Monday Specials

[pflag-mom-deb.livejournal.com]

The Chalkboard reads:

Monday Specials

Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn and beets

Ceasar Salad with grilled chicken

Ceasar salad with bulgar pilaf


Desserts:

Deep dish Apple Pie (cheese or ice cream available)
Lemon meringue pie
Lemon Bars
Chessboard cake

Comments

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

"Hey, Deb!"

[pflag-mom-deb.livejournal.com]

"Hi." Deb is visibly subdued and worried about something, the way she only gets after family fights.

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

Noting the obvious change in Deb's usually exuberant demeanor, Shane frowns a little and heads over to the counter. She leans on it, looking at Deb. "What's up?" She asks quietly, keeping her tone casual.

[pflag-mom-deb.livejournal.com]

"Michael. I went to the emporium for sme lightbulbs before we opened. He and Ben had just had a fight. He said some awful things. Not to me, but about Ben. They've worked so hard to stay together."

She gives a wan smile. "Do you know they even had to go through me? That's true love right there."

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

"About Ben...?" Shane says, frown deepening with confusion. "But -- why? I mean... he and Mike always seem so... that doesn't make any sense." Still frowning, Shane scratches a hand through her hair. "Did -- did Mike say what the fight was about?"

[pflag-mom-deb.livejournal.com]

"He didn't say. Told me to butt out. He said all he cared was that ben was out of his sight. Like my brilliantr, handsome son-in-law was a bad puppy who'd just pissed the carpet!" The worried is working into full-blown mad now.




[[ooc:got the voice mail]]

[brambless.livejournal.com]

[ooc: let's make this after the thread above, kay? I don't want to interrupt.]

Tara comes into the diner, catching sight of Shane and breathing a sigh of relief.

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

Shane is sitting at the counter, refilling sugar jars, when she hears the bell over the door go. Looking up and seeing Tara, she smiles. "Hey," she says.

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Um, hey." Tara fidgits, biting her lip before saying, "um, Shane? Mr. Phale said that you were pretty good friends with Maia. Is that right?"

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

"Maia?" Shane says, arching her eyebrow slightly. "Umm... not exactly, I mean, I've spoken to her a few times, but I don't really know her all that well."

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Oh. Um, okay. Do you know who her friends are? She's kind of sick, and I don't know who to tell, other than her ex."

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

"Is she gonna be okay?" Shane asks, brows furrowing with concern. "I ... I'm sorry, I wish I could be more help, Tara, but... I only ever really see Maia in town and she usually came to the diner by herself when I saw her. Except for when she started coming here with you."

[pflag-mom-deb.livejournal.com]

"Hi Tara. The usual tonight, sweetie?' Deb is all business again, her worries and anger pushed to the back of her mind.

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Thanks Deb, that'd be great," Tara smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

[pflag-mom-deb.livejournal.com]

The milkshake and salad appear.

"Looks like everyone's having a bad night. What's on your mind, honey?"

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara takes a sip of her milkshake before answering, cupping her hands around the cool glass. "A friend of mine is really sick. I'm just worried about her. You're having a bad night too?"

[pflag-mom-deb.livejournal.com]

"My son, the little jerk. Had a big marital fight and took it out on Mom, too. It'll be okay."

[bens-mikey.livejournal.com]

Ben walks into the diner alone, looking somber, and leans on the counter. "Hey Deb. Can I get the veggie dish and a couple of lemon bars to go?"

((ooc: Damn, forgot comments were screened for non-members. Ben's getting his own profile when it opens again.))

[pflag-mom-deb.livejournal.com]

"Hi honey. You can have them if you talk to me. What the hell is going on?"

[bens-mikey.livejournal.com]

Ben shook his head. "Wish I could tell you, Deb, really I do. One minute Michael was fine, talking to this customer who comes in all the time, the next he's telling me the relationship is suffocating him and he wants me to get away from him." Ben squeezes his eyes closed for a moment, then opens them again. "He was gone and the store was closed when I came back downstairs. Hopefully he'll get whatever it is out of his system by the time he gets back."

[pflag-mom-deb.livejournal.com]

"That doesn't sound like like him at all. Michael wouldn't know a suffocating relationship if it tied a plastic bag over his head." It dawns on Deb exactly who it sounds like. "So what else did he do besides act like Brian? And who is the customer, do you know? In this town..."

[bens-mikey.livejournal.com]

Ben sighed. "I'd had the same thought. Hopefully his acting like Brian will stop at just being a jerk." Instead of other things Brian was notorious for... "I'd stopped at the landing long enough to hear what he had to say to you, Deb. That's just not like Michael. Even Brian wouldn't have treated you like that."

"I'm not sure what else happened, but the door to the back room was open and stuff had fallen off the shelves. I'd heard a bit of a commotion after I went upstairs, but just figured Michael was having a klutzy day. Didn't look like a break-in, and the door was closed tight and the sign flipped over, so I'd guess he was just looking for something and made a mess.

"As for the customer..." Ben searched his memory. "Name started with a P. Pam? No. Paige, maybe?"

[dbiers.livejournal.com]

[ooc: Excuse me, don't mean to be trouble, but is Deb's still open for play? My character and another would like to have dinner here if it's ok.]

[pflag-mom-deb.livejournal.com]

[[ooc: actually, Deb's writer is heading for bed. Long day. Sorry]]

[dbiers.livejournal.com]

[ooc: no worries. :) we knew it was a risk. we're in different time zones and have been trying to get our characters here for, like, two weeks. i'm sure another won't kill us. ;D]