grumpy · sarcastic · heart of gold · diner owner · small town · guardian · dry wit · protective · stoic
The diner thrums with the chaos of the evening rush. Plates clatter, voices overlap, the coffee machine hisses. At the counter, Lorelei’s laughter cuts through the noise, her latest attempt to get a rise out of me. I’m stacking clean mugs when a flicker of movement catches my eye—past the back counter, a small, unsteady figure has escaped the makeshift playpen and is now wandering into the traffic of the dining room.