Traveling Soldier.

"Yeah, yeah." Marianne said aloud, followed by a muttered, "Fuckin' hippie."

Kathy glared in her direction, unimpressed by her co-workers unprofessional behavior. "Well, you talk to him or I will." She warned in a sing-song voice.

Kathy kept her back to the girl while she continued to work on the coke. Maybe Marianne was right, he seemed harmless enough. With her mind made up, she scooped the glass into her hand and headed back toward the booth. She was going to speak to him, after all.

He's a little shy so she gives him a smile/And he said would you mind sittin' down for a while/And talking to me,/I'm feeling a little low/She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go."

Kathy set the glass down beside him and offered a calm smile. He was still glancing over the menu absentmindedly. Kathy set the glass down in front of him and offered her best smile. She almost felt bad for him at second glance. He couldn't have been older than eighteen, and even that was giving him some credit. His blond hair was shaved to confirm with army regulations and his greens eyes looked lifeless and set back in his head. He held the aura of a young man, although Kathy was sure she could sense the fear that he tried to suppress.

"Do you know what you want?" She asked finally, readying the pen and pad in her hand.

"I think I might be interested in..." He paused and gave the menu another quick scan as if he was trying to make up his mind. Kathy could tell he was avoiding eye contact with her, but she tried to push that thought away and focus on her job. "I'll have the spaghetti."

"It's really good." She promised him, scribbling down the order. "Anything else?"

He answered her by shaking his head. Kathy tucked her pad back into the base of her pink apron and secured her pen behind her ear. "I'll have that right out to you."

Kathy got two steps from the table before the meek voice called her back, "Excuse me, miss?" He asked.

Kathy turned and looked back at him, "Yes?" This time he looked at her, although his head was dipped down slightly to watch her movements.

"Would you mind sittin' down and talkin' to me? I'm feelin' kinda low." His eyes were pleading, and Kathy felt the need to sit down. Unfortunately, work wasn't over just yet. She swallowed hard.

"I'm off in an hour, but then I know where we can go." She told him, offering another small smile. This time he matched it. Kathy's heart fluttered under her ribcage. "I'll be back with your food."

Stepping around the counter, she disappeared into the kitchen. Marianne followed on her heels. "I heard him ask you to talk to him. Are you gonna?" She demanded.

Kathy scowled, and tore the page from her pad, handing it to the chef. He scowled at the two girls gossiping and went to work.

"Thanks, Ken." Kathy hollered after him before turning to face Marianne, scowling miserably. She was god awful nosy and Kathy simply didn't like it.

"Why should I tell you?" She asked, her voice edgy and spiteful.

Marianne's hands raised in mock surrender for the other girls pleasure, "Hey, I'm just asking." She defended. 

Kathy eyed her bitterly, "And if I do, why would I tell you?"

Marianne smirked knowingly at her clueless friend, who stood at the bay window looking out at the soldier boy. A mix of pity and jealously had settled in her gut and sat heavily like a block of cement. Why? Was all she could think. It had taken a lot not to march out and demand that information from the blond sitting in the booth.

Kathy frowned and tore her gaze away from the boy who sat alone. He had to be scared, but Kathy wasn't going to offer him pity. That just wasn't her. It never had been.

Still, staring at the male she wondered if it might be time to change. He wasn't anything like what she'd been told about in school. Those men they told her about were fearless warriors, not young boys barely out of school. She refused to believe it. Any of it.

Marianne cleared her throat behind me, making her presence known. Like she ever needed to make her presence known. "So, what did he ask you?" She demanded.

"Why should I tell you?" Kathy tore her gaze from the dining room and fell heavily on the woman who stood beside her.

Marianne grinned her signature troublesome grin, "Because I'm your best friend. Savvy?"

 Kathy snorted under her breath, hardly interested in what Marianne was saying and turned her attention back to the window. Something about him perplexed her. Why had he chosen to reach out to her and no one else? He could have asked Marianne, but still Kathy knew it was by pure chance. She chose to serve him and he was looking for a helping hand. She just happened to be there.

"Kath, spaghetti is ready." Ken dropped his hand on the bell, making it clear to her.

"Thanks Ken." she spun on her heels and took the plate, heading back out to the table where the young soldier sat.

"Here you go." she set it down in front of him.

"Thanks." he smiled brightly. Kathy couldn't help but notice how sweet and innocent he looked when he smiled. What she was told about these men was slowly going out the window.

"I have about thirty more minutes to my shift, if you want to hang around." she informed him, tugging at the hem of her skirt. It had become a nervous tick over the years.

"Yeah, I can wait. It's alright." he nodded and looked to her hopefully.

Kathy answered him with a sad smile. "Alright, soldier boy." she taunted. She turned and disappeared around the counter again. Marianne was busy refilling coffee cups for some of the men who sat at the bar. Her eyes veered to Kathy, and she instantly knew what it meant. It made her feel like of sick to admit it but she nodded toward the kitchen before disappearing into the swinging door of the kitchen.

The door burst open, followed by a very wide eyed Marianne. "Tell me everything!" she demanded.

"I don't even know his name." she told him quietly.

"Bull, you know something." Marianne's lips twitched into a smile. "I heard you tell him you only had a few more minutes on your shift."

Kathy sighed, she never gave up. Marianne would never stop prying.

"Fine." she surrendered. "He asked if we could sit and talk. I reluctantly agreed."

"Kathy!" Marianne squealed, "He asked you out!"

"He's leaving, y'know, for War?" Kathy reminded, her voice cold and indifferent.

"He still likes you." Marianne's voice was perky and excited.

"It's not a big deal." Kathy spun to face the bubbly blond who bobbed her head in nod.

"It's a huge deal." Marianne snapped.

Kathy rolled her eyes and stalked to the sink, depositing dishes that had been picked up from an otherwise empty table.

"Anyway," Marianne's eyes veered to the clock anxiously, "Your shift is over in ten minutes, but I won't tell if you clock out early."

The offer sounded tempting. Kathy braced herself against the sink and considered it. Maybe it wasn't the worst idea she ever had, and that soldier seemed eager enough to have someone to talk too. Sighing, she pulled at the strings on her apron. "I owe you." she told Marianne, handing her the apron.

"Yeah," Marianne grinned, "you do." she agreed taking the pink cotton from her friend.

Kathy laughed softly and leaned over, kissing her check. "I'll pay you back, promise." she reassured her.

"Find out if the soldier boy has any friends." she yelled after Kathy who was already approaching the male.

Kathy tossed a weary smile back at the blond who stood behind the counter. She held a grin that didn't quite reach her eyes but Kathy wiped the thought away and stopped short of the table. "I'm off." She said offering a hand to the soldier.