Y'Lan
I pulled up to the small diner I used to frequent back in the day and my mouth instantly began to water.
I looked over at Nola for her approval. She small smiled before carefully taking in her surroundings. "You drove me all this way for food. She said referring to the forty minute drive. "This food better be amazing." She giggled unbuckling her seatbelt and reaching for the door.
"Let me get that." I said hurrying from the driver's side and over to her door. Quickly opening it and extending my hand for her to take. She briefly cut her eyes at me before placing her small hand in mine and stepping out of the car.
"I'm pregnant not handclapped Y'lan." She joked as I stepped past her.
"I know." I said glancing over my shoulder at her. "If you weren't we'd have to park over there." I said pointing at the empty parking space further away.
"Haha very funny." She said after realizing that there weren't any designated parking spaces anywhere to be found. Like the ones reserved for the handicapped or expecting women.
"Just let me be me." I said taking the door of the diner into my hands and opening it before stepping aside to allow her in.
I followed behind her before pointing at a booth just to the left of us, tucked neatly in a corner. "Let me be a man. I open doors. I help pregnant women out of cars. What's the wrong in that?" I quizzed guiding her into her seat before taking a seat across from her.
"I suppose there's nothing wrong with it. I guess I'm just not used to it." She admitted with a blank look on her face.
"I wish that wasn't the case." I added.
She looked into my eyes for a moment before picking up her menu and burying her face in it. "Oh wow!" She said as her eyes roamed over the menu. You'd never know it by looking at this place but they had some of the best food in all of Stone Mountain.
"Yeahhh!" I gushed opening my menu as if I didn't know exactly what I was about to order. I hadn't been here in so long it just felt good to be able to do it.
"I think I'm drooling." She said peaking over her menu at me. Causing us both to share a laugh. "I think I'm about to order everything." She added sounding rather serious.
"Go 'head." I encouraged.
"You say that now but when the bill comes I expect you to be a man." She said closing her menu and softly placing it on the table.
"Woman you'd probably pull back a nub if you reached for the check while you're with me." I said causing her to giggle. Just as the waitress walked up to the table. Sitting two glasses of sweet tea before us. Causing Nola's eyes to bulge.
"Hi, I'm Birdie and I'll be your server for today." Birdie said never once looking over at me. After all these years she still looked the same. Only a few fine lines had gather at the corners of her mouth and a couple more gray hairs than I remembered. But besides that same ole Birdie. "So what can I do you for today?" She asked pulling her pen and pad from her apron.
I nodded my head at Nola so she could order first. "I'll have the country fried steak with garlic mashed potatoes, biscuits and sausage gravy." She said rubbing her hands together in excitement. "And like please don't hold back on the gravy." She added rubbing her bump. "We like gravy." She said cheekily.
"We never do." Bridie said. Taking a moment to small smile at Nola.
"I'll take the T-bone steak, medium, two eggs sunny side up, fried hard, hash browns, fried hard, two pieces of white toast, and a cup of coffee. Black." I said peering into the side of Birdie's face as her brows raised. "And a side of house gravy." I added just as she looked over into my face. "We like gravy." I said allowing a huge smile to spread across my face.
