Page 14 of Dallas

I’ve been to countless diners across the country, traveling with the rodeo. This is the sort of place you find in Anytown, USA. A vague 1950s flair, booths covered in thick red vinyl. A bar with chrome stools. For lunch, they have hamburgers and milkshakes, for breakfast, bacon, eggs, and toast drowned in butter, which is exactly what I want out of the most important meal of the day.

We’re greeted by Sarah’s boss, who looks at me like I’m an alien, which makes me wonder more about her life here.

I guess she doesn’t bring men to breakfast here on a normal day.

What does a normal day look like for her?

I spent years with her, and now she’s a stranger who feels like home to my heart. But I don’t know what she likes for breakfast, or what kind of men – or women – she dates. I don’t know what her favorite foods are or where she likes to shop, or what music she likes.

“We have a table right in the corner,” the woman, who I assume is Daisy, says.

“Thank you,” says Sarah. She clears her throat. “This is my… My friend. Dallas. We were in care together.”

Daisy’s demeanor shifts. “Oh. Well, that’s… Nice to meet you.”

I nod. “Nice to meet you, too.”

It’s funny. Because I don’t tell people about my time spent in foster care. I have a family, and so when we talk about families, I just talk about mine like I was always there. I don’t get into what happened before I found Bennett. But I wonder if Sarah has to tell people because she still doesn’t have a family around her, and it raises questions.

“I just want to thank you for everything you’ve done,” Sarah says. “But I’m… I’m leaving town. With Dallas. I need to get away because –”

Daisy nods. “Of course. But you know that you always have a job if you need one.”

“That’s so nice of you.”

“Where do you live?” She directs that question at me.

“Gold Valley,” I say as we walk across the diner and go sit in the booth.

“I have a friend who lives there. Sammy Daniels. She makes jewelry. If you need a job, Sarah, I could put in a word with Sammy. She’s pregnant, so I know she’s looking to cut her hours at the store.”

Sarah looks completely shocked by this. “I… well, that would be amazing.”

“I’ll give her a call. You’ve been amazing here, and I’m really sorry to see you go. But I get why. I just wish there was more I could do.”

“You’ve done so much for me,” Sarah says.

“I wish I could commit murder for you,” Daisy says.

We sit down in the booth, and she doesn’t even look at a menu; she just orders a standard breakfast, and I do the same.

“I’m still surprised when people take care of me like this,” she says, looking down at her hands as Daisy goes off to the kitchen to put in our order.

“You deserve it,” Isay.

“You don’t really know if I deserve it. You don’t know me. Oh, we’re going to have to get my things out of my apartment.”

“What can you leave behind?”

“Most everything.”

“How about this? We’ll come back in a month or so and clear everything out, then you can get it all. But let’s not trigger Chris thinking that you’re leaving. Let’s give it some time.”

She nods. “That’s smart.”

“Just get your essentials. We’ll do that before we head to the Expo.”

We eat our breakfast, which is better than the average diner, I have to say, and say a muted goodbye to Daisy. I’m appreciative of this moment, and the fact that she understands everything needs to look as normal as possible. For Sarah’s safety.

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