Nick pulled into the parking lot of the diner they agreed to meet at right on time.  He was impressed with himself.  Between working on the song he was going to record and hanging out with Veronica, his meeting with Lindsey had not slipped his mind.

The diner was the kind of place where his diet would go out the window.  The outside of the diner reminded him of a train car.  It looked like it had been around for awhile and he was a little scared to see what the inside would be like.  When he entered, he was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness of the tables, chairs and floors.  He was greeted immediately upon entering and he smiled, it wasn’t often someone went out of their way to make sure they smiled and said ‘hello’ when you first entered a restaurant anymore.

“Take a seat wherever you like young man, someone will be over shortly.” The lady standing behind the counter who had greeted him motioned around and smiled. 

There were several people sitting at the counter and at a few of the tables. They were not packed yet they were not empty. Nick took a table in the corner, facing the door.  He was almost afraid to open the menu.  This looked like a place that served grease in abundance.  A place that would serve you fries covered in gravy and cheese.  He could feel his chest tightening with the thought.   But, Lindsey had been the one to suggest it and he was willing to give it a try to help make amends for standing her up the other night.

The door chimed and the lady behind the counter greeted another person, this person received an even warmer welcome and when he looked up he saw Lindsey walking in.  The lady behind the counter came around and gave her a hug. They stood talking for a few moments, Lindsey’s eyes darted towards Nick and she smiled at both him and the other lady. 

Nick watched her talk with the other woman and couldn’t help but smile.  She knew she was talking about her accident to explain the cast on her left arm but she didn’t look upset as she talked.  The two finished talking shortly after and found her way over to the table Nick was at. 

“Sorry about that,” She said, her grin still on her face.

“You come here often?” He asked her with a slight chuckle.

Lindsey blushed slightly and opened her menu.  “I worked here every day after school when I was in high school.”  She offered up.  “Gretchen is like my mom.” She looked back towards the woman for a brief second before turning back to face Nick.

Nick never let the smile drop from his face at the mention of mothers.  He would not nominate his mom for mother of the year any time soon, no, that was an understatement; he would feel that it was all too soon if he saw her again at any time.   Any mother that acted how she did with him, pushing him to be the bread winner of the family deserved to lose their mother license as far as he was concerned.

“So then you have like, two moms?” He asked trying to get his thoughts away from his own mother.

Lindsey’s face dropped.  “Sure,” She muttered and looked down at her menu.  

“Crap, I just said something stupid didn’t I?”  Nick flipped open his menu deciding it was time to look over the items and decide which item was least likely to give him a heart attack.  He was pleasantly surprised by the menu.  They had burgers and fries but they also had several items that were lower in fat and calories.   

“Surprised?” Lindsey asked the shock was probably apparent on Nick’s face. 

“A little, yes.” He admitted.

“I worked on getting them to update the menu a lot when I started.  The place screamed burger and fries to me when Gretchen asked me but they had some other items on the menu that got overlooked.  We worked on trimming it down and highlighting some of the other food.  In four years we found a good variety of burgers, home cooking and healthy to have on the menu.”   Lindsey beamed as she talked about the menu.

“You seem like you enjoyed what you did here.”  Nick spoke up.  She didn’t smile this way when she talked about anything to do with her actual job, not even when she spoke about what the job she had interviewed for.   “Why didn’t you stay working here?”

Lindsey shrugged.  “As much as I love Gretchen and Bill, I couldn’t see my life here.” 

Nick nodded.  “You look like you enjoyed working here.” 

“I did.” She dropped her eyes again and he could see her scanning the menu though he knew that she could probably recite the menu to him.

“So Lindsey, you going to introduce me?” Gretchen was now standing over them, her eyes focused on Nick.

“Gretchen this is Nick, Nick, this is Gretchen.” She smiled at both of them as Nick held his hand out for Gretchen. 

“Nice to meet you, I’ve just been told a little bit about you.” He smiled.

“Nick?” Gretchen asked.  Her eyes turned to Lindsey.  “Wasn’t the name of that asshole that put you in that cast named Nick?”

Lindsey’s cheeks flushed crimson as averted her eyes from Nick.  “Yes, that’s his name.” She held up her hand hiding her face from Nick further.   

Gretchen was smart and picked up on what was going on immediately.  “I know I told you to hear the guy out sweetie, but what are you doing here with him, on a date?” She added that last part with a hiss.

“Would you two like me to leave?” Nick asked as the two started speaking in half sentences and rather quickly to each other obviously about him. 

“No, Nick stay.” Lindsey spoke to him firmly and glared at Gretchen.   “Gretchen, he has been very nice to me since and I see no reason he and I cannot be friends.”

Gretchen huffed.  “Friends?”

“Yes, friends. Nick has met a very nice girl. He told me the other day that he wanted to tell me about her. So here we are, as friends, having dinner and discussing our love lives.” Lindsey was calm but firm; Gretchen took the hint and dropped the subject.

“What can I get you two?” She turned into waitress mode. The friendly woman that greeted Nick was still there, but there was sadness in her eyes and a cold tone as she spoke.

After she was gone there was quiet between the two until Nick spoke up.  “If you had told me that the girl spitting insults at me in the hospital, quite righteously I might add, would turn around and defend me in a few weeks time I would think you were crazy.” 

Lindsey’s face broke out in a large grin, and a small laugh escaped her lips.  “If you had told me I would even be here with the guy who ran through the stop light and crashed into me, I’d tell you that you would be crazy.” 

“Hey, Gretchen was just looking out for you.  Are you sure you don’t want to go talk to her?” Nick looked at her straight, no smile, no playfulness.  He would not be the reason for a rift between them. 

Lindsey nodded her head and got up. He watched as she moved to Gretchen, hugged her and started talking.  He smiled as he remembered her calling him a friend.  You could never have enough friends.