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MELISSA

Jenna Layman

"Thanks for driving, Dad," whose eyeshadow matched the

Melissa said as she climbed out of fabric irises wrapped around the

the Blazer, careful not to brush her wall sconces. The name Cindy was

white linen skirt against the once- etched into her glossy gold name

white SUV. Her father nodded as tag.

they walked toward the door of the After a moment of silent "you

cafe, pulled along by scented prom- go firsts," Melissa asked for cream

ises of bacon and French toast. The dried beef over home fries with a

tinkling bell drew a wave from the side of white toast. Her mother al-

hostess, and they shuffled around ways spent hours planning healthy

the few tables occupied by middle- meals for their family and would

aged women and elderly couples. have gagged at the mere thought

Melissa's feet sank into the jade car- of a plate of cholesterol and gravy,

pet, and the garden of Van Gogh but her father joined her indulgence

prints on the walls far exceeded and said, "I'll have the same." Me-

her expectations. Absent were the lissa hated that she had inherited

stained linoleum and bikers that her father's ghost-like skin, but she

populated the normal breakfast silently thanked her taste buds for

haunts her father chose. taking after him. His aging waist-

"This place is... nice," she of- line was beginning to show the Sun-

fered. She caught the surprise in day morning breakfasts he enjoyed

her tone and hoped her father didn't every week, but Melissa was willing

notice. to doom her own trim figure to that

"Yeah, it's alright," he grunted. fate for home fries.

They froze in the midst of the tables, Cindy bustled away, and a near-

and Melissa abruptly sat down in ly identical ray of sunshine bounced

the closest empty chair. Her father up to the table balancing coffee pots

followed, and his brown eyes met full of the dark liquid. Melissa's

her anxious green. father glanced at her in surprise as

"What can I get you both this they simultaneously pushed their

mornin'?" sang a beaming woman mugs to the edge of the table to be

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