Page 13 of Push & Pull
No, Simone had never been to a Waffle House. No, she didn’t make a habit of eating breakfast for dinner – at any time in her life.No,she was not in the mood for it tonight.
Loud. Busy. Crowded.
“Sorry about the room.” Petra returned from the bathroom and picked up her menu. “I mean, I only booked one bed when I called in the reservation a few days ago.”
Simone sighed. Beneath her nose was a colorful menu showing off the entrees in their sugary and greasy glory. Already the scent of sausage, bacon, and maple syrup filled her nostrils as she inhaled her neighbors’ dishes. The booths around them were filled with couples and small families. Between the small children screaming that they didn’t want cheese in their eggs and old people clearing the phlegm from their throats, Simone was about to scream too.
God knew her hangover was coming back!
“Coffee for me, please,” Petra cheerily said to the waitress. “I’m still thinking about dinner, but I really need caffeine if I’m gonna stay awake to eat it.”
“No worries, hon. We’ll get you that joe.” The waitress turned to Simone, who had only removed her glasses for propriety’s sake.I can hear my mom barking at me to take off my sunglasses when I’m inside.“What can I get you, honey?”
“Um… coffee sounds good.”
“Two coffees are on their way.”
While Petra perused the menu, Simone inhaled a deep breath. She should have had dinner on her own. Maybe in the hotel restaurant, which looked like a quaint southern eatery – without the crowds and screaming kids.I honestly thought that was where she wanted to go.Instead, Petra led her to the neighborhood Waffle House. Something Petra was shocked to hear that Simone had only heard of in passing. “Should I get loaded hash browns or a waffle?”
Simone now regretted not buying cigarettes at the convenience store back near Orlando. “You were going on about waffles earlier.”
“Yeah, but now I’m looking at these hash browns. Bacon and sausage, I mean, come on.”
Was that supposed to sound good? Simone could hardly stand the two together.Too much grease.She wasn’t about to share this with Petra, but Simone’s stomach could be delicate on the best of days.
“I guess the pecan waffle is fine.” Simone sighed. “I should get some protein.”
“I’ll say. You’ve hardly had anything to eat all day.” Unlike Petra, who had pulled through another fast food place halfway to Atlanta. The bag of curly fries had filled the car with a decadent scent.How she eats that much crap and stays looking so tiny, I have no idea.Petra couldn’t be that much younger than Simone, who already knew what sodium bloat and too much red meat could do to a girl’s gut.
Their coffees arrived, complete with choices of cream and sugar. Simone indulged in cream but laid off the sugar. Petra was the opposite.Three teaspoons of sugar? People do that?Simone knew she shouldn’t judge, but when a woman was in such close proximity to someone else for so long, she couldn’t help herself.
After they ordered, Petra drummed her fingers against the table and caught Simone’s attention before another child could.
“So, how long have you known Hailey?”
Simone sipped her coffee. For as hot as it was, it didn’t scald her tongue. That was how desperate she was for caffeine. “Since college. You said you grew up with her, huh?”
“Something like that. We knew each other in middle school. We lived in the same area.”
“With your parents?”
Petra smiled, but said nothing.
“Or did you meet her on some nameless Greek island in the Mediterranean?”
“You know Hailey. She loves her nude tanning.” Petra glanced away, a romantic sigh in her chest. “She really loves that nude tanning.”
If Simone had wondered if Petra were queer before this moment, she no longer had to place her bets.There is no bet. She’s as gay as me.This could actually make their temporary relationship more insufferable.
“What island?” Simone asked.
“Does it matter? Like you said, so many islands.”
Should this be the moment when Simone called Petra out on her shit?On one hand, it would be fun.On the other, Simone didn’t know what to expect if Petra was caught in her lies. For all she knew, Petra was only bubbly and affablebecauseshe believed in her lies.
Then again, Simone was already over the fake niceties.
“You know what I think?” Simone scooted forward, elbows leaning against the table. “I think you’re lying. You’ve never even been to Europe, let alone some private Greek island.”
