What Life Holds

Chapter 69

Nathan's POV

"You think anything is open at 6.14 am?" Vanessa frowns after glaring at the car's clock.

"I am sure we can find some place." I pull out from the parking spot and drive down the avenue.

"I have an idea!" She raises a finger in the air. "I know the best place to eat the best pancakes! Turn, um... right!"

Turns out it wasn't right. We passed around thirty minutes driving around to end up at Mary's diner.

"This is it! Yes! I am so sorry, I am terrible with roads and directions. You will love it! Here you will have the best pancakes! I swear! Come on!" She pops out of the car excited.

"You do remember you're still wearing your sexy onesie, right?" I whisper playfully after getting out as well.

"Oh my..." She checks herself on the car's side mirror. She first hides her hoodie with the ears inside her jacket, so that it is not visible, and then zips it till it reaches her neck. "How do I look?" She asks anxious.

"Cute." I pat her on the head.

"Ah! Mrs Mary just came here to open the place! It's our lucky day! Come on!" She drags me by the arm and rushes towards the diner's door. "Good morning, Mrs Mary!" She greets a chubby lady with red lips.

"Oh Vanessa sweetie, good morning!" She gives her a coy smile. "It is way too early for pancakes, even for you, don't you think?"

"I know, I know." Vanessa chuckles. "We just craved the best ones in town so I brought Nathan here. Nathan, this is mrs Mary. Mrs Mary, this is Nathan."

"I heard that, Vanessa." I chortle at her formal introductions. "How you doing?" I stretch my hand over to Mrs Mary for a handshake, a gesture that makes Vanessa give me an approving glare.

"Good, Nathan." She looks at the both of us suspiciously. "So who woke up who?"

"He woke me up." Vanessa burges in pointing at me. "Like really early! Or really late... I mean it was still dark outside, no sign of the sun." I raise an eyebrow at her babbling. "Which was totally fine!" She nods to reassure me. "Yeah, I had no problem with that. I love spending time with you." She blushes right away and looks at Mrs Mary. "With him! Um... can we come inside?"

"You are adorable! Get in." Mrs Mary opens the door.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." Vanessa repeats while her face is still red. She gets cuter second by second. "Where should we sit? Someone would think it is easy to decide when the diner is empty but still, I can't pick a table. Would you like to sit by the window? Or close to the door? Maybe close to the toilet just in case you want to use it?"

"Why don't we sit here?" I touch her shoulders and make her sit at the couch in front of us. I sit across her. She is nervously playing with the zip of her jacket.

"Are you sure I look okay? I mean, that nobody will understand I am wearing my pijamas?" She asks in a low tone.

"Yes, I am sure." She sighs relieved.

"Do you like it?" She waves her hands around.

"I'll answer to you after I eat." I smirk at her and she eyerolls. "So-"

"So what?" She pops up from her seat. "You wanna order? I can go find a menu." Panicked Vanessa is giving me a hard time not to laugh.

"So..." I cough to add more drama into this, "what did you say?"

"I say a lot of things. I don't remember!" She starts taking the napkins out of their box.

"Just some seconds ago."