Page 60 of Mended Hearts

She nods. “One coffee coming up.”

I watch as she grabs the cup and pot of coffee, pouring it to the brim. She reaches over and grabs the saucer containing the different creamers on the way back, then sits both in front of me.

I look at her name tag. “Thanks, Bonnie,” I say, holding her gaze and giving her a sincere smile.

“Anytime. Know what you’re havin’ yet, doll?”

“Think I’ll have some pancakes.” I close the menu and sit it back in the holder.

She walks away and gives my order over to the cook. I sit with my thoughts, trying to sift through them, but there’re far too many. Talking behind me breaks through my internal noise.

I slowly turn my head around, making it appear as if I’m checking the door, waiting for someone. The booth is at an angle where I can’t see the woman, but I can see the man, and he saw me. I smile because that’s the polite thing to do when you and a stranger make eye contact—even when it’s not accidental. He gives me a short, curt smile before returning his attention back to the nagging across from him.

“He was gone all night, David. All night,” she says with frustration.

Surely that's not who I think it is and she isn't talking about who I think she's talking about…in public.

“He wasn’t gone all night,” he quietly counters.

“What could he have been doing? It’s not like he was sleeping. That’s what he’s hopefully doing now.”

Would it be highly inappropriate for me to place myself into their conversation and politely let her know that her son was at my house most of the night, fixing up the front porch? I have a feeling that wouldn’t go over well. More importantly, Dustin would hate me for doing so. If he wants her to know his business, he’ll tell her.

“Good, he needs his rest,” he replies with tired patience.

“What?” she screeches. “He needs to be on a normal schedule.”

“He’s not a newborn, Jill.” He leans into the table, lowering his voice. “Are you going to keep finding stuff to gripe about, or are you going to drop it and just be thankful that our son has returned…alive?”

I hear her gasp like he just sucker punched her. A sense of pride bubbles up within me, thankful that it seems like their dad does in fact have a backbone.

“Glad to see whose side you’re on,” she huffs.

“This isn’t about sides. The sooner you figure that out, the better off you’ll be,” he threatens unapologetically.

Dustin’s mom balks, throwing her hand over her chest. “And…what exactly is that supposed to mean?”

“You’re pushing your son away.”

“I am not.” I hear the table rattle a bit and the bench squeaking. “I cannot believe you’d even say that.” A few random noises follow, and I watch as she leaves, walking like a madwoman.

Yikes!

“WHAT THE HELL?” I start laughing as I look through the texts Lynsie sent me.

Lynsie: This is as far as I could get him last night.

The text is followed with a picture of Dax half on, half off their porch. It looks as if he walked up to it and then crawled up it like it was his bed.

I call her as I walk out of the diner. I need to tell her about her in-laws.

“Hey, boo!” she answers cheerfully.

“Oh my God. I cannot believe he passed out like that. Did he fall off?” The image of petite Lynsie trying to get him inside the house is comical in itself.

“Yes.” She laughs. “Then he came running inside like a bat outta hell, saying some animal was after him. It was probably one of the rabbits we have around our yard.”

“It was a bear!” Dax yells in the background, making me and Lynsie giggle.

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