Again, a first line story compilation...was given the first line, and took it from there, so kick back and enjoy this short read.The Courtship
"Pour it up, Maggie - black and hot," yelled Sam as he pushed through the door.
Sam at 47 was predictable, his life very patterned and organized. He would look at the menu, then order the Salisbury steak, side of mashed potatoes with extra gravy as he always did, finish it all off with a second cup of coffee and a piece of coconut cream pie. Maggie always waited on him, knew she could count on his tip being more than generous, a crisp ten dollar bill covering the $6.23 check.
Maggie had taken the job at the truck stop after her husband died, and 10 years later was the shift manager, salary and tips bringing in just enough to keep food on the table for her and her two kids, make the mortgage payment on the double-wide trailer perched on ten acres off of State Route 13. Her strawberry blond hair was now streaked with gray, her emerald green eyes carried a scent of sadness over things that could have been.
She'd followed Danny over from Ireland years ago when he'd landed a job working steel in Kansas City. Weekdays he'd head off down Route 80 the 235 miles into the big city while she stayed home doing chores, growing vegetables in the garden they had planted, milking the family cow Betsy that they'd bought off the farmer just down the road. Life had been different then, weekends spent entwined in Danny's arms, the birth of their first child Amy, and soon after another on the way.
Maggie would never forget the Sheriff's car pulling into the dirt lane that lead up to the trailer her and Danny had bought six months prior when his boss had given him a raise, made him foreman of a crew. She knew before the knock on the door that Danny would not be coming home, that life had changed, that their children would never really know the beautiful man their father had been. She wanted to grieve, but circumstances would not allow that luxury, so four months pregnant she'd driven down to the local truck stop looking for a job.
Sam looked up as Maggie arrived, smiled as she poured him a cup of coffee, setting both cream and sugar down on the counter, presenting him with a menu she'd tucked under her arm.
"I'll be right back"
"Take your time, not sure what I am in the mood for today."
Sam watched as she walked away, admired her perhaps more than he should, that twinge of guilt bringing him back to his senses as he opened the menu to have a look inside.
He was a widow, his wife dying giving birth to their only son. They were going to name his Sam Junior, but in honor of Sandy's father he settled on Jonathan instead. Life as a single father had not been easy, driving a truck for the local gravel company all these years. To often getting home later than he would have liked because the overtime allowed him to put away for his son's college education always left him feeling guilty, afraid he was shirking his duties in taking care of his wife's legacy, their Jonathon.
"You ready to order Sam?"
Maggie's voice intruded in on his thoughts, startled him into speech.
"Sure, the Salisbury steak sounds good today, and can you save me a piece of coconut cream pie?"
"That's what I like about you Sam, no surprises, always dependable."
She gave him one of her smiles and turned away, Sam grateful that she could not see the blush creeping across his cheeks.
Jonathon was in his second year at college, the small house empty and alone except on Holidays when his son would return for a day or two before heading off to Topeka to spend the rest of his vacation time with his new girlfriend, sleeping on the sofa at her parent's house. Perhaps it was this loneliness, the silence that changed the way he felt about Maggie, stirred in him feelings he'd buried so long ago.
Maggie laid on an extra slice of meat as she always did, added a second scoop of mashed potatoes to Sam's plate, covering both with plenty of the brown drip gravy she knew he liked. He was a good man, one that Danny would approve of, if only he would ask her out. Setting aside a large piece of coconut cream pie she hustled over to the counter will the plate was still piping hot.
"Here you go Sam, just the way you like it."
"Looks perfect, you really spoil me you know."
Maggie gave him one of those smiles again, smiled inside as she saw him blush.
"I'll be back in a bit with your pie. Enjoy your meal."
Sam again watched as she walked away, smiled as he picked up his fork.
Poking the mashed potatoes, swirling them in the generous pool of gravy he smiled to himself realizing the time had come to ask her out.
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