Never To Late To Change Your Mind...

"I fucking hate this job...Thank god it's breaktime!" Elise muttered under her breath as she walked away from the pass with another two plates.

She had spotted the lone father and found him very cute indeed, he was old enough to afford the monster of an RV that he and his young son had pulled up in but not old enough as people would think it was weird if they were together.

The last place Elise had expected to be at aged 25 was Gus' Diner which sat on the famed Route 66 just outside of Memphis. After graduation she'd expected to walk into a high profile job in her chosen field of Music Business, but the economic collapse that came after Covid-19 put paid to that. Government policies had all but crippled music and as a result, her expensive degree was worth about as much as the two specials she was carrying. Still she often thought she was lucky to at least have been working here throughout her studies and was kept on, even if Gus himself still hadn't quite gotten the concept of #metoo yet.

As she reached the table, she overhead a snippet of the father/son chat which had first caught her attention.

"Dad, I need to pee bad..." the boy half whined and half grinned."

"I can't take you now, the foods coming. You'll have to hold it I'm afraid buddy!"

Elise smiled as she said "Here you go guys, one BBQ Special and one Super Special Burger for you little man!"

"Thank you m'am" the boy replied in a voice that made her heart melt in an instant.

"Well, thank you kind Sir..." she replied before continuing to the dad, "Excuse me but I couldn't help overhearing you both, I'm about to go on break and use the restroom, so I'm happy to take him for you."

"That would be a big help Elise" he said, throwing her for a second.

"How did you know my name?" she enquired, knowing she forgot her name badge today. "I saw your Employee of the Month picture when we came in, congratulations!" the dad replied cheerfully. "I'm Gray and this is my son Adam, Adam, you go with Elise to the bathroom and do anything she says till you get back OK?"

"Sure thing daddy..." as she led the boy towards the bathroom area by the hand she felt something, a feeling, or a tingle or was it butterflies in her stomach.

"Oh my god, get a grip Elise" she thought to herself. "Hey, not to tight" the boy said almost immediately snapping her out of her thought. "Sorry Adam, I didn't mean to hold so tight. When we get in there, we'll both take a cubicle. you keep yours locked until I tell you i'm out OK"

"That's OK, I will"

The two entered the bathroom as Violet left. She'd been coming to the diner for years after her "work" was done. She'd started off as a student who supplemented her income with escort work. Soon it became full time and even sooner she became 40 with a trailer near a diner and a booze habit.

"Oh isn't he adorable!" Violet exclaimed, the boy flinching as she tried to pinch his cheek.

"He is Violet, but I told his daddy we'd be straight back so if you'll excuse us we need to keep going. Besides, your cocktail is finished now."

Violet snorted with both understanding and indignance at her rebuffed attempt at kindness and sloped back to the bar area, but not without snarkily saying "Nice Kid!" to Gray as she passed him.

The Bathroom

The lock on Adams door snapped and Elise felt comfortable he was safe. The patrons here were normally nice but the odd one, like Violet could be a problem at times but on the whole she was good. There had been a few times she'd taken "a hit" with Gus to spare Elise his attentions, so that gave her points. But she always seemed creepy around kids, not that she'd snatch and run but she wasn't someone you wanted to leave your kid with.

"So buddy, where do you come from?" Elise asked to distract from the mutual noises.

"Daddy says I'm from New York, but we travel a lot." the child replied as he swung his legs.

Elise thought this a little strange and enquired further, "So you don't have a house or a school?". The boy replied "We have houses, we stay in them and people look after them for us. When we get there, they go away. Daddy teaches me, he's real smart."

That explained the monster RV Elise figured, after all someone driving a vehicle that must cost at least 200 grand is likely to have money and rich kids are often homeschooled when they're young.

She decided one more question was safe to ask as the boy was so forthright. "Do you have a mommy?"

"She got sick when I was a baby and died. She went to hospital and we never saw her again." the boy sadly explained.

This brought silent tears to Elise as she immediately guessed from his age that the COVID pandemic had taken the boys mother, as well as her own father. The pain of losing him but being told it wasn't even worth travelling to see him by the hospital was still a dagger in her heart.

Elise wiped her tears, opened her door and told Adam it was safe to come out.

"Don't forget to wash your h..." Elise started jokingly before cutting off as Adam walked right to the basin and washed his hands singing that song they taught back then, for the full 20 seconds.

"Wow, you're a real clever boy Adam, you know what you're doing!"

"I'm not clever, Daddy says I'm gifted..."

Rather than argue with a five year old over the semantics of words she gave him a big thumbs up and opened the door.

The diner was a totally different scene as Elise and Adam re-entered. Everyone was congregated by the bar area as Elise again felt that buzzing feeling. She forced here way through to see Violet on the floor and Gray giving her CPR.

"He's a Doctor!" she realised as it became clear that he was not going to be able to save Violet.

Gray tried for several minutes but it was clear he was fighting a losing battle. With one final compression, he looked at his watch and muttered "14:21".

"I'm sorry, if the hospital was closer or you had paddles here...but she's gone." Gray sadly told Gus who immediately asked all patrons to leave except for Gray who would be needed by the police and paramedics.

"What happened?" Elise asked Gray tearfully.

"She walked right by me, told me how nice Adam was and then after about 15 steps just dropped. I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing either a heart attack or some kind of brain aneurysm.

"You're a doctor?" Elise enquired.

"Was, now I'm a full time dad to this little guy!" Gray said as he picked Adam up and walked back to the table.

The now deserted diner had an eerie quality, and Elise sat with the two travellers as they waited for the police and paramedics. Gray picked at his food while Adam devoured his in what seemed like a minute.

"Wow kiddo, you must have been hungry! That's an adult plate!" Elise marvelled.

"He always gets hungry after something like this, always..." Gray said sounding sad.

This struck Elise as odd and she decided to push further.

"You mean he's seen a lot of death?" she asked.

Gray looked concerned as Adam sipped on his fruit drink looking out the window.

"We travel a lot, so we see a lot of things we wouldn't if we were in one place. The more you travel the more chances increase." Gray offered in an unconvinced tone of voice.

Elise saw Gus beckoning her over and she excused herself from the table but not before Gray tried to pay for the meal. "It's on the house... to thank you for your help with Violet."

Gray insisted that she take a tip which he wrapped in the bill. He placed it in her pouch which took her aback, but she moved over towards Gus who was in the kitchen.

"You think I'm paying you to sit on your ass with them, you wanna fuck him and not me is that it? Miss Perfect?" Gus spewed with part grief and part venom at Elise who was stunned. Again she felt the feeling, this time it wasn't pleasant, it seemed invasive.

"I know you and Violet were close Gus, so I'll let this one slide but if you EVER talk to her that way again..." Elise said

"Her? You talking about yourself in the 3rd person now you stuck up bitch, you're fired get the fuck outta here."

Elise reached into her pouch to get her tips, knowing she probably wouldn't get her wages if she punched Gus as she felt like doing. As she pulled them out she saw the bill with Grays tip. Written on it were words...

"He Wants You... RUN... NOW!"

Confused she turned round to see Adam standing directly behind her.

"Hey little guy, you should be... " before she could finish, she could see Gus clearly in pain as Adam stared at him intently.

"GET OUTTA MY HEAD YOU LITTLE COCKSUCKER!" Gus screamed before keeling over with blood coming from his ear.

"He was mean to you, she was mean to Daddy and Daddy tried to tell on me...it's time for us to go now!" Adam said sweetly offering his hand to Elise at that moment the buzz seemed to break through into her brain.

After what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was only a few seconds Elise seemed to come back to life. she removed her apron, took the money from the register and said "Let's go kiddo".

"OK Mommy" Adam said, as they walked back towards Gray, who was now slumped over the table. "Adam, you didn't!" Elise said.

Gray woke with a start and said, "Honey, we're gonna have to move if we are gonna get to Nashville tonight.

"Better get going then my love..." Elise felt her old fears and anxieties melting away, only her family mattered, her man and little boy.

In the distance, flashing lights could be seen as the RV and family pulled out and began its journey to the next place...

Epilouge

Bryan Carter was just sitting down to Monday Night Football when the doorbell rang. His wife Betty dutifully answered to see a young boy sitting there. "We're here..." he said adorably.

"Why so you are Adam..."

Bryan turned round just in time to see his own gun in Betty's hands...

THE END