***
Having wiped the tears from her face, she stepped out of the bathroom and spotted a new customer. A pretty lady who boasted a studious look. Glasses, short hair, a shy grin.
After a wide-eyed glance around, the lady took a seat and typed at her laptop.
“Hey there, cutie-pie,” Angie said. “How do you like Clearwater so far?”
“Huh?”
“You know, Clearwater, Colorado. The town you’re in right now.”
“Oh, yes. Um, how did you know I’m not from around here?”
“I can always tell. Wait tables for years and you can read people like a dime store novel. You have a look that we don’t see around too much. Professional, nerdy, cute. Like somebody who’s never baited a hook in her life.”
Mia giggled. “Yeah, that’s me.”
“I’m also guessing you’re some kind of writer.”
“What makes you say that?”
“You have that writerly look. Plus I saw you writing on your computer.”
The seemed a little taken aback. “Um… I was just sending an email to friend who was asking for advice.”
“Hmm. You ought to have your friend write to Dear Mia.”
“Who?” the lady asked.
“Aw, come on, even I’ve heard of Dear Mia. My friend Helen here got me familiar with her, right Helen?”
Helen joined the conversation. “Yeah, that Mia’s a hoot. She’s always got the right advice for the right kook.”
Laughing, Angie’s gaze came into a sweet eye contact with the lady. The lady’s eyes dropped – maybe to look at her nametag or maybe to look at something else. Angie wasn’t sure, but she wanted to know the lady more. “So… you’ve got a gander at my nametag, but you don’t seem to have one.”
The lady smirked. “Unfortunate, isn’t it?”
“So are you going make me guess it?”
“No. You can call me Miss Clark.”
It seemed this pretty stranger was in the mood for flirting. Angie responded accordingly, dropping her voice to a near whisper. “Well. Seeing as we’re not in a classroom, I don’t think Miss Clark is going to work out so well. You see, waiting tables is a very personal act. You might even call it intimate. And it just doesn’t seem right to perform an intimate act when you’re not on a first name basis.”
“What do you think it is?”
“Excuse me?”
“My name. Take a guess.”
“I’d say Suzy is reasonable guess. You look like a Suzy.”
“What does a Suzy look like?”
“Suzy looks like the kind of girl who gives you brownie recipes for your birthday. She has the kind of smile that makes you forgive her for anything. And a face that looks like it should be framed by pig tails.”
“Sorry. I’m not a Suzy.” Miss Clark’s eyes lingered for a while.
“Well, how about if you tell me what you want and by the time I get back with it, I’ll have a better guess.”
“It’s a deal. I want a strong, stable relationship with somebody who likes foreign films and long walks on the beach.”
Her lips twisted into a naughty sneer, Angie said, “I meant what kind of food you wanted.”
“Oh, well in that case, I’ll settle for a turkey sandwich and red beans.”
With a wink, Angie pulled away and took off for the kitchen. “Be right back. You better not go anywhere, honey.”
***
Waiting by the kitchen for Miss Clark’s sandwich to get finished, Angie was overwhelmed with mixed feelings. Flirting with this pretty lady was fun, but also dangerous. With the diner starting to fill up, her chance of getting busted had grown.
But she was determined not to let that stop her. Scooping the lady’s plate off the window, she headed to her table, her lips pushed into a pucker. “I believe this is mostly what you wanted – as far as food is concerned. I’ll let you know if I find anybody into foreign films and long walks on the beach.”
“Thank you so much, Angie.”
“Thank you, Miss Clark. Or should I say… Debbie?”
“Is that your second guess?”
“It sure is, and I got a feeling about it. You have the sweetness and innocence of a Debbie.”
“Guess again, Angie. Maybe try something a little less innocent.”
Hands on her hips, Angie stared deep into Miss Clark’s eyes. “Sonia? Erica? Michelle?”
“Wrong, wrong and wrong.”
“What’s my prize if I guess right?”
“Well…”
Then Angie heard those footsteps behind her and her face froze like a deer behind the riflescope.
“Angie, why don’t you let the customer eat in peace? We’ve got plenty of other tables that need to be waited on.”
She turned and saw Harvey there, arms crossed and his face heavy with rage.
“I’m sorry, Harvey.”
Harvey stormed away, but Angie didn’t take off just yet. She leaned into Miss Clark and whispered, “Who long are you in town?”
“What?”
“I get off in an hour,” Angie said. “If you want to… wait for me.” Angie took off, obediently stepping to the other tables that were quickly filling up. He body buzzed with both danger and excitement. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d felt this way.
Mia
Mia took her time finishing her meal. Once she was done, she had a decision to make. Do I want to stay here and wait for Angie or take off?
From a distance, she watched Angie’s adorable body as it fluttered from table to table. Something about that gorgeous woman’s carriage inspired her imagination. She pictured their bodies locked in a heated embrace, legs around hips, arms around shoulders, lips meshed into desperate, passionate kisses.
The more she watched Angie in motion, the less difficult her decision was. Angie brought the bill, her face showing no signs of the flirtation they’d just been involved with. With a glance behind the diner’s counter, Mia could see why. Harvey was watching.
Mia discreetly whispered, “Where do you want me to wait?”
Angie made a subtle gesture with her thumb. “Out in the parking lot.” Then she was gone. And Mia was ready for adventure.
***
The wait in the parking lot lasted ten minutes. But to Mia it felt like she’d been waiting her whole life for that moment of connection. After all the lights had gone out in the diner, Mia and Harvey stepped out. “You want a lift home?” he asked.
“No, it’s nice out tonight. I think I’ll walk.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek as he lumbered toward his truck.
After he was gone, Angie moved toward Mia’s car, taking a cautious glance around before getting into the passenger side. “Hello, there,” she said.
“Where are we going?” Mia asked.
Angie shrugged. “I live eight blocks down Parson road if you want to go my place.”
Without delay, Mia took off down Parson road. They said nothing on the way over. Angie seemed distracted by the strangers they passed on the street. She seemed afraid of being recognized.
When they reached the apartment, Angie asked they step inside one at a time. “You know, just in case somebody sees something and decides to talk.”
Once inside, Mia saw Angie’s face lighted up. “You want something to drink. I don’t have much ginger ale and maybe some old Kool Aid in the pantry.”
“No, I’m fine.”
They awkward sat together on the couch. “You’re probably wondering what I’d doing here with you,” Angie said. “I mean, I have a fiancé and everything – that fella you saw back at the diner.”
“I just figured you had a lot to talk about.”
“I sure do. I just don’t want to burden you with my troubles.”
“Go ahead, burden me.”
“Here’s the thing. I’m pretty sure I prefer ladies to men. That’s always been a thing with me as long as I can remember.”
“Nothing wrong with that.”
“There is when you’re engaged to be married.”
Mia stayed silent, knowing she had a confession of her own to unload. “Look, Angie,” she said, fumbling for the right words. “I think I should tell my name. You see –
Angie shook her head. “No, don’t. I don’t want your name. It’ll only make it harder to say goodbye. We know this is only a one-time thing. And If I know your name, I’ll be tempted to look you up our something. Let’s keep it at Angie and Miss Clark.”
“But there’s something you should know –“
Angie didn’t let her finish her sentence. She dove into a kiss, bringing their mouths into instant fire. All of the awkwardness instantly disappeared as their arms roped the other’s shoulders and hips into closer contact.
Everything was happening very fast for Mia. But she had no desire to slow things down. She kissed Angie deeper insider her mouth, tunneling inside her skirt and groping everything within reach.
Angie’s long legs rewarded her hands with a soft, velvety texture. She repositioned her petite body atop her friend’s, sliding their hips into heated touch. A slow grind developed from there as their kisses grew wetter and hotter.
Without breaking contact between mouths, they struggled to peel Mia out of her blouse. Angie patiently undid every button as Mia snaked her arms free.
Next they unsnapped her bra, letting those ample boobs spill forward into Angie’s grip. Mia let her head drop back – eyes shut and mouth curled into a sneer – as Angie took her time sucking, licking and nibbling at her breasts.
With Angie’s mouth still planted on her cleavage, a pair of restless hands sliding up her skirt startled her. She opened her eyes just enough to study the look of insatiable lust on her lover’s face.
But as much as she loved having her own body savored by Angie, she needed to do some savoring of her own. “Let’s get you out this uniform,” Mia said.
Angie gave her arms a spirited upward stretch, allowing Mia to slide it over her head. Together they undid her bra slowly as Mia loudly slurred in appreciation of the most wonderful boobs she’d ever seen.
With one hand, Mia cupped one of Angie’s boobs, giving it a lively suckle. With the other, she reached to remove her skirt. It felt like adolescent groping, unburdened by the kind of grown-up anxiety that had a way of killing the fun. “Angie, you are awfully good at this for a rookie!”
Angie laughed. “Well, I’ve thought about it a lot. That must count for something –“
A loud bang on the side window startled them both.
“Oh, my God!” Angie said. “That’s him.” She quickly reached for her clothes and scrambled into them.
“What’s going on?” Mia asked.
“He must have figured out what was going on. Just stay right here and don’t make any noise.” With her closely loosely hanging off her body, Angie scrambled toward the window.
Mia found cover behind the couch, trembling as she struggled to hear the conversation.
The words were hard to make out, but they were loud and heated enough for Mia to know it wasn’t a happy exchange. Minutes later, Angie returned, her face dragged into a chastened frown. “He’s gone now. I convinced him that I was alone, but you better get out of here just in case.”
Panicked, Mia struggled to spit out a question. “But… are you going to be all right?”
Angie shrugged. “What does all right mean? I mean, look, Harvey can be hard to deal with, but he’s never hit me and he’s a good provider. It would be nice if things were different and the two of us could get together the way we want to, but we just have to accept the world the way it is.”
Mia cradled her friend’s face and sent a question into her soul. “Do you love Harvey?”
“Well, he makes a good living by owning the diner and…”
“That wasn’t what I asked you. Don’t you think love matters? Don’t you think it’s important to wake up every day and find somebody on the other side of the pillow who makes your heart leap?”