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Tempting as the scent had been, I’d chucked out Jason’s burger yesterday night, and I hadn't felt like eating at breakfast, so the last thing I'd ingested was a cereal bar what felt like a lifetime ago.
It’s not twelve yet, a little too early for lunch, but there’s a small queue in front of the hole-in-the-wall. Some guy wearing an ill-fitting suit is first in line, followed by two gossiping old ladies.
Jesus, the smell is driving meinsane.
One of the biddies turns to me, eyeing me up and down. “Shouldn’t you be at school, young lady?”
“In my day, no one left in the middle of our classes to do god knows what,” the other one is quick to add.
The first shakes her head. “Hush, now, Cynthia—Teddy told me all about it. They have 'free periods' sometimes.” To me, she says, “You look like the good sort, dear. I’m sure you’re not skipping.”
Well, she’d be wrong.
I smile awkwardly. “Thanks?”
“She looks uppity,” Cynthia grumbles. “That’s the big, fancy school up the road's uniform, isn’t it? The ones who bought the lake.”
Cynthia glares at me like I’m personally responsible for the purchase of said lake, made decades before my birth. Even they don’t look old enough to have been alive back when the purchases were made.
“And in doing so, they made your family and mine quite comfortable,” the kinder one reminds her. She rolls her eyes. “Our families used to own lake houses where your school was built. There’s a painting of Cynthia’s on her mantelpiece.”
“Best view in town,” Cynthia announced proudly. “And now we can’t see it—we can’t share it with our grandchildren. My poor Teddy will never swim in the lake.”
“Isn’t there another lake a couple of miles south?” I ask. I’d run around there a few times with the track team.
Cynthia shrugs. “Not as pretty.”
“Next!” the taco guy calls.
The old ladies place their order, then grumpy old Cynthia turns to me. “Well, what will it be?”
I blink. Up until this moment, I thought she hated my guts by default but apparently, Cynthia wants to buy me lunch. “Oh, I can get my own.”
“Indulge an old lady,” Cynthia’s friend says, patting my hand.
“I’m going to order a lot,” I admit.
Cynthia eyes me up and down. “Good. All skin and bones, you are. You have to get a little padding, yes? You’re not vegetarian, are you?” Before I can answer, she turns to the guy still waiting for the rest of our order. “Two of the special for the uppity girl.”
“Coming right up, Cyn.”
He starts preparing our food, and my stomach grumbles audibly as I see him mix fresh ingredients, cooking marinated meat and veggies right before my eyes. Oh, this is going to be good. So good.
Our food’s ready within minutes and Cynthia hands me two fresh tortillas filled to the brim. I could cry.
I stand there awkwardly, wondering if they want me to eat with them, but the old ladies wave and tell me to “get my skinny self back to school.”
Which I do, while eating the best taco I’ve ever had. My mother would probably cry if I admit it to her, but they’re justsomuch better than hers. Unless I’m just starving.
I get back toward the start of my lunch hour, so I use the time to install the door lock. A huge weight lifts from my shoulders.
When my mother calls me back around twelve thirty, I can honestly tell her I’m fine. “I just wanted to let you know I’ll be home this weekend, too.”
She pauses on the other side. “Is everything all right, Dia? You rarely came back on weekends last year.”
The best lies stay close to the truth. “This year isn’t as much fun. Besides, I told Uncle Lucius I’d meet him for brunch Sunday.”
“All right.” She’s easily convinced. “I’ll clear my Saturday this time, yes? We can go shopping. My treat.”
