Bruce and Selina rolled into town the afternoon before the funeral, driving a very stylish black Cadillac. I had been watching out the window of my diner all morning, and practically tore my apron off when I recognized them, starting at a run to greet them outside.
Selina hadn't even fully exited the vehicle when I threw my arms around her. She smelled different, but somehow felt just the same, and was quick to hug me back.
"You grew!" she exclaimed, half laughing.
It was true I'd hit a bizarre late growth spurt, but still only made it to about her nose.
"Only a little," I smiled against her, not letting go just yet, not until Bruce cleared his throat. I detached from Selina to look, and was relieved to see her husband hadn't peaked in high school.
They were both so glamorous, dressed in black, already mourning, it seemed. Their hair was still that same rich charcoal, but Selina's, at least, was now more styled than just a black mop on her head. I supposed Bruce had always been fairly put together in that regard.
The sleeves on his v-neck sweater were pulled up to his elbows, and her turtleneck didn't seem to have any sleeves at all. I'm not sure why, but this made me laugh. It was like they'd only half committed to a Virginia summer.
Bruce's jaw had grown stronger and his shoulders broader in his absence, and Selina was no longer the gangly-limbed, wild-eyed girl I remember. She looked like a very important woman. One they'd interview on the news just because they wanted to hear opinion.
"It's so good to see you," I told Bruce. "Both of you. I can hardly believe it."
Bruce opened his mouth to respond, but was preemptively interrupted by the back door of their car opening.
A boy emerged. A teenager, one with their same dark hair, but different eyes. "Should I get Helena?" he asked.
"Yeah, go ahead." Selina smiled first at him, and then at me. "Harley…" she spoke, sounding almost nervous as the boy rounded the car and opened the opposite side. "That's our son, Dick, and this…"
I watched, rapt, as Dick pulled a sleepy toddler out of the car.
"…is our daughter, Helena."
The girl's skin was pale like Bruce's, but she had Selina's big green eyes and the cheeks I remember Selina didn't grow out of until she was at least 15.
I was nearly at a loss for words, but I did manage a, "My goodness!" which is, admittedly, an odd response for me, so I added, "They're so beautiful!"
I could tell Dick wasn't a huge fan of my word choice, but before I could amend it to "handsome", Selina was re-introducing me.
"Dick, this is Harley, the friend we were telling you about."
"Oh." He handed Helena off to his father. "I heard you own a diner."
"I do." I beamed with pride, turning to point at the large letters painted in the window that read 'The Terminal'. "It's that one, there."
"Do you…serve pancakes?"
"Yes, absolutely," I assured him. "Best pancakes in town, the paper said so."
Bruce chuckled. "Well, if you can't trust the Castle Rock Gazette, than who can you trust?"
"She doesn't actually cook the food, Darling," Selina clarified for him. "I'm sure they're more than fine."
"Oh, buzz off," I shoved Selina's shoulder, which seemed to delight her. "Just shut up and eat, I'll clear you guys the table by the window."
This is the part where I have to go back just a bit and add some information I think you missed last time. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe I mentioned Eddie's profession the last time we spoke.
Well…Eddie Nygma is actually Detective Edward Nygma. He's the lead homicide detective, robbery detective, bribery and—you know what, there are like 3 other officers in the department, OK? He's the head honcho. And he's always sitting at my bar getting fat on sugary breakfast foods, which meant he was available for an introduction.
Bruce and Selina were warm, laughed at a few of his high-brow jokes that no one really understood, and that was basically that. I told them he was from Georgia and they made some small talk about that for a moment while I grabbed some menus.
"I'd love to get down there again sometime, really," Bruce was saying when I returned. "Lovely state, I just can't bear the humidity."
"Who can?" Eddie chuckled. "Pleasure to meet you, anyhow."
Selina let him kiss her hand and then I lead them to their table, yanking over a high-chair for Helena. "Alright, well, I'll start you off with some waters, and then—,"
"Wait," Selina laughed. "You mean you'll be serving us?"
"Well, I—,"
"Sit, Harl," Bruce instructed, pulling out a chair for me. "Please, I'll tip triple to whoever's scrambling to cover."
I was unable to keep myself from smiling. "OK. I'll just check with the kitchen and be right back out."
"OK," they smiled too, and I headed back to the kitchen, just to make sure my staff would be alright for a moment without me.
Even though I would be eating with them, I couldn't resist at least taking a tray of waters out to the table. So after I got the go-ahead from my very hard-working cook, I emerged from the kitchen once more, carrying that tray of water. But as I approached the table, I found my chair had been taken.
I assumed Selina and Bruce would have a lot of people to catch up with having been gone for so long, but I knew just about everybody in Castle Rock and I didn't recognize this woman.
She was wearing a white sundress-a stark contrast to Bruce and Selina's somber colors- that was open at the back, showing off her tanned skin, and sandals with a slight heel were strapped to her feet. If I'd had to guess, I'd of said she was a tourist from somewhere far west of here. But that didn't make much sense, as she'd so quickly made herself at home at Bruce and Selina's table.
I slowed my walk, making my presence known the way I always had as a waitress, not wanting to intrude. "Will we be needing another menu this afternoon?" I asked, reverting back to the customer service script I'd memorized long ago.
"Mmm…no, I don't think so," the woman spoke from beneath her mane of red hair, before brushing it aside to look up at me, and nearly stopping my heart in the process. "The Gazette said I really must try the pancakes."