Fragments - Flash Anthology

Thirteen

It was here.

Did they forget? All I had was a quick text and I discovered fifteen minutes before, just as I was free to leave. I should have looked at my personal sooner. But they should have remembered.

What do I even want from here? It's all the same as--I mean, I had a whole life since then!

I'll just get a salad without the beef. Dressing on the side. Diet Coke with a little regular to fix the taste. Don't--she got a footlong. How does she expect to even finish that thing?

At least this place has been remodeled. It's been twenty-two years, after all.

I move us to the opposite end, to a large, round booth for six. A little big, but the girls are rowdy. I just don't want to be over -there-.

I speak first, asking about summer break. It's the last one for Jes unless she agrees to go to college. But I fear she wants to go right to work. I wish she wouldn't take after me.

That footlong. The smell was starting to get to me. I guess I never really talked about what happened. They would have known, otherwise.

* * *

Me: b @ (ice cream emoji) and (hotdog emoji) place by 11:30, c u there : P

Mom: Are you serious? There?

Me: ?

Mom: Nothing. Be right there.

Perfect. Finally.

"So you want me to get the biggest hotdog they have here, right?"

It was Jes. She didn't understand why I wanted us to come here but that it was always strange why we never ate here despite owning it. And there was always a reason why we couldn't get hotdogs when we had barbecues.

I nodded as we sat down in one of the thin molded booths in the chilly restaurant. "Do you like Philly cheesesteak or chili cheese? Both look pretty huge."

Jes replied with a grin. "Chili cheese! Of -course-!"

I smiled back.

Now, we just had to wait. Knowing Mom, she'd arrive as soon as possible. My little sister fidgeted in the booth across from me, then took out her phone. I set my own down and watched the parking lot. After two dozen corvettes and teslas passed by (with only two in my favorite colors!), I saw Mom's yellow mustang.

We got up from the booth and met her at the door.

"Ok girls. Let's get some lunch." Mom looked tired already like she didn't want to be here. Or maybe that was just my imagination?

Jes grabbed Mom's hand. "Come on, I'm starvin'!"

I followed right beside until we got in line to order. Mom picked her usual "healthy" as at any other place. I didn't even expect there to be salad at a place like here! I ordered a burger and ice cream combo, strawberry without nuts. And Jes, with her arms stretched out to gesticulate the size, ordered the footlong chili cheese hotdog.

I quickly looked at Mom.

There! I knew it! There's something about this place and hotdogs!