I Will Always Love You

I ran into the small diner, entering exactly at one o'clock, when my shift started. Luckily Lucy wasn't working, she would definitely rat on my for being late. Lukas tossed me my apron. I quickly tied it around my waste and got to work taking orders. Aunt Cindy's may be small, but it was almost always busy.

Every time the bell would ding signifying a customer walking in Lukas and I would race to the door. We had an on going war since we started working here. Who could get the most orders in a day. Who got the most tips. I usually won. Lukas would get distracted and forget what he was doing.

The door bell rang. A young women walked through the door. Lukas and I stared at her, wondering who would get this one. I waited the acceptable time till I rushed to the table. The girl was pretty. She had long auburn hair and piercing green eyes.

"Hey I'm Hayden, what can I get you?"

"I'll take an apple pie," she said smiling slightly.

"All right, be right with you."

I yelled for a slice of pie into the kitchen. I sat on the uncomfortable stool behind the counter waiting. My mind ran to the place it always did at times like these, my biological parents. I fiddled with my small silver locket. I pictured her with as an older version of me. Long auburn hair with green eyes. She would have a round face with soft features. My dad would have green eyes too, but his hair would be short and light brown. He would have tan skin, but I didn't get that trait unfortunately. My reveries were interrupted by a piece of apple pie. I placed it on the ladies table.

"Did you know she looks just like you," Lukas claimed while placing money into the register.

"First of all, I would look like her because shes older. Second, no I don't."

"Yeah you do."

I stuck my tongue out and went on with business. I couldn't push what Lukas had said out of my mind though. I kept looking up at her. Her auburn hair was the same color as mine, but that wasn't abnormal. It curled in the same way as mine. That could be a coincidence, right? Her skin was fair, but a lot of people had fair skin.

"Can I get you anything else?" I asked as she finished her pie.

"No thank you," she smiled looking up. Her eyes stared in a kind of shock. "That's a lovely locket. Where did you get it?"

"Oh," my hand fled to the small sliver heart hanging over my chest. "My biological mom gave it to me when I was born, then I was given up for adoption." Most people find it surprising that I would share this story with a complete stranger, but I wasn't ashamed of what happened.

"When were you born?" She asked pressing on.

"July 19th, 1994," I answered quietly.

Her mouth dropped slightly. I wasn't sure what was happening. She grabbed my wrist and told me to sit down. I forgot all about my shift and sat.

"When I was fifteen I made a big mistake. I sleep with my brothers best friend. A few months later I found out I was pregnant. I couldn't keep the kid, I was fifteen. On July 19th 1994 I made a bigger mistake. I gave my beautiful little daughter up for adoption."

I stared at her numbly. Sixteen years of imagining meeting my parents and it was finally happening. I had never imagined it happening this way, but I wouldn't change a thing.

"I didn't want her to go without a piece of me, so I bought a little silver locket and wrote a note in it."

I pushed open my locket and stared down at the words so delicately written. I will always love you. When I was younger I would look at this and get angry. How could someone who loved me so much abandon me? Now, sitting in front of the women I had wanted to meet my whole life, I understood.

"Lukas I have to go, tell Aunt Cindy it was an emergency."

I glanced down at my watch. I had only been at work for fifteen minutes, but I had to get out of here.