Guided by Light

Granny’s Diner

April 15, 1952

4:00 p.m.

You!

Terri tightened her hold on the tray she was carrying.

Just listen.

Go away.

Come on, Terri.

The diner door opened, their eyes clashed, and her heart flipped.

“You should have listened.” Terri tossed the milkshake she was holding in Dean’s face. Then shoved the tray into Granny’s hands and stormed towards the back of the diner. If she hadn’t, she might have said something she’d regret later.

The urge to run out the side door was strong. But she was no shrinking violet. Instead, she ducked into the ladies’ room and locked herself in the stall.

Dean Patterson, the man she’d fallen for at fifteen, had returned to town. Except every time she’d thought they were ready to take the next step, he’d left her confused and hurting.

“TTTTerri!”

The ladies’ room door banged against the wall, and the surrounding space seemed to shrink.

“TTTTerri!” Dean stuttered. “We need to talk.”

She took a deep breath and tried to ignore him. Tried to ignore the fact her heart felt as if it were literally reaching for his. He’d been home for a week, and she’d been expecting his call.

“Go away!” Terri repeated. “I’m trying to work.”

“I know.” He was quiet for several minutes, then she heard him sigh. It was a sound she couldn’t interpret. Especially without seeing his face.

“I’m working,” she reiterated. “Granny’s isn’t the place to air our grievances.”

“I ccccalled you,” Dean told her. “You refused to answer.”

He was right, she internally grumbled. She’d heard the  phone ringing several times, but hadn’t answered. Somehow, she’d known it was him.

“Why are you still here?” she finally asked.

“I’ve …” He hesitated for a beat before coming back with, “It’s not time.”

Not time? What did that mean?

“You mean your leave isn’t over?”

Dean first broke her heart when he was twenty and she was about to graduate. They’d talked about getting married so often she’d began planning their wedding. Then on the night she’d expected a proposal, he’d told her he was enlisting in the Navy.

Two years later, he’d returned to Swan Harbor, and she’d hoped for another chance. However, he’d found out what she’d done, and instead of putting a ring on her finger, he’d gone back to Virginia and the Navy.

The war started not long after his return to Virginia, and she’d worried.

Yet, with the war still being fought, he was home. Why?

“It’s not time,” Dean repeated.

Which was typical. He wasn’t one to elaborate, and while initially, she’d thought it was because of his stutter, she’d learned … that was just him. When Dean had something to say, he said it.

“Why are you here?” she repeated.

“To tttalk to you.”

It was quiet for several moments, and then she heard footsteps. He hadn’t left though, as she could see the toes of his black shoes under the stall door. Spots from the milkshake covered them, and while she felt slightly remorseful, she shoved it away.

“Come out, please.” His voice cracked on the last word. The only reason she considered his request.

“Before I come out,” Terri retorted. “You need to move across the room.”

“Okay.”

Her heart raced while she waited for him to do as she’d asked. It was a handful of beats before he moved. Once she could no longer see his shoes, she unlocked the door. Yet, she couldn’t work up the courage to open it.

* * *

Dean nervously wiped at his uniform shirt with the wad of napkins Granny had shoved in his hand. If Terri didn’t like the way he looked, that was too damn bad.

“TTTerri. Please.”

The mulish look on her face when she stepped out of the stall, had him fighting not to smile. However, since he knew she wouldn’t appreciate that, he tossed the dirty napkins in the garbage.

“You made extra work for Granny.”

“Granny understands.”

She didn’t plan on making it easy for him. Then again, he should have expected that.

“Why wouldn’t you answer the phone?”

He’d been home for several days before he’d felt like talking to anyone. When he’d tried, Terri refused to answer.

“So you could say what?” Terri tossed back. “That you were wrong? That you understood? That you shouldn’t have said what you did?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Excuse me? What was that?”

“What you said.”

“Which was?”

“That I shouldn’t have said what I did,” Dean finally admitted. Except whom was he kidding? He couldn’t remember exactly what he’d said.

“You’re right,” Terri continued. “You shouldn’t have.” Her gaze trailed lazily over his face. “What was it you said again?”

Dean’s breath caught, as he’d not expected her question.

“What was it I said … when?”

Terri threw up her hands in frustration. “I didn’t think so.”

He looked away for a beat, before once again meeting her dark-eyed stare. “You know I’m not great with words.”

“I know you have the memory of an elephant,” she snapped.

“Not always.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said,” Dean replied with a little more force. “Not always. Sometimes when I’m angry … or hurt … my mouth gets ahead of me.”

“That’s the game you’re playing?” Terri sighed. “Look, you said you want to talk, so talk. Otherwise, I need to go back to work.”

The hurt between them had been there for so long, he didn’t know what to say … or how to say it. He just knew he wanted to make things right again. She was a part of him, and he’d missed her.I heard your parents and b

Continue reading …