Awaking The Sun

f the diner flickered and went out. The scent of rum wafted through the air as I poured

as no way I had the energy to hang out while she sobered up enough to drive herself home. I took in her dishev

ss already empty. "W-would you cl-close my t-tab?" She hiccuped and pulled her wallet from her purse. She rifle

Naty home without taking advantage of her open purse. Naty was too headstrong to ask for help most of the time. More often than not, she needed so

about her thin lips. "Wh-whatever floats yer boat. I can

heel, can I?" Despite Naty's annoyance with a forced ride,

nd place it in front of her; she sloppily grabs the quar

faded yellow wall. I hit number two on the landline, and a couple of rings l

have to ask if the ride was for someone else. I almost laughe

signaling that Jerry had hung up-- no

harger, I grabbed the closest washclo

ng up from the task at hand. I tried my best to sound cheerful, but I was beginn

e sticky counter and sat down awkwardly in the nearest boot

val at the diner. "Finally," I murmur under my breath. Soon I could go home and slee

uth open while drool pooled at the corner of her lips. I could

, was as shabby a sight as usual. The car paint was chipped and yellowed with rust. I quickl

ry?" I asked as I pointed towar

was slumped onto the floor no

d and opened

er. With practiced ease Jerry and I both lifted Naty from her uncomfortable pos

this doesn't cover it all, but when you get there, she should be able to cover the r

d him into this unlikely depression. Dark circles under his eyes reflected shadows in his caramel brown irises. Not six months ago,

depression, maybe he wouldn't

staring but he didn't seem to care enough to ask why. It wasn't my business to ask about the cause of his noticeable weight

ime. "You should get some rest, you look tired." I caught a grimace of some emotion flash across

ened the door and got in. For a second, I thought he would just close the door and drive off, but as he st

o." Jerry's voice was softer than usual, and he gave me a quick wink. For a moment the darkness was gone

r, waving goodbye as h

t Naty home safe and sound. Strangely, this was the first time he had smiled at me, an

ner, but in the past year or so she had sunk into a deep depressi

I didn't know what happened to her, there must be a terribly sad story behind it--sadness is as good a reason people fall

hing else I was missing. I had a gut feeling that it was too coincidental that so many people

t I had been standing in the cold with no jacket on, I quickly turn

chores. I turned the lights off an

d and knew Mimsy, my boss, was still working. Earlier, she had told me she would h

ve Mimsy her privacy and head out without saying goodbye when she's here this late. Ton

r graying blonde hair in a messy bun. "Though

h pale cheeks and under-eye bags darkening her features. "Oh---hi, Kaelynn; I thought you wo

frowning. She doesn't reply, b

should go home," I muttered, wa

om her usual bubbly personality. "I am tired, but I need to get these bills done. They won't pay themselves." Sh

e as my cue to leave, but intuition told

ad and kneele

ed numbers jump off the page at me. The diner wasn't bringing in enough

ly and needed every cent of his paycheck. I was a college student who lived in a dorm, bu

n a lower number. The red totals turned from red to black. The recalculated total was now showing a small profit. I sti

ed to slap the daylights out of

Mims. It's okay. I don't mind. There is no poin

ftened into a smile. "This is too much,"

ast I can do. You're like family, basically

was a bone-crushing hug. "You know, if I had met you

up. Not a single placement family cared enough to adopt me. I wanted so much for someone to think of me as one of th

a deep breath and fully stepped away. I wanted to change the topic, and tiredness was only creepi

ved the document with a click on her keyboard and closed the screen. I watched as she shoved a f

wed her out of the

roommate in the bed across from mine filled up the silence, making it difficult for me to focus on the dang book. I wanted nothing more than to throw the book onto the floor and pass out th

ream that chan