A Long and Lonesome Highway

Requisition

Entering the Two Whales felt so surreal. The last time she was in here was to retrieve the photo drunk Warren took. The diner was demolished, Joyce aiding Frank in the rubble, Pompidou roaming the floor, obviously terrified. Warren tinkering with a radio, trying to listen to the static-filled broadcasts.

Where I kissed him. For luck.

She shook the thoughts out of her head. The diner was as she and Chloe visited. Patrons populated the bar and booths. Justin and Dana sat to the left of the entrance, officer Barry plowed a plate filled with seasoned eggs and a steaming cup of coffee. Slow country-blues blasted the room with music.

"Play me a song
Curtis Loew, Curtis Loew
Well, I got your drinkin' money
Tune up your Dobro
People said he was useless
Them people all were fools
'Cause Curtis Loew was the finest picker
To ever play the blues"

She spotted Warren, sitting in the booth second from the jukebox. Already devouring a cheese omelet. She sat down and joined him.

"Hey, sorry, just wanted to talk to someone, find out some things."

He barely looked up over his food. "Mhm." He put the fork on the plate, and swallowed his food, "find any info?"

She nodded as she told him almost everything the homeless woman told her. Excluding the parts where Jefferson had kidnapped her.

"Wow, the Prescotts are going down... I almost can't believe it."

"They've had it coming a long time." She felt harsh for that, but their family has been screwing over Arcadia Bay for almost a century, and it just ended.

"Hi, Max, how are you doing, honey?"

"Joyce!" Max leapt out of her seat and threw her arms around her second mother.

"Oh, Max," she chuckled, rubbing her shoulders, "you act like it's been forever."

Max brushed her bangs out of her face, "sometimes it feels like it, that's all." She warmly beamed. Joyce returned the feeling.

"You almost spilled my coffee, so I'd appreciate a surprise-hug warning." She chuckled.

"Then it wouldn't be a surprise." Her grin was ear-to-ear.

"It's good to see you smiling again."

"Thanks, it's been a while since I've felt this nice. It's always good to see you, Joyce."

"Always nice to see you too, Max. Now, what can I get for you?"

"Belgian waffles, please."

She winked as she wrote the ticket. Before leaving, Warren got his coffee topped off. Continuing to dig into his hot meal, Max stared out the window.

This was where she showed off her powers for Chloe. The trucker dropping the mug, Officer Barry getting a call and his partner leaving, Justin and Trevor fighting, and the cockroach.

To Max, this booth, while many were like it, this one was hers.

Warren finished up and dabbed his mouth with a napkin, "what was it like?"

"Hm?"

"The storm. Did you see it up close?"

Suddenly, Max wasn't sitting in front of Warren, the sky was dark, the entryway of the diner was completely smashed in by a massive hulk of a truck and Frank's RV. Wind bellowed ferociously, the shattered windows not offering much protection. It was likely that they wouldn't have survived, being in the wake of the storm. Electricity from mangled, broken wires sparked blue flashes that were so bright it momentarily impaired her vision. Pompidou rested his head on her lap under the table, Max rubbed his head, ruffling his floppy ears. Frank silently sobbed, mourning over Rachel's fate, his hands covered his face.

"Max?"

The diner was flawless, the music never ceased playing, patrons laughed and talked amongst themselves. Joyce advanced towards their table carrying a plate and a cup of water..

"Thanks, Joyce."

She nodded to the duo and left to top off other coffees.

As she picked up her utensils, she noticed Warren watching her like a hawk. "You alright? You zoned again..."

She immediately froze, "what?"

"I asked you if you saw the storm, but your face turned white, and you just spaced for a second." He paused, pondering whether or not to say his next sentence, "I'm starting to worry about you. Are you experiencing flashbacks?"

"You mean, reliving the same three or four horrifying moments I've seen?"

He nodded, his eyes locked onto hers, not backing down.

"Yes. If I go to sleep, or think about them, I see what I saw. Death, destruction. I keep hearing them, taunting me, or maybe guiding me. I don't know anymore."

Warren tugged his bottom lip in, "what-, no, I shouldn't ask."

"Please, Warren, not right now." Her voice was almost a whisper, more than anything she didn't want anyone to overhear her innermost fears.

He slumped back into the booth, "Max, I don't like seeing you, hurt like this. It almost hurts me, so, please, if I can help. Let me know, I'll listen, or give you space."

No, I can't be alone right now, not with myself.

She reached out over the table to touch his hand with her fingertips, "please, just, stay. I don't want push you away, just, I can't be alone." Her whisper sounded almost broken, more than anything she wanted to talk to him.

He cast a glimpse at her, sympathetic eyes. "Alright, you don't have to be."

She mouthed a silent "thank you".

The steaming hot waffles in front of her seemed so, foreign. Like it wasn't the meal she ordered.

Joyce came back, a puzzled look thrown across her face when she noticed the untouched food. "What's the matter, Max? Are the waffles losing their taste?" She folded her arms.

"No, Joyce, of course not. I just lost my appetite." It was an honest answer.

"Alright, you want a box?"

"Yes, please." She nodded. "I would never let these go to waste."

"Nice save," Joyce gave her a quick smile and turned, returning with a white box. "Want the check separate or together?" Eyeing the pair of teenagers.

"Together, please. I promised Warren that it would be on me today, I wanted to talk to you."

Her face shifted, "sure, Max. Do you want to talk privately?"

Max shook her head, "no, this isn't too personal, I just wanted to ask about that truck Chloe used to drive?"

Joyce appeared slightly taken aback, "why the interest?"

"Well, I do need something to drive, and if it belonged to Chloe, then I really want it." She flashed an innocent grin, peering at Joyce just below her brow.

She sighed, "David dropped it off at the junkyard, American Rust. He said the body rot was beyond repair. Honestly if I would've known..." she put a palm to her forehead.

"It's alright, thanks, Joyce. I'd like to stop by and have a more personal talk sometime soon."

"Oh, Max, you know I'm always here for support." She sighed, "you kids stay out of trouble, you hear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Max agreed with a nod, Joyce left the bill and continued doing her work.

Max scooped the golden waffles, placing a small packet of syrup beside them. She eyed the bill, just about fifteen dollars for two meals, she loved the Two Whales diner.

Warren reached into his pocket and removed a bill.

"Warren," she sighed, "I said I'd pay."

"Oh, I know." He sheepishly grinned, "we should leave a tip."

Max grinned at him, "alright, well, let's get going."