Page 80 of Indigo

To my surprise, no one looks at me when I walk in, not like they normally do when I enter a room.

Usually they’ll stare at me until I turn my head and then all eyes will drop to the floor, but not today.

Today, everyone in the diner just goes about their business as normal.

“Need help?” I ask Mrs Neil as I approach the front counter, seeing Jared, her newest employee, sweating as he tries to take more orders, while entering them into the register. The boy’s only eighteen, so I get it, and try not to laugh as he jumbles his words, speaking to the customer in front of him.

“No, no, my boy,” Mrs Neil says over her shoulder, smiling widely at me. “I’ll get you sorted in a moment. What do you want? Bacon and egg sandwiches? Coffee? Donuts?”

“All of the above? For Indie and I,” I reply with a grin.

She nods, and I move to the side, not wanting to make her feel as though she needs to rush on my account.

After the crazy period has died down, Mrs Neil places three brown paper bags on the counter and calls my name. As I walk up, she glances down at her gold watch, a gift from Mr Neil, I assume, before his passing.

“Everything okay?” I ask, grabbing the bags.

She shakes her head. “Just not sure where Lana’s gotten to. She called about thirty minutes ago, as she does every morning, and said she'd be here in twenty for her coffee. Haven’t seen her yet.”

Seeing the worry lines form on her forehead as she frowns, I pull out my phone and hit Indie’s number.

“She was at my place when I took off earlier. I’m sure she just got caught up with Indie or something,” I say, smiling reassuringly at the older woman as I place my phone to my ear.

“Hey, sweetie,” Indiesays in greeting, sounding much more awake than she was when I left her.

“Hey, Blue. Lana still with you?” I ask, biting my bottom lip, and turning my gaze to the floor as Mrs Neil continues to stare, waiting for an answer.

“Mmm, no? She left here, maybe half an hour ago?”

Ugh, shit. That’s not the answer I wanted.

“Okay, no worries. Mrs Neil was just looking for her, is all. I’ll be home soon, alright? Love you.”

I disconnect the call, and instead of telling Mrs Neil that I’ve got no idea where Lana is, I smile at her and wink. “Pour me an extra cup of coffee, and I’ll go find her before I head home.”

She nods, still looking worried, but without a word, she spins around and fills another large takeaway cup for me before picking up the tea towel next to her to wipe down the counter.

“Hey,” I say, placing my hand on hers to grab her attention before she rubs a hole into her wooden countertop. “She’s probably sitting on the bench I made her, watching the waves roll in. She likes to switch up her morning walks now and then, you know that.”

And it’s true. Sometimes Lana will get coffee first, sometimes after. Sometimes she’ll fill a carry cup from home, drink that, and then end her walk with another fresh cup from Mrs Neil’s. She’s more than likely just forgotten that she called in the first place, stepped outside into the sunshine, and let her mind wander.

She smiles in return and nods, some of the tension visibly leaving her body as she sighs. “You’re right. I’m just being a worrywart.”

After reassuring Mrs Neil a couple more time, I climb into the ute, pat myself on the back for installing the third cup holder on the driver’s side, and adjust the paper bags so that they sit securely on the passenger seat.

It takes less than five minutes for me to pull up at Lana's spot.

She’s nowhere to be seen.

I put the car in park and look through my windshield, telling myself that I probably just missed her. That she’s on her way to the diner, and I just didn’t spot her while I was driving here.

Something in my gut tells me that isn’t the case.

My phone buzzes from inside my jeans, so I move around on the seat so I can slide it out. Indie’s face lights up the screen, and for a moment, the nagging feeling in my stomach eases.

“Baby, you alright?” I ask, answering the call.

“Mmmm, just hungry. Are you on your way home?”

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