Safeguarders

Eli Spring pushed open the door to the funny little diner that had claimed his time so well. East Side Diner had been his balance that he went to every time he had a problem. He and the diner have been close ever since he moved to his new house in Massachusetts when he was only four years old. His house was only about three minutes away from the diner so Eli had spent a lot of time there since he was a child. All the waitresses that had stuck around knew him like he was their own child, because it was no doubt Eli needed a little extra parenting.

His mother, died due to drug overdose in Eli's freshman year. His father had lost all faith because of that, leaving Eli to grow up on his own. But god knows Eli would never talk about his family problems- not even with his best friends.

A great gust of air flew backwards out of the diner just as Eli stepped in, grateful of the heat in the small restaurant. He knew the welcomes would come right when the first person caught sight of him.

"Eli!" Linda called from the bar. Soon after, the other employees greeted him.

"Hey, Lindy." Eli said, walking up to her, not bothering to wait for the hostess. "How's today been?"            

"Just fine. I see you finally brushed your hair today." She said, petting his floppy orange-red mop of hair that curled at its ends.

Linda knew Eli the best. She was a cheerful old woman of about 60 years old that had worked at the diner ever since Eli first arrived. Eli thought that even though she had been losing her years, she was the strongest old woman he had ever met. Linda was pretty for 60, too. She had almost no wrinkles, and she was in good shape, for an old woman. Her curly gray hair and gray eyes were just about the only thing that gave away Linda's age.

"Yep. The boys and I are going to a concert tonight." Eli said, rubbing an eyelash out of one of his brown eyes.

"Really? Are you seeing anyone good?" Linda said, her eyes flashing with excitement.

Eli grinned. "You remember Mads?"

It took the old woman a few seconds, but he knew she remembered when her face lit up. "Madelyn Shore? Tommy's Madelyn?" When he nodded, Linda went on. "I always liked her, you know. I was sad when Tommy broke up with her. It was nice to see a girl brighten up all of your moping faces."

"We were hoping to get backstage to see her again, but we don't have passes. Ricky said we could wing it, but every time he says that, we get disappointed." Eli said, shaking his head, but unable to hide his smile.

Linda clapped her hands, making her look like a little girl. "I always knew Madelyn's voice would get her somewhere. I loved to hear her sing when she came into the diner. You know she might not be happy to see Tommy again, right?" Linda's mind worked like a teenage girl's.

Eli shrugged. "I told him over and over, but he isn't going to listen. You know him. He's not going to stop until he gets the best girl, but the worst thing about it is that Nathan keeps encouraging him."

Linda's thin eyebrows lifted. "Oh, no." Eli nodded. "So do you want the high top by the windows?" She said, gesturing over to the four high tops that seated four people by the two large windows.

"Do you have to ask?" Eli said, laughing softly.

"I suppose not, but it's my job, hon. Jerry thinks we should be more polite to the customers. I think his title as 'Boss' is making him overthink a little." Lindy said, walking over to Eli's high top. Eli followed her, sitting down next to the window seat.

Linda had been the mother figure to Eli ever since his mom passed. Linda treated Eli like he was her own, even though Linda had recently taken a role as "grandmother". Linda had a daughter that was in her early thirties that just had a baby boy, named Christopher. Lindy even introduced him to the little baby boy a few weeks ago.