Click here to read Part One first if you haven’t yet!
Margery woke with a roaring in her ears and the feeling that a hatchet was lodged between her eyes. She squinted blearily, and saw only the dim lights of the dashboard, and the running lights down the aisle between her and the man who had offered to drive her home last night.
“UUUUUUUUUGGGGHHHHH.” She let out a groan to capture the ache in her head, and the disorientation in her mind as she tried to remember what exactly had happened last night.
“There’s ibuprofen in the top drawer of the side table,” the driver twisted his head slightly to project his voice to the back of the truck over the engine. “And there’s bottled water in the mini fridge!”
Turning to her left side, she saw the table and the small fridge and made for them, but her legs were all tangled in the charcoal sheets of the lower bunk of the big rig, and she had to thrash a bit to get free.
“Why ME! SUUUUUUUCK!” She let out, as she toppled the foot and a half out of the lower bunk to the floor of the cab. She kicked her legs manically to get free of the sheet and after another few seconds of struggle, she finally righted herself.
“You okay back there?” the driver asked. She could almost hear the smirk in his voice, so she ignored him, rummaging through the top drawer of the built in bedside “table”. She found the pills just where he said they’d be and plopped back down on the lower bunk. A sudden wave of nausea hit her, and she leaned forward, putting her forehead on her bent knees and breathing deeply. In through the nose, out through the mouth.
“Water’s in the fridge!” The ever-helpful voice of the driver called back again, and she figured he could hear that she’d found the pills but hadn’t opened the fridge yet.
A moment later the nausea passed, and she opened the door of the small fridge and popped the cap off the water bottle. She gulped greedily, then popped the pills and leaned back against the wall, letting her eyes drift closed again. If only this headache would go away, then maybe she could think straight.
“We’ll be stopping for breakfast in about an hour, if you’re hungry,” the voice of the truck driver called back, “but there are a few granola bars in the second drawer if you need something to tide you over.” Her stomach growled as if in answer, and she began reaching for the second drawer, figuring that putting something other than water and painkillers in her stomach would probably be a good idea. But as her fingers brushed the knob, Margery stiffened. At the sight of her perfectly manicured nails, something vitally important that she was supposed to be doing at that very moment suddenly clicked into place. Yanking open the drawer, she snatched a granola bar and lurched to her feet. Slowly, she shuffled down the short aisle toward the solid shoulder of the man driving. He was wearing the same red plaid shirt that he’d been wearing last night, and from his haggard expression she guessed he’d been driving all night. What was his name again?
“Todd?” She asked, hoping her hungover brain remembered the dimple-chinned man’s name right as she fiddled with the wrapper of the granola bar.
“Yes gorgeous?” He said, keeping his eyes on the road.
“Where are we?” She stared out of the windshield, noticing the horizon lightening in shades of pink and orange over the tops of the trees.
“About 30 miles outside of Nashville.” Her heart began hammering in her chest.
“Tennessee?”
“That’s the place.” His voice was calm. Matter-of-fact. Reassuring. But she could not be reassured.
“But I can’t be in Tennessee!” She sputtered around a mouthful of granola bar, then swallowed. “I’m supposed to be getting married at First Methodist in Brewton, Alabama at 4pm today!” Shawn will be furious. A fresh shot of fear raced its way down her spine.
“Not anymore you aren’t.” His fingers flexed on the steering wheel ever so slightly. Margery gripped the back of his seat, a slow fear uncurling itself in her already unsettled stomach. She took a step back.
“Take me back.”
"I can’t do that doll.”
“And why on earth not?”
“Because you asked me to drive.” His blue eyes flashed up to hers in the rearview mirror, and she met his gaze for a moment before he returned his eyes to the ever lightening road.
“I what?”
“Last night, I was getting ready to drop you off at your parents place, but you told me you were having second thoughts. Something about your groom-to-be scared you, you said. Something wasn’t right. So you told me to just drive.”
“I did?”
“Mmmmhmmmmm.” Todd said. “I tried to convince you that coming with me was not the only way to get out of the union, but you were quite insistent.”
“Oh.” She said, her face flushing, at the same moment she found herself flooded with a strange relief, but it was quickly swallowed by shame. What kind of woman am I, that I’d skip out on Shawn the day before our wedding? And then, another shot of fear. Shawn will be furious…
She could see it in her mind’s eye—the way she’d come home late one night from time out with the girls, only ten minutes later than when she’d told him she planned to be home. She could still feel his rage as he towered over her in the entry hall, hissing “Where were you?” as he gripped her shoulder, fingers digging between her neck and collarbone. “Shawn…you’re hurting me,” she squeaked, trying to laugh off the uncomfortable moment. But he hadn’t let go. And she’d never been able to forget the way his eyes blazed pitilessly, his very gaze threatening to turn her into ash on the breeze.
“I’m sorry if I put you out…” she said, shaking her head to clear the memory.
“Not at all, not at all,” Todd assured her. “I’ve been needing some company. And besides, I can quite honestly say I’ve never had a cab mate quite so lovely as you.” His eyes shifted to the dog collar hanging from his rear view mirror, the early autumn light glinting from the metal tag where it swung to the rhythm of the road. Then she looked down at herself, and frowned. Her white dress was rumpled from the night before, and her “Bride-to-Be” sash was dangling from the armrest of the passenger seat. Her sandals, for some reason, were on the dashboard. She raised her eyes once again to the rearview mirror and saw the smudged makeup, the tired eyes, the curls that had been smooshed flat on one side of her head, and cringed.
“You’re only saying that because you have to keep your eyes on the road.’’
“You forget I drive for a living doll. I can feel the road as much as I can see it.” The roguishly handsome face turned towards her, and Todd smiled a crooked smile at her, his chin dimple deepening beneath the dark brown of his stubble, before dragging his eyes back to the road.
‘I guess,’ she said, the ghost of a smile curving her lips upward. She swallowed at the heavy lump in her throat, but it remained. The plastic of the disposable water bottle crackled as she opened it again and took a swig. ‘So…’ she said, ‘breakfast?’ The sun was just starting to peek above the horizon, and with it the darkness and fear in her own heart seemed to lessen. Not only the short lived fear that she had been kidnapped, but…something else. Something about what Todd had said she’d mentioned last night—about her second thoughts. She wasn’t really afraid of Shawn…was she? Or have I just been too afraid to admit my fear of my own fiancee?
He’d shoved her to the couch in the middle of the disordered living room, strewn with beer cans, a box of crackers and spray cheese. The T.V. blared in the background as Shawn rounded on her once again. “Who is he? Who’s the other man you’re seeing?” She could feel herself trembling where she tried to sit up ackwardly amongst the cans on the couch. The beer on his breath stank, as he leaned in, grabbing her by the back of the neck and hissed in her ear,“I promise I’m not mad baby…I just need to know.”
She shook her head to clear the thoughts. Of course there hadn’t been anyone else. She’d just lost track of time… and he was drunk. Shawn loved her. She knew it. He was just…protective. Right?
Then why do I feel so relieved to be hundreds of miles away from him?
Todd continued, ‘There’s this great little mom and pop place on the edge of Nashville. They have the best hash browns you’ve ever had in your entire life and pancakes the size of your face,” he turned towards her, emphasizing the word face by blaring his eyes and dragging his bottom lip emphatically through his teeth. Then he smiled slightly, nodded to the passenger seat meaningfully, and turned back to the road.
‘Wow…sounds impressive.’ She said, raking a hand through her flattened hair and sliding into the seat beside him, her eyebrows raising slightly as she snatched her sandals from where they’d been discarded on the dashboard.
‘You don’t sound convinced,’ he said. She bent in half, working the straps of her shoes around her ankles.
‘Well just because the pancakes are the size of my face doesn’t means they tastes any good.’ She managed to get one of her shoes buckled.
“Ohhh! I didn’t know you were a pancake aficionado! Now I’m really glad I brought you with me.” That infernal chin dimple deepened as he grinned at her like a cheshire cat. She began working on the second shoe.
“I’m not, it’s just, I know that the size of the pancake isn’t the only thing that matters!”She finished the buckle and started to take another swig of her water, but then choked as she realized what she’d just said. Her cheeks flushed and she could feel her chest suddenly spreading with those embarrassing red splotches which had been the bane of her existence every time she was flustered her entire life.
‘True,’ Todd agreed, his head dipping slightly. She could tell he was pretending he hadn’t also heard the unintended double entendre, and was deeply grateful. That was until this came out of his mouth.
‘Well I can assure you these pancakes are not only HUGE, but they are in fact delicious.’ She stared out the window, squinting at the cars merging onto the freeway. Trying not to look directly at the rising sun, which wasn’t exactly helping her headache. As if noticing her squinting, Todd grabbed a second pair of sunglasses from the compartment between their seats and handed them to her.
“We’re almost there,” he said easily, grinning at her again. And she wondered what it must feel like to be so unruffled. So free.
Betsy & Mike’s was exactly as Todd remembered it. The large blue and white striped awning out front, the chime of the diner door, and—most importantly—the stout man standing behind the cashier’s counter. He wore small metal frame reading glasses at the end of his nose, but still he was leaning away from the sheet of paper, his eyes widening like he’d seen something either very funny, or very shocking. He wore his usual garish Hawaiian shirt, the peach hibiscus blooms weaving in between neon green leaves. The shirt, if it could be called a shirt and not a catastrophe, was tucked into soft, stained blue jeans. Atop this, the man wore a large apron with “Betsy & Mike’s” written on it in faded blue thread, the tail of which seemed to be coming loose. At their approach, the man pivoted towards them, keeping his eyes on what looked to be an invoice.
“Welcome to Betsy & Mike’s, would you like a booth or a…,” he glanced up and stopped. His ruddy cheeks widened as his eyes lit up behind his readers. “Todd? Is that you old boy?”
“Sure is.” His eyes lingered on Todd’s face even as he made his way around the counter and embraced him in what could only be defined as a grizzly bear hug. Todd felt the stress of the past twenty-four-hours retreat from him, ever so slightly, with every thumping pat from the large man’s hand on his back.
“It’s so good to see you again,” Mike said, keeping his hands on Todd’s shoulders and squeezing ever so slightly. “You’ve been gone from us for too long.”
“I know…” Todd said, regret coloring his voice. “But to make up for it, this time I’ve brought a friend.” Mike’s warm blue eyes shifted to Margery where she stood at Todd’s elbow, looking…well she still looked beautiful didn’t she?
Even after she changed from her rumpled dress into an easy pair of grey sweats and a pink t-shirt with a bedazzled TENNESSEE emblazoned across the chest—the best they could find in a pinch at the truck stop before coming across the highway for breakfast—Todd could hardly take his eyes off her. She’d washed the makeup away from beneath her eyes, and swept her blonde hair over her shoulder and pulled it into a loose pony tail, the remains of last night’s ringlets doing their best to shine in the stream of sunlight coming from the eastern window of the diner. Todd was still wearing his customary red plaid trucker jacket over a black t-shirt and his favorite worn-in jeans. His leather boots scuffed softly on the black and white checked diner floor.
“And what a lovely friend she is,” Mike said, his eyes wide as if trying to rein in his shock. “I’m Mike,” he said, at last releasing Todd and pivoting towards Margery, extending her a hand.
“Margery,” she said, her voice wavering uncertainly. “I take it you are the man with the pancakes?” Todd bit his lip to keep from laughing but Mike seemed to have no such compulsion. All at once, as if the spell of Todd suddenly walking through his diner door had broken, Mike let out a low rumble, that built to a chuckle, that ended with a sound that couldn’t help but make one think of Santa Claus. Mike wiped at his eyes.
“Yes darlin’, I do have the pancakes. Let’s get you folks to a nice cozy booth and Betsy’ll come and take your order.”
Mike led them to a back corner booth with a view of the rising sun, carefully drawing the blinds down low enough so they wouldn’t be blinded by the glare until the sun reached the top of the awning. Then he hustled over to the coffee pot behind the bar and yelled, “Heya Betsy, Todd’s here!” The booth was comfortably worn, but clean as always, and within moments, Todd and Margery were facing each other, a steaming cup of the best diner coffee in each of their hands.
“Great mug,” Margery commented, turning the white porcelain back and forth in her hands, moving her fingers in and out of the handle.
“The mug?”
“Yes. The mug. It’s a great mug.”
“I don’t follow,” Todd schooled his face into a look of befuddlement.
“I thought you said you’d been here before.”
“I have. Thousands of times.”
“And you’ve never noticed the mugs?”
“The mugs?”
“The mugs!” He saw the flush rising in her neck and tried to hide his smirk. “Haven’t you ever noticed how they fit in your hand perfectly? How the handle is large enough for all your fingers to wrap through it? It’s a good mug! It’s a great mug! I’m not loony for thinking so.”
“Oh yeah…” Todd said looking down at his own mug and the way his large hand felt holding it, like he could instantly relax. Like I’m home. “I guess I never noticed before.” He could almost hear Margery rolling her eyes.
“Men!” She huffed beneath her breath.
“What was that?” Todd asked, having heard her perfectly well.
Just then, a grey haired woman approached appeared with the menus, a smile as bright as the sun. She wore a clean yellow blouse with tiny rosebuds on it, and like Mike, a pair of soft, stained, yet serviceable blue jeans. A gingham apron was tied snugly around her slim waist.
“Well would you look what the cat dragged in!” She said, the smile widening on her careworn, angular face.
“It’s good to see you Betsy.” Todd said, his lips tipping up in a roguish grin. “And may I say you are looking especially radiant this morning.” Betsy’s eyes flared as she snapped Todd on the shoulder with the menus she still held in her hardworking hands. A bit halfheartedly.
“And you, Todd, are as shameless a flirt as ever.” Betsy turned her eyes towards Margery. “And who is this lovely companion?” Margery’s face began to flush even further, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Todd interjected before she could get the words out.
“This is Margery. She’s an old friend of mine.”
“Really?” Betsy said, peering inquisitively at Todd over her turtleshell frames, the beaded chain swinging a bit with her exaggerated motion. “An old friend….of yours?” He could tell she was thinking of saying something else, but quickly decided that now was not the time or the place for this conversation. Instead she turned warm eyes on Margery and smiled, “welcome to Betsy & Mike’s, Margery. We couldn’t be more thrilled to meet you.” She looked between the young couple a moment longer, then said, “I’ll give you a moment with the menus,” before hustling away.
Todd opened his menu and began studying it, like he didn’t already know exactly what he was going to order. He could practically feel Margery boring a hole into his skull with her eyes.
“You were messing with me weren’t you.”
“About what?”
“About the MUG!” She huffed. “You know perfectly well it’s a good mug and you just had to pretend you didn’t know what I was talking about to make me…I don’t know!”
“Mad?”
“Yes!”
Todd flashed her his most charming grin. “I’m sorry Margery, for some reason I just couldn’t resist the temptation. You’re kinda cute when you’re flustered you know?” He flipped his menu up onto the table and continued to study it, dragging his pointer finger down the list of options as though it were the roadmap to his next destination. But flashing his eyes over the top of it for the briefest of moments, he caught a glimpse of Margery’s mouth opening and closing like a fish caught on a line.
Thirty seconds later, as if sensing that he was about to get himself into serious trouble with the only girl she’d ever seen him with, Betsy appeared at their sides.
“Ready to order?” She asked, sharp eyes trained on Todd with a look of loving reproach.
“I’ll have the pancakes,” Todd said, “with a side of extra crispy bacon, and some hash browns please.”
“The same for me,” said Margery, smiling sweetly at Betsey before turning a glare towards her companion. “I just can’t wait to take a giant BITE.”
Thank you, Grace! It was a fun read! Love the characters and their banter!☺️ (my imagination is weird - I imagined Margory as Margot Robbie and… well Todd inevitably became a rough version of Ryan Gosling, I’m sorry… 🤦♀️ )lt’s an excellent story!
My wife and I honeymooned in Tennessee (Gatlinburg, specifically); I think we went to a pancake place not unlike Betsy & Mike's. Ah, good memories.