Slices of Memories

The bell above the door chimed, as a jacketed well dress man entered the quiet diner. It would have been after the morning rush. He ran his hand through his blond hair, as he approached the uniformed middle-aged woman who turned to look at him

“Morning, Delores.” The man greeted the woman familiarly.

Delores gave him a motherly smile. “Good morning, Henry. Your usual will be out shortly.” She gestured to second booth of eight next to the window.

Henry nodded, noting the only other customers were a little girl and who he presumed was her mother in the last booth in the corner. He removed his jacket and placed beside him as he sidled up next to the window and looked out towards the hospital nearby, his place of work for the last fifteen years.

“Here you go dear.” Henry turned to see Delores standing next to the booth, gently placing a plate on the table. “It has been a while, how are things going?” she asked.

“One day at a time. Hasn’t gotten much easier.” He replied sadly.

Delores patted his shoulder as she turned around and left him alone.

Henry glanced down on the plate. On it was a beautiful slice of chocolate cake. Beside it was two forks. He picked one up and as he cut into the slice, he remembered the first time she saw her.

“Would you mind if I sat here?” asked a female’s voice. Henry had looked up and saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen wearing a brown jacket over her scrubs. He looked around the busy diner. It was midday, the lunch time rush always saw the place packed. Looking up at the black hair framed face with blue eyes, he gestured to the seat opposite him.

The lady gave him a look of gratitude as she sat down. “Thank you, I forgot how busy this place is during lunch……” She looks up to him, as if trying to place his face. “….. You’re one of the new doctors at the hospital aren’t you? I’m one of the nurses….. I think I’ve seen you around the place. Anyway, I’m Lily.” She held out her right hand.

Henry took Lily’s hand. “Yes, I am. And I am Henry.”

“Well nice to meet you Henry.” She replied with a firm hand shake. At that point, Delores had appeared with two slices of chocolate cake on saucers and deposited one to both Henry and Lily. Her eyes widened. “Haha…. Twinsies cake jinx.”

Henry sheepishly moved his in front of him as he dug in with a fork. “Had one of these last week…. Helped with the nerves.”

Lily nodded sagely. “Yes they are quite good for nerves, sadness, cramps….. Probably didn’t need to say that….” She turned away embarrassed for a moment before flashing him with a smile. “But an apple a day keeps a doctor away, but a piece of cake makes things okay.”

He couldn’t help but like her as they spent the next few minutes eating cake, talking about their jobs as a doctor and nurse. She had gotten through half of the cake, before she stopped and looked at time. “Shoot I forgot I had to get back early.” She took up her unfinished cake and got up. “Luckily, Delores allows cake takeaway….. Maybe I’ll see you around Henry.” She smiled at him as she walked away

Henry’s eyes followed Lily as she quickly paused by Delores, who transferred her remaining cake to a plastic container, then left. He didn’t know what to think. He wanted to see her again enough that he started feeling crestfallen at her absence.

“Excuse me, sir.” Squeaked a voice, breaking Henry’s memories. He turned to see the little girl from the last booth was now standing at his booth. “Is the cake bad?” She asks innocently, looking at the half eaten slice on Henry’s plate. He shook his head.

“Oh then why are you sad? A piece of cake makes things okay.” The girl continued. Henry was taken aback at hearing Lily’s advice from the little girl.

At this moment, the woman from the last booth came up. “Lily! Leave the poor man be.” She said, giving Henry an apologetic look as she took Lily away. Henry’s surprise was complete. The little girl had her name as well, which took him back to the last time he had seen her.

“Hello my love.” Lily had said as she sidled into the space opposite him, sandwich and coffee in her hands. Working in close proximity had made it easier to get to know her and things had progressed from there. Henry looked at the woman who was now his wife of five years. “Happy anniversary.”

“Happy anniversary.” He replied back. “Looking forward the weekend?” This was the first time they had seen each other since yesterday, with Henry having a midnight start and Lily a morning start. He had just finished his shift, while Lily was in the middle of hers.

“You know I am.” She said beamingly. “Looking forward to getting through today first.” The hospital had seen the victims of a primary school bus and truck collision come in. It had not been an easy morning for either of them, as they both worked in the paediatrics ward.

Henry nodded, looking at his wife, seeing the tiredness behind the smile from years of experience. A slice of cake waited in front of them, albeit enough cake present for two. It was already in a plastic container, with two plastic forks alongside.

Delores, who still ran the diner, had developed a habit of cutting an extra-large slice for the two of them. Henry would eat half while Lily finished her usually quick lunch before they would walk back to the hospital.

They ate, chatted and compared notes on what they saw today so far but soon enough, it was time to leave. Lily put on a lid over her slice of cake remaining in the container as she got up. As soon as they got out of the booth, Henry’s phone started ringing.

He took it out of his pocket and glanced at it. It was from the restaurant he booked for tonight as a surprise. It stopped and was about to put it away when Lily stopped him. ‘’It’s ok, you call them back.” Holding the cake carefully, she kissed him deeply.

As she drew back she said. “I’ll see you tonight. I also have what I think is good news to tell you later, but I just have to confirm it.”

Henry raised his eyebrows but she simply shook her head. “Tonight….. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He replied back. He went to Delores to pay as he waved goodbye to his wife, who blew him a kiss before waving her cake container carrying hand, as she left the diner.

It was the last time he had seen her alive. A speeding truck ran a stoplight as she was crossing a road on the way back to work. She never got to eat her cake. The container was found close to the gutter. And she never got to tell him the good news she was pregnant.

That was five years in the past. Today would have been their tenth wedding anniversary and the fifth anniversary of her passing. A girl’s loud whine brought him back to the present.

With tears in Henry’s eyes, he looked up to the booth in the corner. The girl’s voice had carried a little loudly talking to her mother asking why she couldn’t have cake today.

The mother replied. “Honey, you know the doctors are expensive, maybe next time ok?”

“But…..ok.” The girl Lily responded despondently. The mother and daughter went back to talking quietly.

Henry wiped the tears from his eyes and down at the uneaten cake in front of him. He remembered what the girl and his wife in the past had said. “A piece of cake makes things okay.” He said under his breath.

He gathered up his jacket, the forks and half eaten slice and went over to Delores at the counter.

“To go please, Delores.” He gestured for her to get closer as he drew money from his wallet. “This is for this slice, but also for two more for the mother and girl in the corner.”

Delores took the cake and the money, nodding her understanding. She came back with his slice in the container before heading to the corner booth with two more saucers with cake and forks. Henry had just opened the door to leave when he heard the girl Lily’s squeal of delight. He glanced over at them in the corner and left.

Sometime later, the mother and a happy girl came up to Delores to pay for their food. She assured them that the cake was already taken care of by the man here earlier.

The mother enquired to who the man was. “He’s a doctor who works in the hospital.” replied Delores.

“Was he alright? I think I saw him in tears earlier.” The mother looked concerned.

Delores replied. “Yeah but I think today would be rough for him. Poor man lost his wife on this day five years ago.’’

“Oh dear….. That’s quite sad.” The mother looked taken aback but recovered quickly. “I am taking my daughter to the hospital actually for an appointment…. Do you happen to know his name? I’d like to thank him for the cakes.”

“His name is Dr Henry Newman.” Delores noted the surprise on the woman’s face at the name.

“Mum…. Mum.” Both the mother and Delores looked down at Lily. “Isn’t that the doctor we are seeing today?”

The mother saw Delores’ raised eyebrow before turning to her daughter. “Yes, sweetheart. It is. The man who bought us cake is the doctor we are seeing.”

The girl Lily smiled. “That’s good. He got us cake. So things will be ok.”