Coming Home

I lived in a town where you have almost seen all kinds of people.  Runaways would come in with barely enough money to afford a single meal and then they were never seen again.  Tourists would take up the parking lot with either a RV or a van full of luggage and we might see them at least once a year if ever again.  Bikers were loud and obnoxious and they would not only take up half of the parking lot, but they would take up half of where ever they were residing in.  The escaped convicts that came here usually kept to themselves and they were only hungry until the cops came in.  Psychopaths could be fun to talk to, but other times they were confusing.  Sweethearts came in more often than not.  You name a personality of someone we most likely served them.  I’ve lived here since I could remember.  I live with my uncle Gary who was slightly balding with gray and blonde hair that he had left and he looked crazy, but he was very understanding and my grandpa Harry who was greyer than grey but the biggest sweetheart.  The only reason that I am here is because my mom died when I was born and my dad left.  Grandpa and Dad were the only ones that knew my secret.

            I could read the minds of others.  It was subtle enough that I could control it to use it only when I needed it.  I was basically able to turn it on and off or I would ignore it.  My dad said before he left me at five years old that one day I will find someone that I can’t read and it will frustrate me to the point where I can’t control my power anymore.  He knew what it was like because he told me that it happened to him when he met Mom.  Then he left.  I cried many tears and I had many tantrums, but my grandfather was more my dad than the one that left.  Now I am eighteen.  Every day since I was eleven I would help my grandpa and uncle take care of our restaurant and bar Osmann’s Diner and the slight Amusement Park right beside the diner.  We had business whenever because we lived in the middle of nowhere.

            Today was the busiest than it ever has been.  It was like everyone around the world recommended going to Osmann’s Diner because they were told that we have the best food in the world.  Not that we didn’t have great food, but when you eat it every day you might say differently.  It only felt busy because I was the only waitress because our latest waitress moved away.  We had a gang of ten bikers, a tourist family of five, a close family friend with his wife and twin sons, and a new young male hanging out here.  The bikers were tense, but they were alright for now.  The two families were just there, and they were content.  The young male was unreadable.

            Oh no.  Not yet.  I ignored it.

            Rather than serving drinks behind the bar, Uncle Gary was waiting on the bikers while I waited on everyone else.  He was doing pretty well for his first time writing down the order, at least I thought he was . . . I was standing by our family friend Bill waiting for him to order.

“What do you have a taste for today Bill,” I flirted hearing immature things that he would never say allowed to me, but his mouth said other things that had to do with what was on the menu.

“I want lobster!”  said one of his five year old twin sons.

“So do I!” exclaimed the other twin.

“I don’t know if they have caught any lobster today Tony and Andy.  Have you, Ruby?” Bill asked looking at his wife Sandy with a big smile.

“We have lobster on Saturdays and what is today . . .” I taunted putting the pen in my teeth.

“Saturday!” the twins exclaimed and I smiled.

“We’ll all have lobster,” Sandy said and she smiled.

“Soup or salad?” I asked and I already knew.

“Salads with French dressing,” Bill said as I wrote it.

“Anything to drink?” I asked looking up from the notepad.

“Water is fine,” Sandy said as I started to hear some commotion behind me.

            Once I put the order notepad in my apron, I turned around to see my uncle Gary getting in a fist fight with one of the bikers.  Once I gave Grandpa the cook the order I ran over to stop the fight.  Before I got there Uncle Gary got a good punch in the cheek.  Even though Grandpa was right behind me he ended up standing between the biker and the fallen Uncle Gary who I was kneeling beside.

“We don’t want any trouble here,” Grandpa said holding his hands up.

“My mistake.  I thought the –

“Please leave,” I said gritting my teeth with a glare in my eyes.  “Unless you can keep a good head.”

“I will stay and I’ll be good.  All you had to do was ask,” he said with a smirk on his face, but I continued to glare at him.

“You’d better,” I said gritting my teeth again knowing his true intentions.  He backed off holding his hands up in surrender and Grandpa turned to us.  We both carried Uncle Gary back into the kitchen and Gary was still steaming, so we took him out back.

“Why did you do it Gary?  Are you trying to get fired?” Grandpa asked angrily with his hands on his hips.

“Grandpa,” I said before Gary could get any words out and he looked at me relaxing a little.

“What now Ruby?” he asked annoyed and I gave him a dirty look back while he crossed his arms.

“Uncle Gary was only protecting me.  The guy asked why I wasn’t his waiter because he wanted to ask me to go to bed with him,” I said looking down and Uncle Gary was too dazed to notice that I knew something that usually in other worlds only Uncle Gary would be able to explain.  Grandpa rolled his eyes.

“Oh.  Another horny biker.  Yippie,” he said angry at the biker now.  “Gary and Ruby get to work.  Just give him what he wants Gary and Ruby, continue to help the others.”

            Just after Grandpa gave us orders we heard yelling and once we walked back in it was clear who it was.

“Where are our drinks?  Where’s our food?” yelled the same biker guy and I saw Gary tense up.

“Gary.  Let me handle this,” I winked nastily grabbing a tray of beer and walking to their table ignoring their shocked looks.

“Ooo.  Did you come back for more action sweetheart?” he asked smiling leaning back on his chair.  “Did anyone tell you how –

“Here are your drink boys,” I said putting them on the table and I turned to go back into the kitchen ignoring his thoughts, but I knew he would reach to pinch my butt.  I turned and smacked the tray across his face causing him to reel to the floor.  “There’s more where that came from and you will not be laying a hand on me.”  I walked proudly into the kitchen and Gary and Harry were staring at me.

“Where did that come from?” Gary whispered clearly enough that I heard him as if he was talking at normal volume.

“What?” I asked and I started making salads.  “Don’t you guys have something to do?”

“Yeah,” Grandpa said going to go cook with a big smile on his face.

“Right,” Gary said going to make some soup with a dumbstruck look on his face.

            I served Bill and his family and I went to help the newcomer once I walked out of the kitchen.  I was going to ask him what he wanted, but my mouth went dry.

“He’s a real jerk isn’t he?” he asked looking at the menu.  He was a handsome blonde with curly short hair and green eyes.  He talked with a southern accent and he had a sort of girly look to him.  I also couldn’t read him.

“Yeah . . . Are you ready to order?” I asked waiting for his mind to tell me, but I got nothing.

“Everything looks appetizing, but, um, I’ll have lobster with French onion soup,” he said handing me the menu once I wrote it.

“What would you like to drink?” I asked still waiting for his mind to speak.  He smiled a crooked smile.

“Water is fine,” he said as I took the menu and walked to the kitchen handing Grandpa the order.

“Ruby.  Maybe you should take a break.  You’ve done a lot today,” Grandpa said seeing my frustration.

“I’ll serve the newcomer and Bill and I’ll be done,” I said and I sighed.

“It was only a suggestion,” Grandpa said shrugging his shoulders and continued cooking.

            I walked past the grill into the kitchen and scooped some soup and poured some water.  Once I had done that I went over to the newcomer’s table.

“Here’s your water and French onion soup,” I said putting it on the table.

“Thank you.  I didn’t catch your name,” he said not touching his soup.

“I’m, ah, you’re welcome.  I, ah,” I hesitated.

“I’m sorry.  No name tag.  I was only curious.  I’m a very curious man, so I guess I’ll introduce myself since I am new here,” he said and his mind was still nothing.  “I’m Jackson Whitlaw.”

“I’m Ruby Osmann,” I said creasing my eyebrows trying to read him.

“So this is your place then?” he said comparing the name.

“No.  My grandpa owns this place.  I just work here,” I said and I started getting frustrated because there wasn’t even a crack in his brick wall of a mind.

“That’s nice,” he said and he started to eat his soup.

            Suddenly I heard a ding for an order that was ready interrupting my train of thought and I just stared at Jackson.  I turned away from him to go get Bill’s food and I went to his table serving it to them.

“Enjoy your meal,” I said with clenched teeth.

“Is something wrong Ruby?” Bill asked seeing the pain in my eyes.

“Just a headache,” I said smiling trying to put the pain behind my eyes.  That’s when I felt something break in my head.  I began hearing everyone’s voices at once and I stumbled backward.  In my frozen fear I looked at Jackson and he was not one of the voices.  I heard the rude biker and the kindhearted Bill.  The silent Sandy and the obnoxious twins were in my head too.  I walked to the kitchen.

“I think I’ll take your suggestion,” I whispered in pain.

“Ok.  Gary will cover for you,” Grandpa said and went back to cooking as I walked out the back door.

            I walked to the park and sat on a bench.  My head felt strained from all the voices while I sat there.  I could hear all ten bikers especially the rude one who was the loudest; I could hear Bill, Sandy, Tony, Andy, the tourist family, Grandpa, and Gary, but not Jackson.  All their voices were a mess in my head.

<This beer tastes the same as ever.>

<That waitress hit you pretty good and I feel you deserve it.>

<I wish I could get back on the bike.>

<I wonder where the waitress went.>

<THAT WAITRESS WAS ONE SEXY HITTER!>

<He deserved what he got.>

<Where’d she go?>

<What’s wrong with her?>

<Why am I following a dick?>

<I’m hungry.>

<I hope Ruby is ok.>

<I don’t think she had just a headache.>

<This food is delicious.>

<I agree with you brother.>

<Hopefully we find this place again.>

<Are we going yet?>

<I hope we don’t get lost.>

<I told you so.>

<What the hell is going on these days?>

After a while I didn’t know what their voices were saying particularly even though I was able to also read twin telepathy, but I started losing track of time and I forgot everything.  Where I was.  When it was.  Who I was.  All there was my head and the voices.  I closed my eyes and tried to get rid of the voices, but the control was gone.

            Even though I was using all the strength I had to make them stop, the voices suddenly stopped.  They just ceased and I opened my eyes.  What was going on?

“Are you alright?  Ruby?” Jackson asked and I jumped up off the bench realizing he was sitting next to me.  All the kids were playing in the park.

“I-I just need to go for a walk,” I said and I backed away from him.  I stalked past him walking out of town.  The voices slowly started coming back, but they were distant.  Grandpa told me that everything out of town was dangerous.  How could he possibly know if he hasn’t left the diner since Dad left?  I suddenly heard in my head, that’s what I would like to know.  It was like it was my own thought.  I ignored it and just kept walking.  The voice I heard sounded familiar, but I had not heard it for many years.  It had to be just a memory, but I stopped and turned around.  Nobody was there so I continued forward.  I kept walking down the road and a gang of bikers rode past, but I didn’t count them.  The voice told me there were twelve.  I turned around again expecting nothing again and it was my brain resurfacing that memory to make me think that I was going crazy, but I saw a man.  I wonder if I am hallucinating.  The voice, his voice, said he was not a hallucination.  We stared at each other face to face.  I could see myself in his mind and I bet he could see himself in mine.

“I’m home,” he spoke and I began to cry.

“Dad!” I exclaimed running into his outstretched arms hugging him.  We stood there holding each other and both of our minds were silent, but mine was full of questions and love while his was full of answers and love.

“What took you so long?” I asked aloud and he looked down into my eyes.

“I don’t really know the answer to that sweetie.  All I know is that I was gone way too long because you are starting to look like your mother,” he answered and we started walking arm in arm back to the restaurant.

            We both were silent as we walked past the restaurants and small stores.  His mind was full of long roads with cracks in the cement, mountains in the background, and beautiful red and orange sunsets on the horizon.  There were visions of men and women that he crossed paths with, but there was so many that their faces melded together.  He dealt with cold nights with nowhere to sleep, so he went without it and in warm nights in dangerous cities where you always had to keep an eye open.  There were times he went without eating or he fought for food.  Sometimes he killed for it.  There were extremely sweaty hot days and there was horribly shaking cold days that he walked through.  He walked in snow and rain.  I broke the silent pictures.

“What made you come back?” I asked aloud and the visions in his head altered from the previous pictures to the new.  On the nights he felt it was safe to sleep he dreamt of mom and I if he would have stayed after mom died.  A few nights after he left me he ashamedly cried himself to sleep.  There were old visions of Grandpa Harry and Uncle Gary working at the diner with him and mom.  I saw him falling in love with Mom and I saw him waiting at the alter for her to come to him.  He loved her even more as her belly grew over nine months and his heart leaped as he looked into my amber eyes for the first time as he held my fragile body in his arms.  Then he looked at mom as she lay motionless on the bed with a glassy smile on her face.  I watched him cry as he saw her casket go into the ground and him look at me in Grandpa’s arms.  It was a look of regret and sadness, and I saw that look again when he left me when I was five years old.  I looked at his face now and I saw happiness along with comfort.  I saw love that he had when he learned to read mom by talking and when he looked at me for the first time before Mom died.

“Your mother’s name was Amy,” Dad said aloud as we stopped at the park outside the diner.  He smiled and I smiled.

“Where did my name come from?” I asked and Dad smiled.

“It was your mother’s favorite stone and I found it a fitting name,” he said and I knew it to be true.  We both looked at Osmann’s Diner and looked into each other’s amber eyes.

“Are you ready to come home?” I asked and he looked at the ground.

“That’s why I’m here, but am I welcome here?” he asked uncomfortably.

“Of course you are,” I said and I grabbed his arm.  I pulled at his arm and we walked in together.  The moment before we walked in there was total silence for our minds, but that changed once we were on the other side of the door.

<Who is that lucky guy that she is with.> the big asshole biker thought.

<Is that who I think it is?> Bill and Sandy thought. 

Jackson and the tourists were gone.

“Ruby?  Who did you bring in with you today?” Grandpa asked and Gary peeked from the back.

“Is it my long lost brother-in-law?” Gary asked and walked up to Dad.

“Long time no see Gary.  How have you been bro?” Dad said and they both gave each other a bear hug.

“It’s good to see ya Evan,” Grandpa said coming out of the kitchen and slapping him on the back.

“Do you still have a job opening?” Dad asked and Grandpa made a sad face.

“Ruby has your job and has been doing very well I might add since our latest waitress quit and left town.  As you can see I tried hiring out of town people, but I guess it wasn’t good enough,” Grandpa said and he smiled looking into my father’s eyes.  “Yet I feel we need a Langdon among the Osmanns to keep it going.  I know that will be good enough.”

            My gratitude that my father was back clouded my mind, but my stomach turned when I heard that horrible voice again from the stupid biker.

“Oh isn’t this sweet.  A little family reunion.  Can little Ruby have your permission to be my girl?” said the big asshole biker.  Gary and Dad glared at him.

“What’s your name mister macho biker because this particular girl who HATES being called little would love to know?  I might just put it in stone while one rots in dirt,” I asked and I put my hands on my hips.

“Well miss Ruby.  What do you want it to be?” he asked with a smirk on his face and it was my turn to smirk as I read his real pathetic name.

“You’re pathetic.  Your mother must have been real drunk to name you . . . wait . . . this is just a shot in the dark, but how about . . . Rush Palin?” I stalled as he froze and I got right in his face.  “Besides I also have a present for you.”  I reached into my pocket and I pulled out my middle finger.

<That’s my girl.> Dad thought and I smiled walking away with confidence in my step.

<You have been gone too long.> I thought back and I watched in the corner of my eye as the ten bikers left in shock and none too slowly.

“It’s good to see you again Evan,” Bill said and shook Dad’s hand.  “Why don’t you show us your kitchen trick?”

“Nobody could do it as good as you,” Sandy said looking at Gary and Grandpa.

“What kitchen trick?” Tony and Andy asked and Dad smiled.

“It was something I could do with a pan, some cooking oil, and hot flames before you were born and before your parents were married,” Dad said and pushed past everyone to get to the kitchen.

“Just don’t burn my place down,” Grandpa said and Dad put his hands up in surrender.

“I won’t!” Dad said and Gary coughed out a laugh.  It was the happiest I’ve seen my uncle in years.  It was like Dad brought out the child in him.  They must have been best friends before he met my mother and my dad winked at me like he was telling me yes.

“Next thing we know we’ll be calling the fire department and rushing to the hospital,” Gary said and Dad laughed.

“If I recall that was you who needed to be rushed to the hospital since you failed to imitate MY trick,” Dad said going into the kitchen cupboard for the cooking oil.

“Are you sure you can still do it?  Safely?” Gary asked and Dad shrugged his shoulders.

“I may have been gone a long time –

“Like thirteen years,” Gary interrupted.

“And I may be out of practice, but I can do it,” Dad continued grabbing a pan with the cooking oil in hand and once he poured some in the pan he turned the stove on high enough where flames came out of the burner.  He poured more cooking oil into the pan and tipped the pan toward the flames.  I watched as the flames flowed onto the pan and once the flames and the oil mixed it was like the oil began to bounce.  We watched as Dad flicked the pan and all those bouncing fire balls became little fireflies.  I watched, through his eyes, him catch every single firefly like he was catching them in a bottle.  I saw him do it again, but this time one naughty firefly did not want to go back into the pan.  The little firefly flew down to Dad’s sleeve and lit it on fire.

            Rather than stop drop and roll Dad suddenly dropped the pan and started flailing his arms wildly.

<Stop drop and roll Dad> I cried in his head.

“You’re just making it worse!  Stop drop and roll Evan!” Grandpa yelled and Dad stopped and glared at me.

<Intruder!> Dad yelled in my head, but it didn’t sound like Dad.  He started coming at me like I was prey even though he was on fire.

“Evan?  What are you doing?” Gary asked and I started to back up.

<Dad?  What’s wrong with you?> I asked him in the head, but he didn’t stop his movements.  This mind of his was foreign to me like he felt he needed to kill this intruder he spoke of which was me at this point in time.

“You’re playing mind tricks with me Jessica.  I thought I killed you, but now you have found another face.  I’ll make sure I kill you this time,” Dad said and I saw visions of a beautiful skinny blonde, a fat redhead, and a petite brunette.  They all had different faces, but their minds were all the same.  Vicious and threatening.

“Evan, snap out of it!  This is your daughter!” Grandpa freaked and I saw Jessica’s vicious death as the blonde.  I saw her laying on the ground like she was right in front of me with a pool of blood behind her head and she was . . . was beating eaten by . . . by Dad!

<Who are you?  You are NOT my father!  My father is NOT a cannibal!  My father is a mind reader just like her daughter!> I thought with a slight edge in it.

<SHUT UP Jessica!  I will kill you again if I have to.> the killer in my father said as the fire continued to eat away at his arm.

<MY NAME IS RUBY!> I screamed in his head and someone poured a bucket of water over Dad’s head as our minds suddenly went silent.  The fire on his arm got devoured by the water.

            Dad blinked his eyes and stood normally like he would if he was not a vicious cannibal going for its prey.  He turned to look at the person who poured the bucket over his head.

“Jackson?  What are you doing here?” I asked as Dad’s body language changed and if I could read his mind again I would be hearing Evan’s mind and not Russell’s mind.

“I didn’t get to properly saw goodbye.  You ran away too fast and then I saw you were in danger,” Jackson said smiling uncomfortably.

“Jackson I would like you to meet my father Evan Langdon and Dad I would like you to meet Jackson Whitlaw,” I said and they shook hands.

“Nice to meet you under such awkward circumstances,” Dad said and turned to look at me confusion.  “What happened Ruby?  One minute I was watching one of the fireflies land on my sleeve and then I was all wet.”

“You went psycho like you were going to kill her and you kept calling her Jessica,” said Uncle Gary crossing his arms.  Dad froze and looked at me with fear.

“Who was Jessica?” I asked and he bit his lip.

“Does everybody know about you and me?” he asked about the mind reading.

“Grandpa knows, but just tell us.  Was Jessica another mind reader?” I asked and he nodded.

“She tried to control my mind and body, but when I finally broke free of her from Russell, I killed her.  I only knew Russell existed once I met him through her eyes and I guess he feels threatened when we get hurt or I cross another mind reader,” Dad said and I crossed my arms.

“Why didn’t he surface earlier?” I asked and Dad shrugged.

“Maybe he sensed that I was not threatened by you,” Dad smiled and I looked at Jackson’s, Bill’s, Sandy’s, and Uncle Gary’s surprised faces.

“You can read minds?” Gary asked while Bill’s and Sandy’s mouths kept opening and closing with shock.  Jackson was silent and had no emotion on his face.  I nodded.

“Since I was born,” I said.

“That’s how you knew what the bikers said to me . . . and all those other times,” Gary said and he became anxious.  “What am I thinking now?”

“Well . . . I can’t read you right now . . . and neither can Dad,” I said looking down on the floor and into Dad’s eyes as he smiled.

“Why not?” Jackson asked and I looked him in the eyes.

“Because of you,” I said and he creased his eyebrows.

“What did I do?” Jackson asked with a guilty look on his face and I smiled.

“The same thing happened to me when I met her mother Amy.  We can read everyone except for the one who we are not meant to read and as long as they are near we are like everyone else,” Dad said and he slapped Jackson on the shoulder.  “Do you want to work here so you can get to know my daughter?”

“Dad!” I blushed.

“You both can work here as long as I don’t have to deal with Russell,” Grandpa said looking at Jackson and Dad.

“Well I don’t feel threatened,” Dad said and he, Gary, and Grandpa went to go help people.  Bill and his family paid for their meal and left.  Jackson and I stood in the kitchen alone.

            It was so quiet in the kitchen both in my mind and out in the open since Dad shut off the stove.  The two of us kept looking at each other and our facial expressions were saying few words between each other.  We didn’t even know each other that well, but for some odd reason I loved him, but did he love me?

“Do you want to go for a walk?” Jackson asked and I nodded.  We both walked out the back door one after the other.  I looked at the road as we walked side by side.

“You’re just passing through aren’t you?” I asked looking into his blue eyes.

“Are you sure you can’t read my mind?” he asked.

“I try every time, but I always hit an unbreakable brick wall,” I said looking at my hands that were shaking and then I looked at him again.  “Well.  Are you?”

“Yes I am.  I’m headed to Canada to live near my brothers and sisters.  I didn’t think I would find anyone to go with me, but when I first saw you.  It clicked,” Jackson smiled his half smile.

“Ok Jackson.  I guess I’m going to Canada with you,” I said and we stopped to stare at each other.

“You sick of this place?” Jackson asked.

“I’ve lived here all my life, but yes,” I said.

“What about your Dad?” Jackson asked and I looked at the ground.

“If he loves me he will set me free and if I come back I was his, but if I don’t, I never was,” I said and I looked at him.

“He came back,” Jackson said and I nodded.  

“Now it’s time for me to be free,” I whispered and we headed back.

            Later that night I am kneeling beside my suitcase in my bedroom when I hear a knock at my door.

“Come in,” I said and I looked up to see Dad walk in.

“I just came home,” Dad whispered.

“I know,” I said and Dad sat by me.

<Why do you have to go to Canada?> he asked within my head.

<His brothers and sisters are there and I want to be with him.  I’ve been here too long.> I thought.

<You love him.> Dad thought sadly.

<After only one day I know, but I feel he is the one.> I thought.

<I know.> he thought.

<I’ll make sure to call everyday.> I thought and Dad smiled.  Then I thought of Uncle Gary and Grandpa Harry.

<I’ll take care of them.> he thought and I nodded sadly.  We sat there silently for a few minutes and after a while Dad just got up and left the room.

            The next day while Jackson put my stuff in his Ferrari, I said my goodbyes.

“Take care of yourself Grandpa,” I said giving him a hug.

“Your job is still here for you if you decide to come back,” Grandpa said and I squeezed him.

“I know,” I said and I turned to Gary.

“I’ll miss ya kid,” he said and I hugged him.

“Don’t get into any fights while I’m gone,” I said and as I pulled away I saw him smile.

“I’ll try not to, but since your Evan is here I might not lose the fight,” he said as I shook my head and last I turned to Dad.

“Ruby,” he said and I hugged him.  “Try to have fun in Canada and I hope you will be happy.”

“I will Dad.  I’ll try not to find another personality while I’m there,” I said and he smiled.  I got into Jackson’s car and I watched my grandfather, my uncle, and my dad become smaller as we drove onto a new beginning.

The End