somnolescent

hour nine thousand two hundred forty - untitled two

"I'm coming home / I'm coming home / Tell the world I'm coming home / Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday / I know my kingdom awaits and they've forgiven my mistakes / I'm coming home, I'm coming home / Tell the world that I'm coming home" - Coming Home

☾ ☆ ☽

"the usual, ely?"

elyshia nodded, smiling serenely at the elderly lady behind the counter as she took a seat on one of the green leather spinning stools. "of course."

"it's on the house," salma said, already starting on the hot cocoa.

"but it's not even christmas anymore," protested elyshia, digging in her pockets for a ten dollar bill. "it's not even my birthday yet."

"don't be silly, dear, i'm like your second grandmother," salma insisted. "consider this a break from all your times you paid me when i specifically told you not to."

"alright," elyshia sighed, already giving up. she placed both her hands on the countertop, shivering at the bitter cold night. she never wore anything nowadays except the leather jacket that salvator had left behind. she hadn't heard from him in over a year, but yet she was still hoping. hoping he'd remember his promise. maybe the leather jacket was what fueled that hope.

"salma, someone in the back wants to talk to you." abby's head poked out from the kitchen doorway. she noticed elyshia and grinned. "oh, hey ely! what a coincidence."

she looked at her curiously. "hey abbs, why is my presence here a coincidence?"

"oh, um, nothing," she answered quickly, but the grin broadened. "don't worry, i'll take care of ely's order, salma."

the older woman shot the two of them a strange look. "okay... but if this is a prank again, your salary will be cut in half."

"it's better than a prank, so that won't be necessary," said abby cheerfully and with a wink, busying herself with the hashbrowns.

salma slid the mug of hot cocoa towards elyshia before heading through the door of the kitchens. a comfortable silence fell in the diner. it was abby who spoke first after handing elyshia her plate of beautiful golden hash browns. she dug in right away, eager for the salty, crispy taste to hit her palate.

"so, have you heard from your superman?" she asked casually and elyshia raised an eyebrow at her curiously.

"superman?"

"yeah, um... wait, is he more of your clark kent?" said abby, giggling and ely realized she was talking about salvator.

she set down her fork, looking at her plate of half-eaten hash browns. "he's not my anything. and he's more of a noah." a lump was beginning to form in her throat at the mere talk of noah and allie.

"okay," said abby slowly, dragging out the word. "but that really didn't answer my question."

"no, i haven't. not since he left last year." the lump was growing by the second and elyshia could barely blink back her tears. last year.

"oh..." abby's voice became quiet and ely heard her working the waffle maker. "i'm so sorry, ely, i didn't know. i just assumed and- well, i'm sorry."

"it's okay," she said with a quiet sniff. "it's okay." she dug into the rest of her hash browns, shoveling them into her mouth so fast you would have thought she was the champion of an eating competition.

"maybe he was busy," suggested abby, clearly trying to lighten the mood now. "maybe, i don't know, maybe it's school. family stuff. i could tell he really liked you just to leave you hanging. he probably had a reason. most likely."