He chuckled, hoping Friday’s breakfast would be as good as Sunday’s. He quickened
his pace to hold the door open for Casey.
“Why, William, you are such a gentleman,” she said with a glance as she walked
through the door.
The door swung shut, the familiar jingle of the bell ringing through the quiet
diner.
Behind the counter stood Manny Cooper, the owner. William greeted him with a nod,
and Manny returned the greeting with a smile. The diner owner exchanged a few words
with his lone patron before making his way toward them.
The old man sitting at the counter glanced at them, then returned to his quiet
routine.
Manny had owned the diner longer than William had been alive. He was always there
when William’s family visited. Despite being a few years younger than his
grandfather, Manny never appeared to age.
“William, it is good to see you. I want you to know how deeply sorry we all are at
Cooper's to hear about your grandpa's passing.” Manny patted William’s shoulder.
“He was a great man. If there's anything your family
needs, just say the word. Your grandfather helped me so many times over the years.”
William wasn’t prepared for Manny to bring up his grandfather. He knew they were
close but never inquired about their friendship. He only knew that whenever his
grandfather and Manny were together, the two would talk for what felt like hours.
“Thank you, Mister Cooper,” William responded, lowering his head to look at the
worn red carpet. He then turned to Casey, who offered a sympathetic frown.
Manny’s gaze shifted to Casey. “Who's your friend?”
“I'm Casey Harlow,” she responded. “It's nice to meet you.”