Back Roads | ✅ completed

Chapter 51

The regulars from brunch were still seated, enjoying the chatter and the perfect afternoon fall day. The leaves had already changed their many shades and were now falling free. Every so often a few would be torn from the tree by an unanticipated gust of wind before settling miles away from their original limbs.

Jasmine was filling Rudy's fourth cup of coffee as he worked on the crossword in the paper. She glanced at how much he had completed, and smiled when she saw more than half was filled in. "How are you today, Mr. Walters?"

"Jasmine, dear, we've talked about you calling me Rudy, haven't we," the old man peered over his glasses at the puzzle. He filled in a few boxes then looked up at the young woman who he had witnessed spilling a whole tray of food her second day on the clock. She was only a kid then. Now she was clearly a young woman with a very stubborn streak.

"Yes, Sir," Jasmine mocked. He set down the paper, gestured for her to sit across from him then folded his hands over the cheap paper. Jasmine did as she was instructed, setting the pot of coffee on the table in front of herself.

"How long have you worked here? It's got to be nearing ten years," He pondered, and she nodded.

"Seven years this winter."

"And you've been my waitress for just as long." Rudy's words didn't need a reply. Jasmine knew his way of circling back to any skipped questions. "For seven years I have watched you work yourself to the bone serving the same rude and boring customers."

"You aren't rude or boring," Jasmine gave him a kind smile, hoping to lighten the conversation. Her fingers twisted the diamond ring on her finger under the table when he held up a hand to stop her.

"What are you still doing here?"

"Finding my next place," she shrugged. The old man shook his head. Removing his thick glasses, he wiped his face and replaced the glasses before staring at her again.

"You're going to have bad days, Jasmine. Being anywhere but here though," he smiled at her, "Can make those bad days easier to get through."

"What do you mean by anywhere but here? This is where my I need to be." She squeezed her left hand, feeling the diamond pressing into palm.

"You know, Lucy and I moved here after our first three years. When we first arrived, nothing felt quite like home. We had to readjust, but in no time it became home. We met our neighbors and made friends. We built a life. So, can you."

"You had someone at your side helping you adjust."

"You do to," he pointed to her hidden hands, "Don't think I didn't notice that little sparkle on your hand. I may be old and blind as a bat, but a bat could see that from space."

"I wasn't trying to flaunt it, but I don't know what else to do with it."

"It's hard to let things go," he held up his wrinkled hand, showing his wedding band. "But this place doesn't hold as many memories as our old home had. It was easier to move on. Something tells me, this place and town holds more memories than you want to see day in and day out."

"Thank you, wise sage," Jasmine slid out of the seat, picked up the pot of coffee and disappeared behind the swinging doors. David looked over at her with an eyebrow raised. His always curious gaze amplified the silent space between them. She returned the coffee pot to the warming plate atop the machine and leaned against the prep table.

"No chatter today? Random babblings?"

"I've got nothing," Jasmine shrugged. David sighed, picked up a potato peeler and handed it to her. She smirked at the familiar gesture. Grabbing a sack of potatoes, she kicked over a trash can then hopped up onto the prep table. "You know this feels like a trap."