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Chapter Five

"Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen."

~Conan O'Brien   

    We arrive at a little diner, that looks like it comes from the sixties. When we enter, music from a jukebox is playing, and people are sitting at a counter. Waitresses in short dresses with aprons bustle around, taking orders and carrying food. Hunter leads us to a booth at the back, with red seats and a shiny table.

"You all should order the Matrix Burger. Best burger you'll ever eat. And some type of milkshake. They make them by hand, from scratch." Hunter tells us as a waitress comes up.

"Hey Hunter!" she says, smiling at him. Hunter smiles back at her, putting  down his menu.

"Hey Bailey! It's been a while! How are you and the kids doing?" Hunter asks her.

"They're doing great! Can't wait for their dad to come back, though. He's supposed to return next week, if everything goes well." Bailey says, pulling out a pad and pen. "So, who are these lovely people you have with you?"

"These are some friends, Caitlyn and Caleb." Hunter says, pointing to them as he says their names. "And this," he continues, grabbing my hand and smiling at me, "is my partner, Madilynn."

"Well, it's nice to meet you Madilynn. You're one lucky girl to get Hunter. I can't imagine a better partner than him." Bailey tells me, smiling.

"From what I can tell so far, you're right. He is a pretty great partner." I tell her, looking at Hunter while he grins at me.

"Okay you two, stop with the lovey dovey stuff and let's get some food." Caleb says, cringing at us.

"Okay, what do you kids want?" Bailey asks us, looking around the table, waiting for someone to answer.

"We all want a Matrix Burger, and shakes. I want a mint chocolate chip one." Hunter says, looking at me so I can tell her my shake order.

"Same thing." I say. Then, Caleb and Caitlyn order their shakes, Caitlyn getting a strawberry and Caleb getting a peach.

Bailey leaves to get our food, leaving us alone at the table.

"So, when are you two getting married?" Caitlyn asks Hunter and I.

"Um, I don't really know." Hunter says, looking at me again. "Some of my friends from last year's matching are getting married soon, so Claudia may make us get married then or wait a year for your wedding year."

"We are supposed to find out our wedding date sometime this month." Caitlyn says, smiling at me. "I really hope we get a winter wedding. It would be so pretty."

"I don't really know what I would want." I tell them honestly. "I never really thought about getting married when I was younger. Didn't really think anyone would marry me, I guess."

"Why not?" Hunter asks me, taking my hand in his.

"I just didn't think I was the type of girl someone would want to marry. Still don't think that. My sister is a couple of years older than me, past the 'marriage' age of 19 in our town, and she hasn't even had a boyfriend yet. I just modeled myself after her, I guess." I say, shrugging.

"I bet you had a lot of boys who would want to marry you back home." Caleb tells me, smiling.

"Not really. They always went for the prettier girls. Never looked at me or my friends for that. My friends pretty much just dated in our group."