Title: Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Author: nyxie9
Disclaimer: If you recognize the characters, chances are I don't own them. Stahl is mine, all mine but I'll share her with Sam 'cuz he's so darn cute. In addition to the many things I don't own Belle and Sebastian and the song Dear Catastrophe Waitress are among them as well.
Comic: x-men
Pairing/Characters: Sam Guthrie/OC
Rating: R overall
Summary: Sam meets a woman he wants but it there more to her than meets the eye? (Mmm…cliché but please read on.)
"Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Dear Catastrophe Waitress
I'm sorry that you seem to have the weight of the world over you
I cherish your smile
There's a word of peace on your lips
Say it, and with tenderness I'll cherish you"
Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Sam Guthrie had to restrain his smile as he walked past the plate-glass window of the diner. He had to hide the fact that he was specifically searching the establishment for one particular person. Carrie, so proclaimed the shiny plastic rectangle pinned on her chest, always wore at a slight angle. And his mouth curved up, a grin nearly bursting over his face as he spotted the petite blonde by the mass of hair piled up in a sloppy bun secured with artistic chopsticks. Somehow she looked good in the blue polyester dress all the waitresses wore at "Chip's". The diner wasn't the best place to eat in Westchester but it was clean, the food was deceptively eatable and for Sam, the most important part was the girl.
It was getting late. The city streets were dark lit dimly by flickering street lamps and only a few people were still milling about. It wasn't a busy part of the city nor was it a busy night at Chip's and he hoped the kitchen wasn't closed quite yet. He'd put off having dinner until then just so he could see her. He always sat up at the counter when he came alone. She would talk to him sometimes, other times he just watched her work. Sam was admittedly smitten with the pretty woman but he knew little about her aside from her first name, where she worked, that she smelled like frankincense and myrrh and the fact that she like to read Kurt Vonnegut. But she was kind and had a pretty smile. Her teeth were straight and white and made more apparent by her golden brown skin. Her blonde hair and blue eyes combined with the bronzed skin made her look exotic reminding him somewhat of Storm.
The bells jingled as he opened the door drawing the attention of the pretty waitress. "Hey there stranger." She said in the lovely British accent of hers as he took a seat up at the counter, a gentle smile on her lips. He loved her smile when it was because of him. The slow night only held a few loyal patrons so Sam knew he might get a chance to strike up a conversation with Carrie. She had been standing near the cash register, thumbing through a magazine. He had been hoping for a book he'd read so he could try his hand at a better conversation. "Hey, how you been?" He responded. "Can't complain. And yourself? Haven't seen you around in a while." She comment off handedly
That while had been two weeks and he was off dealing with X-man business. But he didn't want to tell her that, didn't want to let her know he was an X-man or even a mutant before he got to know her. It wasn't because he was ashamed of either but he didn't want to scare her off. It wasn't exactly something you could break the ice with. And it hadn't escaped his attention that she had noticed his dearth. Although in her defense prior to his two week absence, he'd been in for dinner or lunch almost every day in as many weeks.
"Ah've been workin'." It was the truth at any rate so he figured it was a good explanation. "Working?" She replied in her soft accent, a hint of a laugh on her lips. "What line of work are you in that earns a handsome bloke like you a shiner like that?" "Oh, that…" His hand drifted to his face a moment. He had forgotten about the bruise he'd earned getting sucker punched. "It's nothin', just in the wrong place at the wrong time." Carrington Stahl, the pretty waitress, known to most simply as Carrie didn't quite believe the southerner who frequented Chip's but let it slide. "Well, let's hope you end up in the right place, if only for the sake of your face." She said with a wink. She didn't tend to flirt with the customers but Sam was kind of a sweet guy, if not a bit misguided in his affections.
She knew the young man had a bit of a crush on her. Chip's just wasn't that good for an attractive man to have any other reason to come here so often. Carrie grabbed a laminated menu from beside the cash register out of habit, knowing what the blonde man would be ordering already. "So what can I get you to drink?" "Uh, just a coke." He replied as she slid the menu in front of him. "I'll be back in a minute." He watched her walk away, noting how she made that hideous dress look so damn good. He had to look away not wanting to get caught ogling her like so many of the men there did. He looked down at the menu instead, even though he knew what he wanted.
He always ordered the same thing but he always wanted to tell her, just for the chance to talk to her again as if she'd fall for him over the meatloaf platter. She tended to the few other patrons before bringing him his soda. He didn't try to eavesdrop but he couldn't help it. He wanted to know if she was just as friendly with him as she was with everyone else. She was polite but she didn't call them handsome. The girl was funny but not particularly memorable, at least not to anyone but him.
She set the glass down in front of him, pulling a straw out of the pocket in her apron. "So, are we feeling adventurous tonight or will it be the usual?" He smiled a bit, trying not to blush. He liked that she notice his typical order. "Uh, Ah think Ah'll stick with the usual." "Suit yourself, mate. You know there are better places to eat around these parts." She said as she leaned into him over the counter. "Ah come for the service, Carrie." She snorted. "You're an odd duck, Sam." There was a moment there where she hesitated, enjoying the subtle hint of cologne and resisted the urge to close her eyes and wait for him to kiss her. Instead, she wrote the order on her little ticket pad and hung it on the nearby carrousel for the cook, quirky smile still on her lips.
He loved flirting with her now that she flirted back. The young Kentuckian had missed her the last few weeks. Sam sighed before he took a sip of soda. It had taken steady dedication to come off as a real person and to hopefully convince her that he wasn't just some creep but he'd come to think of her as a friend. Now, it was making himself miserable, imagining that they had more going on than this little diner and chitchat. As much as he enjoyed their small talk, there wasn't anything really substantial. She would bring him food and silverware and take his money. He needed to either be satisfied with that or make a move.
Part of his mind tried to remind him that she had noticed he was gone, had called him handsome, remembered what he always ordered and she winked at him. She didn't wink at anyone else. Sam wanted to ask her out but he didn't know if she would just count him as another weird customer who forgot that she worked for tips and was just trying to squeeze a few more cents out of someone who fell for it. But he kept coming back to the fact that she called him by name, always made him feel welcome. He was lost in his thoughts when she came back setting the plate of food down in front of him. Carrington chewed her lower lip a bit, finding the look of the young man focused elsewhere, chewing idly on the end of his straw to be quite adorable.
Finding him almost irresistible, a rugged combination between a scruffy and boyishly good looking, Carrie didn't want to leave just yet. "You must really like Paul's meatloaf, eh?" Her soft voice interrupted his planning which mostly focused on figuring out how to ask her out. "Huh?" Came his wide eyed reply. The lovely blonde smiled at his confusion. "I was noting your love of loaf shaped meats." "Kinda reminds me o'my momma's." She laughed, as she rung up another customer's ticket. "I'll be sure t'let him know." "Ah mean it as a compliment." She smiled again, shaking her head. "You need anything else?" He shook his head. "Nah, Ah'm good f'r now." The blonde cursed herself inwardly as she walked away for not being able to come up with anything better than 'loaf shaped meats.'
She walked away from him again to give the customer his change. That would leave them almost alone in the diner. He wasn't entirely sure what he would do or why that mattered. It wasn't as if anyone was paying him any mind aside from Carrie. He could have asked her out a thousand times before, whether or not they were there alone. He watched her in the mirror the counter faced. It usually reflected the morose or tired faces of Chip's typical patrons but tonight it reflected the pretty blonde, almost exclusively for Sam.
At least that's what he wanted to think. She cleared the dishes and cleaned the table in efficient fashion. And she checked on the last of the stragglers before she took the stool next to him. She turned away from the counter, resting her elbows on the edge as she stretched her legs out in front of her, crossing them at the ankle. "So, let me ask you something; you're a young bloke with a cute accent, not too hard on the eyes, you've got manners and yet, you spend half your nights choking down the meatloaf platter here, why?" "Ah…Ah don't know."
Surprised that she had just come out and asked him that, he felt his cheeks redden. It wasn't like she hadn't pointed out something that wasn't true. Sam had at least hoped not to be that transparent. "Misses kick you out or something?" She asked kindly, casting a half smirk at him, trying not to sound like she was hitting on him. Her blue eyes were twinkling with mirth and she gave him a quick laugh as if it were cover up her inquest. "Ah'm not married. Or with anyone." He corrected quickly, not sure if she was teasing him or testing the water. "Ah just haven't felt like cookin' an' uh, food's pretty good here." He cast a sideways glance towards Carrie to gauge her reaction. But her faced was only turned in thought.
"You know, it's almost closing time and I should be kicking you out but just between you and me, there's two slices homemade blueberry pie in the kitchen that I'd be willing to split with you." "Homemade, huh?" "Yep, by yours truly." She said as she pushed herself away from the counter, turning towards him in the swiveling stool. "You can cook?" "Maybe not like your mum's but it won't kill you. I'm pretty sure of that." He smiled back at her. "Ah don't think that would be too awful." "Wonderful. I'll clear the place out and lock up then."
She got up and passed the ticket to the nice looking couple who had come in and were the last left that night. They paid their bill and left, leaving him, Carrie and the cook, Paul. She locked the door and turned the open sign around to show they were closed. He watched her disappear through the swinging door. There was a certain excitement that bubbled in his stomach at the thought of eating with her. Sure it was just pie and she was probably hungry and maybe she even just felt bad for him but it didn't matter because he was going to be spending time with the woman. He endeavored to finish the remains of his dinner before she came back.
Carrie didn't know why she had been hitting on the young blonde. Truth be told, she had missed his almost daily visits to the diner. "Well, Sweetness," She said teasingly to the cook and owner, Paul, "We have somehow defied all odds and survived yet another service." She continued as she put her hand to her forehead, feigning a swoon. He smiled as he continued to clean the kitchen. "No thanks to your mouth." The portly man ribbed her as she put the used dishes in the washer. "You don't know that. Most people find it quite appealing. I think it's the accent." She and Paul had sort of a teasing father/daughter relationship and they were both quite thankful for the other.
"At any rate, I think it's safe for you to head home now. I'll lock up." "What about meatloaf plate out there?" "Meatloaf plate is a nice guy and he's had a hard couple of weeks. I can handle him." "I just don't like the idea of leaving you alone with some strange guy all the same." She shook her head. "I'm small but I'm scrappy. C'mon Diane'll be glad to see you home early and maybe she'll stop thinking we're having an affair." Paul scoffed at her a bit, even though while his wife like the woman, she had thought that he was interested in the pretty blonde girl when he hired her.
"Paul, that bloke out there's a nice guy and…I kinda like him."Carrie confessed, a charming blush rising over her cheeks. "Ah, the truth comes out." He teased her as he patted the top of her head. "It's not like that. You know my heart belongs to Rodger Daultery. Sam is just…a friend." Okay so he was a complete stranger but she felt drawn to him for some reason. The older man was about to protest but he saw the earnestly in her attractive face. Carrie lived a rather solitary life. She never spoke of her friends and only mentioned her brother from time to time. And of the many males who'd found her attractive or been interested in, she'd never shown any interests before.
"Alright," He relented, "But you know where to find me if you need anything." She smiled and hugged the large, balding man who had nothing but good intentions. "Thanks," She said, not wanting to point out that Sam was probably thirty years his junior and looked to be in better shape. If there was a problem giving him a call would probably take too long. But she wasn't worried, not because she thought Sam was that great a guy but because she wasn't just a tiny blonde waitress and could hold her own in a fight. There was a great deal Paul didn't know about her.
"Remember to balance out the drawer and Di wants you to come for dinner this Sunday." He reminded her in his best fatherly tone. "Right, right. I'll be there." "Be safe." He said kissing the top of her head before taking off his apron and shutting down the kitchen for the night. Carrie took to cleaning up the front and dealing with the last of dishes before she returned to Sam, blueberry pie in hand. She inclined her head, directing him to a table rather than the counter. "Join me at a booth here. I need to sit somewhere comfortable for a while."
And he followed willingly as she slid in the green vinyl booth, setting a plate in front of both of them. She gave a satisfied sigh as she sat down, grateful to be off her feet. "Long day?" He asked as he ran his eyes over her. Her face was beautiful and relaxed but all the same she did look sort of tired. "Don't you know it. My feet are killing me." He grinned, wanting to reach across the table and take her hand or have her slide her petite foot in his lap for him to rub. Instead, he took a large bit of pie, enjoying the sweet taste and fluffy crust.
"You know, this is really good pie, reminds me o'home." Carrington laughed as she cut into the desert with her fork. "Good, I'm glad." There was an awkward silence that permeated the diner now. Now that he had her alone Sam couldn't think of what to say to her, at least nothing that sounded articulate. "So," the woman began, breaking the silence, "Tell me something about yourself." Sam laughed nervously. "Uh, Ah'm not sure there's anything interesting t'tell." "Then tell me something boring." She replied, gesturing with her fork.
"Um okay. Ah…well Ah'm from Kentucky." She smiled. "That's not all that boring. You know, I've never been there." "You should go. It's a beautiful place." "I might have to take a trip sometime then." It was idle chitchat but it was nice to talk with a kind man casually, normally. "So where are you from?" "All over really. Cape Verde, originally but uh, I was raised in Portugal and England as well." "Ah figured from the accent, well the England part but not the rest."
"Most don't. I don't mind. I had a very strict uncle who didn't care for my native accent so invested heavily in making sure I sounded more…proper."Sam ran a hand through his hair. He tried to recall a time he enjoyed talking to someone like this as much as he was right now. "Well you do but then Ah guess Ah've always been partial t' a British accent." She chuckled, taking another bit of her desert. "And here I thought I was the one working for tips." "You invite a lot o' folks t' have pie with you after hours for tips?" "No mostly for fun."
Sam raised an eyebrow. He could barely contain the broad smile from over taking his face. It was now or never, he decided. The waitress had thrown out enough hints tonight. "Well, uh, then maybe it's not too forward o' me, Carrie but…do you think Ah could ask you out sometime." She found him rather cute in his shy way and mannerisms. "I bet you could ask me out sometime, if you just tried." Her soft blue eyes were twinkling playfully and he blushed slightly, wishing his words had come out better. "Well, Ah actually…Ah mean, would you go out with me sometime?"
She should have said no and she knew it. It wasn't as if she was actively looking for someone. She didn't want to get involved with someone but she liked Sam. As much as she hated to admit it, she liked him. "I do have one requirement for going out with you." "What's that?" "I have to at least know your last name." The blonde man smiled again. "Guthrie, Sam Guthrie." She seemed to ponder his name for a second before extending her hand to him.
"Carrie Stahl." "Nice t'meet you, Ms. Stahl." "You as well Mr. Guthrie." He held her hand longer than he needed to in a polite hand shake, enjoying its soft warmth. "You know Ah still owe you f'r my dinner and the pie." "Desert's on the house, Sam." "Nah, you don't hafta do that." "Well, it was homemade and I wasn't selling it so, I think I do." She said with a wink. "But you can still pay for you dinner. It'll make Paul less nervous about you."
Smiling, he helped her clear the table and she thanked him. He settled his bill and with his change, she gave him her number. "Give me a ring or…I guess you know where to find me." He grinned and on impulse leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Count on it." Carrie couldn't help but giggle as she showed him out of the diner. "Have a good night Sam. Don't end up in the wrong place." "You either, Carrie. Ah'll see you soon."