The Gathering

The bus pulled into Ted's Roadside Diner a little after 7:30 pm, letting out just one passenger. A young lady, looking like she was in her late 20's, disembarked. She stepped from the bus and glanced around the area. She wore torn jeans along with a t-shirt with the Doors emblem, and she had a long coat on.

She turned to the driver of the bus and said thanks. The driver smiled and nodded.

"Well, this ain't much but it's where you wanted to go," the driver said and he closed the door and pulled the bus out of the waystation.

She grabbed her shoulder bag and walked into Ted's; around this time of the evening Ted's was practically empty. She walked up to the counter, dropped her bag beside her and sat down.

"Coffee?" the server asked her. The server was sitting down at the other end reading a book.

"Sure," Maggie said.

The server casually went about her business and brought a cup of coffee over to the customer. "Menu?"

"Yes, please," Maggie replied; she was a tad hungry, after all it had been a long bus ride to get to this place.

The server reached under the counter and placed a battered menu in front of the customer. "So what brings you to these parts?"

"I'm supposed to be hooking up with some old friends," Maggie replied. "They should be showing up shortly."

As if on cue a red sports car pulled into the lot  and out popped a young woman with hair of red, dressed in a dark red dress, looking sultry. From the other side, a woman in black gothic gear stepped out as well.

"I take it that's them?" the server asked.

"That's two of them," Maggie answered. She turned in her seat, taking her coffee cup and headed towards a booth. She placed her coffee down on the table as the door chimed.

"And here I thought I was going to close up early," the server said with a smile. She was glad to have some people here this evening; ever since the bypass opened up two years ago, this cafe had been going on a downhill slant. "Let me fire up the grill."

The door opened and the lady in red called, "Magriel!"

"Hello Lucy. Been a long time," Maggie said as she made her way to the door.

"Hell of a long time," Lucy replied. As the two old friends embraced and gave each other a peck on the cheek.

"Get a room you two," a voice chided from the door. Maggie turned and smiled at the goth girl.

"You haven't changed much, Lilith," Maggie said with a wink.