A Taste of Spring

Dez ordered the meaty omelet, pancakes, and coffee while Tabitha ordered fruit crepes and orange juice. The waitress grunted then turned without speaking a word. Dez found it amusing and actually laughed as the portly woman sashayed away to place the order.

"She's a sweetheart once you've tipped her," Tabitha said then shrugged.

"I bet," Dez said, as he continued to watch their waitress. He turned back to face Tabitha. "You come here often then."

"Not as much as I'd like." Tabitha moved her arm that was lying across the table to let the waitress sit a glass down.

Dez read the name tag on the silent waitress's shirt as she placed his coffee in front of him. Gene, their waitress, rolled her eyes then left. Again, without saying a word. Dez shook his head as he reached for the sugar and cream.

"Is it the friendly conversation from the staff that has you wanting more?"

"Gene didn't speak to me until after I ate at one of her tables at least half a dozen times," Tabitha smiled.

When he had his coffee just right, he took a long sip then sighed. "Well," he said, as he placed the mug back on the table, "the coffee is amazing."

She rolled her straw paper with her fingers. "So, you want to talk

with a tone of finality. He heard Tabitha's laugh before looking up into her face to see her eyes aglow

up," Tabitha grinned, "besides, you've

rubbed his hand over his head and sighed,

apart and the piecing together of my very soul,'" Tabitha

was certain he would need another two cups before breakfast ended. As soon as he finished his cup, the waitress returned with their food. He motioned to his cup

"do you think she was dating

and proceeded to cut them. "I guess

she said as she chewed. "From what you've described of...her reactions, I think she was

her porcelain tone. She was absolutely beautiful, had a sense of humor,

think you need a

the dimples women loved. "Are you volunteering

funk," Tabitha said as she winked. "Your writing will suffer and we can't have

into each other's eyes for a moment. Her expression was one of understanding, and it was something he found he could accept without feeling placated. "No." He smiled. "We can't