'74

~ Chapter 17 ~ Electric

ANA

As Ana stomped home, her anger and frustration dissipated with every step she took. Her stomps became casual steps, and as she neared her home she became increasingly more aware of how rude she had been to the poor stranger. ‘He was a jerk,’ she reasoned with herself. ‘I guess I was too though…. ughh, this is going to eat me alive! I’ll just apologize if I ever see him again.’ 

Satisfied with her decision, Ana finished the short trek back to her home to deal with her mother’s daily interrogations. 

~~~~~~~

ELVIS

Elvis felt horrible to say the least. Not only had he insulted the one person who had saved his life, but he had behaved so irresponsibly. Ana’s attacking remarks had knocked him to his senses. He realized that he had not only treated Ana this “womanizing” manner, but hundreds of other women at his leisure. This was not the way his mother had raised him, and he knew that if she was still with him, she would have been ashamed of his actions. ‘God, if she was still alive… She’d have set me straight.’ 

After paying his bill, he dragged his feet out of the diner lost completely in thought. He was so angry at himself. The way he had behaved all of these years after his mama died. ‘No wonder my relationships don’t last.’ He thought miserably to himself. 

Trudging along back up the mountain, he moped all the way to the cabin. Nick and Lance turned and looked at him as soon as he opened the door. 

“So how was it?” “Anything interesting happen?” Nick and Lance called almost in unison.

Elvis just stared at them blankly. “It was fine,” he mumbled as he bypassed the two heading straight towards his room. 

Noticing how Elvis was acting, Nick became concerned. “Hey man, you okay?” He asked walking over to lay a hand on Elvis’ shoulder. 

“I’m fine. Just gonna go to bed early ‘is all.” Elvis shrugged off Nick’s hand and brushed passed him. 

Elvis laid in bed for hours just thinking. ‘I’ll just have to go down and apologize to her. I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t.’ Elvis rolled over and finally shut off the light to go to sleep. ‘First thing in the morning.’

~~~

Tossing and turning all throughout the night, Elvis didn't get much sleep. Ana kept ruining his thoughts and all he could think about was how he would apologize to her. Would she even listen to him? He figured if he was the first one into the diner, she would have no choice but to listen to his apology. He planned to be there as soon as the diner opened. 

As soon as the dawn broke, he threw on some clothes, grabbed his wallet and was out the door jogging down the mountain towards the town. 

‘She has to listen to me. She just has to,’ he thought to himself. 

Running into the town, he slowed to a walk and made his way briskly towards the diner. Though quite a ways off, he could see lights were on inside meaning that either it was open or soon to be. The closer he got to the diner, the faster his heart beat. ‘I’m nervous?’ He surprised himself. ‘I haven't been nervous about talking to a girl since I was in high school.’ 

He was approaching the glass doors of the diner now. He could see her. Ana was busy looking down at one of the tables and didn’t see him. Wiping his hands on his pants that he had just noticed were unbelievably sweating, Elvis looked down at his feet to hide his eyes, reached out and pulled the diner door open.