Sitting in the diner, I wish I was a late person. Being early is painfully awkward. I purposely left our apartment five minutes later than what I estimated would get me here on time to try to be somewhat fashionably late but it was to no avail. I still arrived at nine o'clock knowing full well a normal person like Eli would probably arrive at least ten minutes after. Now I'm sitting in a booth by myself watching my server glance over at me. And walk towards me.
"Hi hun, are you expecting another?" she asks cheerfully.
"Yeah, he'll be here soon" I say, wondering why she didn't notice the second menu and silverware I'd had the hostess set down. It's been five minutes, he's surely still coming. Unless he's not. That would be truly embarrassing. Of all places to get left alone, a diner has to be pretty bad. I'm looking at the menu without actually reading it and trying my best not to look up so I can avoid eye contact with the server. It's funny, I wouldn't normally be looking up, but because I'm trying not to it feels like a chore to keep my eyes down. Suddenly I realize Eli has slid into the booth across from me.
"Hey, I thought we were meeting for breakfast, and here you are hiding behind the menu" he says, playfully shoving it down onto the table. A smile instantly spreads across my face.
"Hi" I say, trying to stop grinning.
"I'm really glad you came" he says. "No call, no text, I figured it was a 50/50 chance I got stood up".
"Hey, I didn't hear from you either" I retort.
"You told me that if you don't get perfect grades your pops is going to ship you back to Deliverance, West Virginia, so I didn't want to interfere with your studying". As he speaks, I have to remind myself not to stare at his lips.
"It's regular Virginia" I say quietly. Eli leans over the booth and we kiss. I think of the exact word I thought of when he kissed me the first time. WARM.
"I'm sorry, I've just been thinking of kissing you all week Eli says.
"Don't be sorry. Thanks for not being my cousin" I say with a smirk.
"I'm glad you still have that sense of humor when you're sober" Eli says.
"How do you know I'm sober?" I ask, basking in the opportunity to say what I'm thinking and get positive attention for it.
"I don't get it," Eli says with a laugh, "Your story about being a poor little repressed Christian girl doesn't add up to that mouth" Eli says. I move to his side of the booth and kiss him. This time he puts his hand behind my head. I want it to last forever.
"You two ready to order?" Our server asks. There's a definitive smack as our mouth separate and we automatically grab our menus.
"I think we need just a minute" Eli says to her.
"Alrighty, no problem!" she replies as she bounces off. Eli and I look at each other and laugh. I wish we somewhere without anyone else.
"So, how did your visit home go last weekend?" Eli asks me.
"I thought we were looking at the menu" I reply.
"I know what I'm getting, Two eggs over medium, homefries and toast. My favorite breakfast is corned beef hash, but it's the best back home at a place called Melvin's's. Nothing else compares so I go simple. Simple is good here, though" Eli explains.
"Well, I guess I can go simple too. I'll get an omelet".
"So, your trip? How was it?" Clearly, I wasn't able to distract him from his question.
YOU ARE READING
The Prodigal
Gizem / GerilimEli told Naomi he would wait forever, until the day he ended his life. When they met in her freshman year of college, Naomi never told her ultra-conservative father that she had found love. Eli swore he would wait until she was ready, but Naomi alwa...
