Page 28 of A Future To Remember

I nodded. “Yeah, I like mine medium-rare. Is that okay?”

“Sure,” he said, turning back to his griddle.

“Any chance I could get an extra-big portion of fries with that?”

He chuckled but didn’t turn around. “Yeah, I got at least one more batch of frozen fries in the bag and I haven’t shut down the fryer yet. Gimme three minutes or so.”

“Thank you, Gus,” I purred.

Then I turned back to Levi and, without blinking, I dumped the ruined burger into the trash before tucking the plate into the dirty dish bin.

Levi looked crestfallen, and then, astonishingly, he looked resigned. He got up and began to shuffle away when I stopped him.

“Where’re you going?”

He paused, glancing over his shoulder at me, then at the hallway to the dish room, then back at me. “Uh, back to work?”

“Like hell you are,” I said, pointing with my good hand to the stool he’d just gotten up from. “Sit.”

He studied me while he took his seat again, looking thoroughly confused, and maybe even a little scared. I headed over to the soda fountain and got a glass, filled it with just a little ice, and poured him a large Coke. Then I grabbed a to-go cup—one of the extra larges—and copied the ratio of Coke to ice in that container as well.

Moving back over to Levi, I set the large Coke in front of him and said, very softly, “Sit tight. Your dinner’s almost up.”

Understanding blossomed in his expression, and his gaze darted between me and the window, where the smell of a properly cooked burger wafted out to us.

While Gus was occupied at the griddle, I moved to the station where the other to-go containers were stacked and took out one that was large enough for Levi’s meal, set it to the side next to a big white bag, into which I threw a bunch of ketchup and mustard packets, adding a set of plastic utensils.

I then busied myself by cashing out the last of our customers, motioned to Levi to clean off their table, and just as he was taking the last bus tub into the back, Gus hollered, “Order up, Maddy!”

Heading back to the window, I placed five one-dollar bills on the metal shelf. “Gus, I just want to say thank you for taking care of me tonight. I know I’m new, and there were one or two rough orders on your wheel, so I really appreciate your patience while I get used to the menu.”

The man stared at the bills, then back at me, then back at the bills, like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “Hon, you don’t have to pay me to cook. Wanda takes care of me.”

“I know,” I said, shoving the money forward. “I don’t think I’ll be able to afford this every time I work, but tonight, Gus, I just want you to know that I appreciate you, okay?”

He shook his head and put his hand over the money, moving it back toward me. “I’m not gonna take your tips. You worked your butt off. You keep it. I’m glad to help you out. And you’ll get better. Hell, you’re already the best new waitress Wanda’s ever hired.”

I took back the bills, offering him my most grateful smile. “You’re a kind, kind man, Gus. God’s probably thinking He’s lucky He created you. Thank you.”

He smiled again, but it was that same a-little-bit-off smile that he’d worn when I asked him how Levi’s burger had been cooked. I knew it was guilt and hoped it bothered him for the rest of the night.

Moving out of his view, I slid the burger and fries into the to-go container, then tucked that into the bag, folded over the top of the bag several times, and left it next to the register.

When Levi walked back out after putting the last load of dishes through the dishwasher, I pointed to the bag and held a finger to my lips. “Gus, this burger is amazing!” I called, knowing I was out of his view.

“Glad you like it!” he called back.

I handed Levi the bag and winked at him.

He took it gratefully, mouthing his thanks, then almost bounced his way to the back, out of sight, to eat his properly cooked meal.

For the next twenty minutes or so, I wiped down all the tables and the counter, finished rolling the silverware, and even got out a broom to sweep the diner’s floor.

Levi then came out toting a mop and looking less pale than when I’d first met him. It was easy to see that the food had done him good.

He didn’t speak; he simply mopped behind me after I’d finished sweeping the floor, and as I was putting the broom away, Wanda came out from the back with a satisfied smile on her face.

“We had a good night,” she said to me.