Chapter 11 - The Neon Diner
The bell above the door chimed a hollow, metallic note as Eleanor and Lily stepped into the diner. The air inside was thick with the scent of stale coffee, fried potatoes, and damp wool. A few late-night truckers sat scattered at the formica booths, nursing ceramic mugs.
Eleanor guided Lily to a booth near the back. Her eyes scanned the room, searching for a young woman who might share Maya’s features.
A waitress emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a stained white apron. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, and dark circles shadowed her eyes. She grabbed a coffee pot and a notepad, walking toward their table without looking up.
"What can I get for—"
The waitress stopped mid-sentence. Her tired eyes locked onto the small, trembling girl sitting across from the elegant woman in the emerald suit. The coffee pot slipped from her fingers, shattering on the linoleum floor with a sharp crash. Hot coffee splashed everywhere, but the waitress didn't flinch.
"Lily?" she breathed, the color draining from her face.
May you like
Lily scrambled out of the booth, tears already spilling down her cheeks. "Sarah!"
Sarah dropped to her knees right there in the spilled coffee and broken glass, catching her little sister in a desperate, crushing embrace. She buried her face in Lily’s messy brown hair, her shoulders shaking with silent, heaving sobs.
