A Little Slice of Heaven

Darren usually didn’t struggle with traveling for work but this particular trip had been draining. The clients had seemed perfectly satisfied with everything during the development phase but once he presented the proposal in person they found nothing but flaws. He had worked on the project for three months and now he was going to have to start all over again. It was nothing less than infuriating.

The drive back normally would have been a straight shot on the interstate but some unknown calamity had required traffic to be diverted. Darren found himself on a winding county highway that snaked through densely wooded hills. The road was more patch and tar than actual paving and - if it had ever been striped - the paint had worn off ages ago. The terrain caused an unreliable signal to both the GPS and his cell phone, so Darren just carried on, angrily gripping the wheel. He’d have to encounter a town sooner or later. As he rounded yet another bend the first fat drops of rain began to fall from the leaden sky.

Twenty minutes into the downpour Darren saw his first sign of hope. A faded billboard with a flickering light promised “Gas and Grub” ahead on the left. His stomach had been in knots after the review so he hadn’t eaten before hitting the road. A bite to eat and a moment to clear his head sounded pretty good at that moment.

Out of the darkness a marquee arrow flashed around the word “Diner” and pointed into a small lot. Warm light spilled out from the windows of a squat brick building. Darren pulled into the lot and reached for his umbrella only to discover that it wasn’t in its usual spot beside the seat. He realized with annoyance that he had tossed it in the trunk. The rain showed no signs of letting up so with a heavy sigh Darren dashed from the car into the diner foyer.

There were no other customers inside, and the waitress was leaning over the counter in conversation with the cook. She turned and smiled at Darren saying “Sit wherever you’d like, I’ll be right over.” Darren’s hair was dripping wet and clinging to his face. His soggy shoes made an awful squelching sound with every step he took. He sat heavily at a booth, feeling every bit as worn as the old vinyl on the seat.

“Goodness, you look like you’ve had a day,” the waitress exclaimed as she approached the booth. She placed a couple of kitchen towels on the table. “I can get more if you need them. Here’s our menu. Soup of the day is Clive’s own tomato basil. Would you like a little coffee to warm you up while you look over the menu?”

“Yes, please, and thank you for this,” Darren said as he held up a towel.

“Oh, of course. My name’s Penny. Just holler if you need anything.”

Darren blotted the water from his face and hands and took a deep breath. The rain had left him pretty chilled. Between his physical discomfort and the stress of the day he couldn’t really focus on the menu. When Penny came back with the coffee he ordered a bowl of the tomato soup and resumed mulling over his predicament.

A short while later Penny came out with the steaming bowl of soup and a little basket of dinner rolls. The robust aroma helped pull Daren out of his misery enough to smile as Penny set the food down. “Can I get you anything else?” she inquired.

A new job, Darren thought. “No, thanks. I’m good for now,” he replied. The soup was good - really good - but he ate absently, still trying to work out a solution to the client’s demands. He was lost in thought when Penny came by to refill his coffee and gather his empty bowl. Darren had pulled out a pen and was tapping it against his pursed lips when Penny suddenly sat down across from him, jolting him out of his musings.

“Personally, I’m partial to lemon meringue pie,” she said, looking him square in the eyes, “but everyone says that my chocolate cake is a little slice of heaven.” She had set a piece of chocolate layer cake on the table. “We all need that sometimes, and from what I can see, you need it today.” Darren opened his mouth but before he could speak she held up a finger. “No arguments. This is on the house,” and she got up as swiftly as she had sat.

Darren blinked for a moment, trying to process what had just happened. The cake looked rich and enticing with its soft layers capped in buttercream frosting and shaved chocolate. With a shrug Darren picked up his fork and took a bite. His eyes involuntarily closed and he let out a slow, satisfied “Mmm.” He looked over to the counter to see Penny smiling at him. He smiled back and took another bite, eyes fluttering closed again.

Darren felt the strangest sensation of being at rest. It was a comfortable feeling, like being in a soft, warm bed. If a bite of cake is making me feel this way, I’m more far gone than I thought, he mused as he chuckled at himself.

“What’s so funny, DJ?”

No one had called him DJ in nearly ten years, and he certainly hadn’t heard her voice in just as long. Darren’s eyes snapped open. The diner, the booth, Penny and Clive and the driving rain were all gone. Darren found himself sitting on a park bench on a sunny day. He felt a warm hand laid over his own. Darren swallowed hard, not daring to look. He heard her bright, familiar laugh, smelled the scent of her favorite lavender shampoo. He turned to face her, whispering her name.

“Sadie.” She smiled the same radiant smile he remembered and Darren felt a wave of emotions sweep over him. That’s it, I’ve officially lost it, he thought. There’s no way she’s really here. Any minute now it’s going to be back to a crappy rainy day and I’ll be eating cake in a diner in the middle of nowhere.

“You’re acting so strangely,” she observed. “Are you alright? What’s going on?” A look of concern crossed her face.

“I…well, I, um,” Darren stammered. He gingerly took her hand in his, fearful that the act would break the illusion. Sadie gave his hand a gentle squeeze in return. Ok, so this isn’t stopping. I guess I have to roll with it, then? Damn. How do I tell her that I was wrong to go off after the job? He thought. I never told her I loved her in the first place. How am I supposed to tell her now? As he fumbled for words he felt a tug on his sleeve.

“Give us just a minute, sweetie. Mommy and Daddy are having a talk,” Sadie said. Darren looked down in shocked disbelief. The boy clearly had Darren’s facial structure and Sadie’s soft eyes. Tears started to stream down Darren’s face as the child wandered back over to play on a slide. “DJ, you’re worrying me.”

“No, don’t worry. It’s nothing. It just hit me. This is all I ever really wanted but I couldn’t see it until now. I should have told you ages ago, Sadie. I love you.” As soon as the words had left his mouth, Darren felt himself being pulled backwards by a great force. The edges of his vision went black. His focus narrowed on Sadie’s face and he struggled to keep his eyes open. As Darren began to lose consciousness he heard Penny laugh and faintly say

“Heaven is what you make it. It’s never too late to begin .”

Darren awoke with a start in the lowered front seat of his car. He rubbed his eyes and pulled the lever to set the seat upright, shaking his head to clear the fog of sleep. The car was parked on a cracked concrete lot that was shot through with weeds. A faded “For Sale” sign hung in the window of the small brick building in the center of the lot. A handful of puddles remained as evidence of the downpour but the sky was clear and the sun was cresting the hilltop. Darren felt a new resolve. He turned the key, placed his hands on the wheel and, smiling, declared “To new beginnings!”

As he turned out of the weed-choked lot a takeout container bounced on the passenger seat. Written on the box in playful, flowing script were the words “One slice choc. to go. -P-”