It was about 9 o'clock when we reached Denny's. It felt so good to be out and about.
"Here we are. Asa, you want to run in and ask for a table for 5?"
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"YES!" She quickly unbuckled and ran in. I slowly unbuckled and got out while David got the little ones out.
"Geeze, I feel like an old man."
"That's because you are," Eve quickly said.
"Thanks." I was sarcastic which made her laugh.
Asa ran back out.
"I told them table for 5 and the Miss said it would be 30 minutes."
"That's not too bad. Gives us time to think about what we want to do."
We walked into the restaurant. It was loud and clustered so almost immediately I walked right back out. David ran out with me.
"You ok?" He was genuinely concerned. He touched my shoulder.
"I'm fine. It just...too...peopley"
"I feel ya."
It was brisk outside. A bit cold, not too bad.
Soon the girls came out.
"They called us."
"Already? It's only been like 10 minutes."
Well, apparently someone didn't answer when they called them so we got their table. We followed the waitress to the booth near a window. I was walking a bit faster but was getting really tired. When we got to the table the girls got on one side and David and I got in the other.
"Penny, do you want a highchair?"
"No, Buddie, I'm a big girl!"
The girls got their child menus and we got the adult.
"Asa let me see yours." She passed it to me. "Ok girls, listen do you just want Pancakes?"
"Yeah!"
"Ok, I'll get Asa her own plate then Penny and Eve can share."
"But Hayden, I want my own plate."
"Eve, you never finish and I'm not going to waste food and money."
"But..."
"Eve, no."
"Mum always lets me get my own plate..."
"Well, Mum isn't here."
"Hayden..."
"Evelyne I said no."
She stopped arguing. She hated it when we used her real name. I hated it too but I was too tired to argue.
David could see I was getting tired so he took over.
"What do you want to drink?"
They all wanted milk.
"Do want chocolate milk?"
They lit up.
"Mum never lets us get chocolate milk!" Just then our waitress came.
"Hello, my name is Madison and I'll be your server. Can I get you started with any drinks or appetizers?"
"Ok, we'll have 3 chocolate milks for the girls, I'll have a coffee, Hayden what do you want? Tea?"
"Why do you think that?"
"Well, 1. you're British"
"That's racist."
"He'll have tea."
The waitress chuckled. "Ok, and any appetizers?"
"No, I think we're good."
"Ok, I'll be right back." She walked off.
"Really?"
"What? You always want tea in the morning. I think it's in your blood."
"I do want tea but you can't just assume something because I'm British."
David started laughing and I gave an awkward smile.
"Hayden, you wanna play tic-tac-toe?"
"I would love to Asa. You go first."
She placed an X in the middle.
"Ooooo hmmm I'll go here."
I placed an O in the top right corner.
She placed an X in the bottom right.
I placed an O in the top left.
"You realize I'm going to win right?"
"Nooo. Stacy told me that if you start in the middle you always win."
"Is that so?"
"Yep."
She placed an X in the top middle.
Our game got interrupted when the waitress came back with our drinks.
"Ok, are we ready to order?"
"I think so."
"Ok."
"So the girls want the kid's pancake with bacon. So we're getting 2 and can we get an extra plate so the little ones can share?"
"Of course."
"Then I'm going to have the ham and cheese omelette then David?"
"I'll have the French Toast plate."
"Ok, I'll have that out in a jiffy."
She walked away then I quickly turned to David.
"Do people really say that?!"
"Say what?" He was thoroughly confused.
"Like, I'll be out in a jiffy."
"Yeah, I guess. Why are you so surprised?"
"Because one day back in England, oh it was so long ago, I had a raging argument with my sister about if people really said 'jiffy' or not."
"You're kidding?"
"No, I'm not. I remember her saying it and being like 'that's not a real word' and she said 'uh yeah it is' and we got into this huge fight about whether or not people actually said jiffy. It was crazy. We wouldn't talk to each other for a week and she made it my worst nightmare, trying to use jiffy in every single sentence that came out of her mouth. We made a bet that £1 nobody in the real world would say it."
"You owe her a pound."
"I know." I was way too excited. It was a great memory that I still cherish. I guess I was smiling way too much because David looked a bit awkward. Also, my cheeks started cramping.
"Haha I win!"
"WHAT?! You cheated! I didn't even have my turn!"
Asa had filled in the rest of the boxes to make it look like she won.
"Do you miss her?" He was looking down at his lap.
"Elise?"
The girls were engaged now. We never talked about her.
"Yeah, I miss her. I miss her a lot."
He looked up at me.
"What was she like?"
"Look at me. That's what."
"Oh yeah, I forgot. You're twins!" He chuckled.
There was a moment.
"Smart. Funny. Wicked talented. She could sing like nobody's business. She could draw. Dance. Act. Basically anything artsie she did beautifully."
"I wish I could've met her. She sounds amazing."
"Meh." We all laughed. "I mean, I wish you didn't."
"Why?"
"Because, that means she never died and we never moved." He was puzzled. "Which means I would've never met you." His eyes widened and he turned all red. He quickly looked out the window. A moment passed then our food came.
We ate our food and talked about random things. School. Work. David's parents.
Nothing could have ruined that meal.