreamin Doug. Maybe you did come across a young lady and she saw your ugly face and ran!" The eldest of the Johnson brothers almost spit out there coffee at this and the men laughed once more, this time at Doug's expense.

" But seriously" Terrance started again "I stopped my truck and asked her if she needed help and she just walked to the side of the road and motioned for me to get out. I got out and she took off into the forest. I only got a little ways in before I lost her and decided to turn back." The younger Johnson, Ralph, asked " Why didn't you call the cops?" Terrance turned red again before answering. " I thought the police would think I had been drinking or was going crazy or something. I sat in my truck for a second and doubted I had even seen her." The look on his face made the men quiet down and look at him. I shivered a little at the creepiness of his story before clearing my throat. " Ready to order?" I asked sweetly. Terrance shot me an appreciative glance, thanking me with a nod of his head when my eyes made contact with his green orbs.  "Cara! How are you this morning?" Doug boomed, reclaiming his usual gusto with a nod in my direction. " It's always a good day with you around Doug." I joked. His eyes twinkled and he winked at me then made some comment about how he shows up for our benefit more than he does for the food. I smile and thank him for his unselfish service, all the while trying not to let my sadness show. According to Terrance Dougs wife had left him for his brother and Doug had moved into his ailing mothers house. She died last year and since then Doug was a pretty regular guest here. He was a sweet guy and he treated everyone well, so it was hard not to feel for the guy.

Having taken everyone's order to the cook I take a moment to relax. Leaning into the bar, I couldn't help but smile as I look the place over. ' Bensons' was a small diner and feed store a few minutes from town. It had large windows  in the front and on the sides of the building so that the diners had a perfect view of the mountains and lush scenery. A narrow road ran in front of the diner, and although it was incredibly visible, it wasn't an eyesore as it was rarely busy and the majesty of the trees behind it attracted the most attention.  Attached to the place is a small auto body shop ran by Mr. Bensons Nephew, Brad. The place looked like it came right off the pages of a book, or off a movie screen, and sometimes while bored on my shifts, I pretended I was the lead actress, starring in the role of her life. A curt grunt behind me reminded me that I was supposed to be working, and gathering the plates and placing them on my tray. Taking a deep breath in, I sighed and put on my best smile. Cue the struggling waitress.

After my shift had ended I got in my car and made the drive home. 'Home' was a two bedroom cottage on the outskirts of town. The cottage was pushed back from the road by an elongated gravel driveway. It had a huge overgrown flower garden in the front, and a large porch in the back where you could watch deer in the morning and late evening. 'Home' also belonged to my Aunt Tabatha. Aunt Tabby, as I had called her when I was little, was my fathers only sister, which was enough to earn her the scorn and distrust of my mother. Although my mother tried desperately to keep her out of our lives, my Aunt Tabby held on, always remembering to write me and call. She seemed to be one of the only people I had ever met who appreciated me for who I was. I wish she could have been around more in my life, because I needed someone like that around.

I had called her after having a falling out with my mom. She understood how desperate I was to get away from everything and everyone, and had offered me the use of her house while she was away. The arrangement couldn't have worked out better for both of us as she had just agreed to move in with her long time boyfriend in the city and needed someone to house sit for her. I jumped at the opportunity when she offered it. She even put in a good word for Mr. Benson for me and he pretty much hired me on the spot. Getting out of the car I walked to the side door, unlocked it, and walked into the soft yellow kitchen. Looking to the laundry room to the right I noticed Lisa's shoes weren't on the mat, and I sighed knowing I would have the house to myself. Lisa was my roommate and the daughter of one of my Aunts oldest friends. She had agreed to rent out a room to her right after she extended the offer for me to stay there.

Apparently, Lisa was having some troubles in her home town and she needed a fresh start. When Aunt Tabby had called to ask me if I minded sharing the house with someone I was relieved. I had never lived alone and so far from home before. At first I had been nervous that Lisa wouldn't like me, but after he first week together, Lisa was easily one of my favorite people in the world. I'm not exactly a people person, so that's saying something. Lisa was confident, bright, and open, and I loved her for it. She was everything I hoped to be and secretly envied. She was unapologetically herself, and saw nothing wrong with that. Part of coming out here was to figure out what it was I wanted, and who I really was when others weren't pulling my strings. I think Lisa saw that, and saw my insecurities. She was incredibly observant, or perhaps I was just really transparent and easy to read. Either way, I couldn't have been more thankful for how the whole situation had played out.