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“Thanks, sissy,” he calls as I fly into the kitchen

My parents, also succu to breakfast fever, make a rare appearance Mouess we’ll have to wait,” she says When she cos are slow, she tellsIf I’m busy, she’s put out And today, I’m just not in the mood

“Business looks good today, Maggie,” my dad says

“It sure is, Dad Hi, Rolly Hoas everything?” I ask

“Cracklin’,” he says I take this as a compliment

“You filled out your ballot, right?” I ask

“Every day, Maggie, every day”

Finally, a booth is free for Mom and Dad, since the counter is jammed “What would you like, Mom?” I ask

“Oh, I don’t know I should have eaten a bowl of bran flakes, really”

“How about pancakes, Maggie, hon?” Dad asks

“Pancakes it is” Having been a waitress for half my life, I don’t need to write down orders “And you, Mom?”

My uess I’ll start with orange juice, only don’t fill the glass It’s tooFill it about three quarters full Can you do that? Because otherwise, I won’t be able to drink it all”

“Squeeze one, three quarters Got it”

Georgie co ie?”

I put my arm around hi expression “Hey, buddy,” I say to Georgie “Someone spilled juice under the last stool Can you take care of it?”

“Sure, Maggie!” He gives lance back to the counter, where people are in various stages of eating and ordering, then do a double take

Malone’s here

He’s sitting next to Jonah, talking to hio hot He looks my way, his face as blank as a blackboard in July No sheepish grin No apologetic shrug, just the penetrating blue stare and the slashing lines of his perpetual scowl I turn back to my parents

“Mom?”

“I don’t know, Maggie! There’s too much to choose from”

“Fine You get nothing” I snatch theMalone, ignoring rab an order of the spinach omelet special, some pumpkin bread French toast and a plate of silver dollar pancakes “Another stack for my dad, Tavy,” I tell Octavio

“Ayuh,” he answers

I serve the farab the coffeepot and head for the counter, overhearing Jonah saying, “Oh, shit, it was nothing You’d do the same for me”

So Malone came here to see Jonah To thank him Not to see me, or, God forbid, thank me

“Good uess Black, rounds?”

Malone turns his clear blue eyes to ie,” he mutters

“Hope you slept well,” I snap Jonah’s eyes widen, but he wisely refrains from comment Malone’s eyes don’t flicker fro so away, Malone deliberately takes the creamer and duar packets, tears them open and pours them in as well

“All done, Maggie!” Georgie calls cheerfully

“Thanks, Georgie Don’t knohat I’d do without you,” I call back, not looking away from Heathcliff of the moors here

“What a lovely day it is outside Hello, Mabel, love, how are you this fine ?” Father Tim is here, but still I don’t look away from Malone’s somber face

“Have you got so to say to me, Malone?” I say

“Oh, I’ve got a lot to say to you, Maggie,” he answers grimly Jonah slips away to join our parents

“I’,” I say

“Excuse et some ketchup over here?” calls Helen Robideaux from the corner

“Hello, Maggie dear How nice you look today” Father Tirabs acontest between Malone and reet my friend My happy, cheerful, dependable friend

“Father Tireat hten a place up, you know that?” I believe I hear Malone growl

“Ah, Maggie, you’re too kind I’ll just grab soet back to work” He opens the kitchen door a crack and sticks his head in “Good , Octavio, et an order of the pumpkin French toast?”

I have work to do Malone can go to hell and play with his co couple who’s been waiting patiently, ask about their kindergartner and bring the ketchup to Mrs Robideaux Malone sits at the counter, staring straight ahead

The bell over the door tinkles, and I sigh Another custoe with silvery hair He looks around uncertainly

“Be with you in a sec,” I call Judy has disappeared Must be tiie break

“Maggie, for heaven’s sake, can I please have a fried egg?” my mother asks

“Fine” I’ve heard about how, in some fancy New York restaurants, the wait staff spits on the orders of bitchy custoive it a whirl “Hi, Stuart You want the usual?”

“That’d be great, Maggie,” he says, sitting next to Malone

“Adam and Eve on a raft, burn the British,” I call to Octavio, slang for two poached eggs on a toasted English muffin

“Side of hash, too?” Stuart asks

“Sweep the kitchen!” I call, hearing Octavio grumble; he’s quite proud of his hash and doesn’t like that particular hs