untitled three

Normally, when Annabelle exited the highway, she was greeted by a gas station and some fast food joints so she briefly thought about getting back on the highway when that didn't happen. Instead of there being a variety of convenience stores immediately off the highway, she instead found a sign informing her that Eden Springs was located eleven miles to her right. Chewing her lower lip, she considered her options. She could turn around and get back on the highway and hope that there was a gas station within about ten miles of where she was or she could take her chances on this country road.
"Momma, I really have to go."
It was settled. If Lila had to pee, then she had to pee and given her daughter's firm stance on not peeing outdoors, they would need to find a bathroom and quick. Annabelle turned right and started the eleven mile drive to Eden Springs.
The drive reminded her of a carriage ride she had seen in a movie once. The road itself was single lane with a single faded yellow line painted down the middle. The trees grew tall and thick on either side of the road hiding anything that may be on the other side and meeting in the top to form a canopy. It felt like you were going to see a castle at the end of the road.
Annabelle felt herself getting anxious as she got further down the road without seeing any signs of life. She was scared that she would get to the end and there wouldn't be any place to get gas and she would be stranded in the middle of nowhere. But, the road suddenly curved to the right and the trees fell behind them and Annabelle could see the approaching buildings. She let out the breath she had been holding as she glanced at the welcome sign to her right.
Welcome to Eden Springs!
Stopping at a stop sign, Annabelle looked up and then down Main Street and spotted a gas station and a diner sitting right next to one another a few blocks to her left. She flicked her blinker on and headed towards them. She pulled into one of only six parking spaces and turned off the (car).
"Lila? Do you have your shoes on?"
"Yup! Can we go in now Momma?"
Annabelle turned around in her seat and looked at her daughter. She was wearing a pair of zip up yellow pajamas with a little duck on the front right pocket and her favorite shoes with Big Bird on them. She was an explosion of yellow contrasts until she looked up and met her mother's eyes, then that green just drowned everything else out.
"Are you ok Momma?"
"Oh you betcha! I was just trying to decide how many of your pancakes I am going to eat, that's all."
"Nu-uh. You have to get your own this time."
Annabelle grabbed her purse, opened her door and climbed out of the driver's seat for the first time in hours. Stretching her arms over her head, she walked around to the other side of the car to let her daughter out. Lila slid from the seat to the pavement and then reached up and took her mother's hand and the two of them walked into the diner.
Lola's Diner looked like a fifties style burger place that Annabelle had once waited tables in. She cringed remembering the poodle skirt and pony tail that had been a requirement of her 'uniform'. This restaurant was definitely not ran with the same nostalgia requirements. Booths ran from one end of the wall to the other and the bar was lined with stools, three of which were occupied. In the first was an older man, probably in his late fifties Annabelle thought, reading a newspaper and sipping coffee. The second occupant was a young boy, maybe seven or eight years old, eating scrambled eggs and sausage and drinking a huge glass of orange juice. He looked over at Annabelle and then to Lila and smiled before grabbing his juice and getting back to his breakfast. On the third stool was a police officer, but Annabelle couldn't tell anything about him since his back was to her and he was reading (what book?).
Assuming she was to seat herself, Annabelle walked Lila to an empty booth and helped her into the seat across from her own. Before she had even set her purse next to her, their waitress appeared with a pot of coffee and a name tag that declared her name was 'Tina'.
"Good morning! Do ya'll need a few minutes to decide on what you'd like?"
Annabelle smiled and silently blessed whoever it was that had invented coffee before answering.
"Actually, we'd both like pancakes and my daughter would like some apple juice. Oh and where is your little girls room?"
Tina took the menu from Annabelle and then signaled to a door next to a pinball machine.
"Ladies room is right over there. Your food should be ready in just a few minutes. Can I get you anything else?"
"No, thank you."
As soon as Tina was back in the kitchen, Lila jumped down from the booth and walked towards the restroom. Annabelle added some sugar and cream to her coffee and sat back to watch the cars drive by her window.
"Hi!"
Annabelle was glad she had set her mug down a few seconds before since she would probably have spilled it in her lap. Standing next to her table was the little boy from the counter.
"Hello."
"Where'd that little girl go to?" He asked as he climbed into the seat across from her.
"She's using the bathroom right now."
"Oh. Well, what's her name?" Annabelle smiled at him. He was really very cute with his red hair and freckles.
"Her name is Delilah, but I just call her Lila. What's your name?"
He fidgeted a little with the buttons on his shirt before he looked up, "Justin. Justin Cooper. My Momma says I was named after her daddy, but I never met him. She says I look like him with my hair being red, but my grandma says I act just like my mom. She says I am ob-stre-per-ous. I don't know what that means, but she says Momma was the same way when she was little."
"Momma, he stole my seat."
Annabelle picked her daughter up and sat her down in the booth next to her. "He didn't steal it baby, he's just visiting for a few minutes. His name is Justin. Say 'hello' to him."
All it took was Lila saying hello before she and Justin were buried in conversation about Sesame Street and bicycles and their favorite things to do. Annabelle just sipped her coffee and listened.

(2,148 words)
(47,852 to go)

Characters developed: 3
Music: Hinder
Sanity levels: stable