Some of the wariness returned to the woman’s startling light brown eyes. “I’m meeting my daughter here soon.”
“Then we’re in luck. There’s an extra seat at the table.”
The woman looked relieved and appreciative.
“This place is busy,” Aaron noted while rearranging his plates and bowls on the table, “how long has it been here?”
“Let’s see,” the woman’s delicate, almond brown skin crinkled faintly at her brow as she concentrated. “I know it’s been here almost as long as my husband and I have. Since before we had any of our children.”
“How many do you have?” Aaron queried and forked a helping of the casserole into his mouth. “Holy...” he murmured in amazement and looked at his plate as if awestruck. “Apologies,” he said when the little woman laughed.
“No need,” laughter carried her words. “Mr. Morton makes better macaroni than any woman I know-myself included. He’s as despised as much as he’s loved.”
There was more laughter, followed by a brief discussion on a few more of Shepard Morton’s famed culinary masterpieces.
“Me and my husband have two girls and a boy,” the woman was saying upon returning to their other conversation. “They’re all grown now,” she eyed Aaron with renewed curiosity then. “You live up this way?”
Aaron, his mouth full of superbly seasoned fried pork chop, shook his head to the question. “I brought a friend home the other day and dropped them off here at the diner. I was curious about the food.”
The woman’s broad smile returned. “Well I won’t keep you from it, then.”
Aaron and his dining partner made more small talk while enjoying their meal. The plates and bowls were mostly wiped clean by the time Aaron recalled the woman was meeting her daughter.
“You don’t have anything left to eat with her,” he said.
The woman’s warm smile remained. “It’s no trouble. This is our routine when we have opposing shifts. I work here at the diner making desserts for Mr. Morton,” she nodded toward Aaron’s empty saucer. “Does my heart good to see how much you’ve enjoyed that cobbler.”
Aaron looked to the saucer as well. “Amazing,” he said.
“I meet my daughter here on the days that her shift starts when mine ends. My daughter gets her meal here for a light lunch at work until supper later.”
“Sounds nice,” Aaron said.
“We like it,” the woman nodded and then gave a surprised laugh. “Well! Here’s my baby now!”
Aaron looked over and couldn’t remember a time he’d ever felt his jaw so slackened by devastation.
It didn’t appear that Aaron was alone in his devastation. Giselle Weeks appeared equally stunned.
“Guiya, baby, this nice young man helped me save a seat for you.”
“Aaron?” Giselle didn’t acknowledge her mother’s explanation. Her voice wasn’t the least audible in the noisy diner.
Aaron turned a disbelieving stare to his dining partner. The small woman looked from Giselle to Aaron and back again.
“Did I do something wrong, Guy?” The woman asked.
“No ma’am,” Aaron replied instead. “You haven’t.”
Giselle moved closer to the table then. “Mama, this is Aaron Tesano. Aaron, Gilda Lucas, my mother.”
Aaron put out his hand to shake. Gilda Lucas accepted. When she would have pulled back, he kept hold of her hand.
“You’ve done nothing wrong,” he stressed.
“I need to know my baby is protected, Mr. Tesano.”
“She will be. You have my word. I’ll stand between her and anything that tries to threaten her.”
Aaron looked to Giselle, saw she was frowning. It wasn’t anger, he knew. She was as taken aback by his words as he was.
The words were true. He meant every one of them.
It seemed to be enough for Gilda Weeks. She nodded and Aaron let go of her hand. She pushed herself from the booth. Aaron stood, while Giselle moved to help her mother up.
“Seems you and Mr. Tesano have some talking to do. Before you leave for work,” Gilda Lucas tacked on as if the reminder were in order.
“I’ll see that she gets to work with time to spare,” Aaron promised. “I urge you to call and confirm that I kept my word.”
Gilda Lucas’s expression schooled. She regarded Aaron approvingly before kissing Giselle goodbye.
“Guiya.”
She smiled shortly and turned to Aaron when he said the name. She took the seat her mother vacated. Aaron joined her.
“Giselle is for the world. Guiya is for family and the people who know me.”
“Rena.”
