The diner no longer, but the best friend reunited

Saraya Johnson yawned and stretched out her legs in front of her. Peeking out the window, she tried to figure out where they were, but all ‘Ray’ could see were clouds and more clouds and a gray sky.

Running her hand through her long, auburn hair, Raya took a sneak peek at the other passengers on the Concorde. Most were still asleep, a few were reading and some were like her – just waking up. She smiled and nodded at an elderly man who reminded her of her grandfather. He was looking at her. He nodded. She nodded back.

Raya sat back in her seat, yawned again, and sat up a bit in the chair. The stewardess walked by, “Ms. Johnson, would you care for something to drink or eat?”

“Hey … You know, I need some water. What time is it and where are we?” She asked.

“We should be landing in about 45 minutes,” The flight attendant handed Raya bottled water and a napkin.

Raya nodded and saw the doughnut on the tray. “You know, I might take that sprinkled doughnut.” She smiled.

“Sure.” The stewardess pulled the table down and put the doughnut on the tray. “That is my favorite as well.”

“Thanks, Sally. I appreciate everything you have done on this trip.” Raya reached into her backpack and made sure her tickets were where she could get to them. She handed Sally something. Sally looked at it – a $100 bill. “Ms. Johnson, I ...”

“Take it. You don’t have an easy job. Call it happy.” Raya patted the stewardess’s hand.

Sally smiled, “Thank you. You … Ms. Johnson, this will help. Thank you.” She wiped a tear from her eye and walked to the galley. Raya enjoyed the doughnut and took some medicine with her water.

Raya pulled her hair back in a scrunchie, and fluffed her bangs out, then put her book in her bag, handed her pillow and blanket to Sally when she came back by, and stood up for a minute, and got her duffel bag out of the cupboard, and threw it on the floor in front of her, and sat back down. Raya leaned down and tied her tennis shoes, and sat down.

The Concorde landed and pulled up to the terminal. First-class departed first. Raya thanked the flight crew as she left, and walked out. The flight had not been hard, just long – normal for a jaunt from London to New York.

It had not been a crowded one either.

She sniffed. Late-night flights, early morning flights were her favorites. She could dress down and comfy. Today, Raya wore a pair of gray sweatpants, a pair of pink and green Asic walking shoes, and a pullover hooded navy sweatshirt with the words Yale across the chest, and a pair of reading glasses.

No one really knew her. Most people usually did. Raya was a well-known actress and dancer. Normally, she would have had security around her, but not today. It was quiet.

But then it was midnight in New York.

Raya sniffed again, and wiped at her eyes. Allergies … the one thing she detested about traveling. As she neared the end of the gate, Raya got her boarding pass out, and handed it to the airport employee as she walked out.

“Ms. Johnson, welcome back to New York.” The typical greeting.

Raya nodded, “Thanks.” She walked toward security, and went through the check gates, making light jibber-jabber with the TSA guards who knew her because she came through a lot. One of them was the brother of her head of security.

“Who’s picking you up, Raya?” Zack asked as he handed her her bag while she put on her shoes.

Raya looked up, “To be honest … I don’t know. Someone in my family.” She smiled.

“Holler if you need me,” Zack said as she walked down through the gates.

She waved, “Have a good night!”

Raya walked on down toward the baggage claim. “So, you come here often?” A male voice came up behind her. It was deep and had a hint of a Bostonian accent.

“It seems like it,” Raya grinned, and turned around to gaze at her brother, Vinny. “Looking good, big brother.”

Vinny smiled, “Yeah, yeah. Come here. You are so thin, girl. Mom is going to have a fit.” Vinny was a retired Air Force pilot. His strawberry blonde hair though was still styled and cut like a military buzz, and he was muscular. Wearing a pair of work-out clothes – a hooded sweatshirt – blue with Air Force and a logo, and gray sweats, and glasses. He was a good foot taller than Raya.

“Well, you know, that is what a month of mono will do for you … great weight loss trick,” Raya handed him her duffel and strapped her backpack on her back straighter.

“You feeling stronger?” He asked as they walked down to get her suitcase.

Raya nodded, “Yeah. So, how did you draw the short end?”

“I volunteered. Needed to get out of the house,” Vinny said, rolling his eyes, as they stopped at the baggage claim.

“How bad is it?” She asked, watching for her suitcase. “There it is.” She pointed to the paisley bag coming down the chute.

Vinny reached over and grabbed it, and she took her duffel bag. “It is not too bad. You know, it is wedding central. Poor Paige and Ryan.” Raya’s twin brother was getting married, hence the reason for Raya coming home.

“So where are we all staying?” She asked as they headed out to the parking lot. Vinny said, “You and I are in the cottage with Ryan. Kirsten, Matthew, and their family are in the house with Mom and Dad.”

The cottage was actually the pool house that had been remodeled years ago as a “guesthouse.” They found Vinny’s car, and got in, after putting the bags in the trunk.

“You hungry? We can stop by Mack’s on the way home?” Mack’s was a truck stop diner that Vinny’s best friend from college’s parents owned.

She nodded, “Maybe. Some pancakes … I had a doughnut a while ago.”

“When was the last time you were at Mack’s?” Vinny asked. She shrugged. “I was … what? 10?”

Vinny said, “It has changed a lot since then.”

Raya looked at her brother. “What do you mean?” He pulled the car out of the lot, and headed out.

“You will see.” Vinny and Raya chatted all the way to the diner. When Vinny pulled up into the lot, Raya gasped. “Oh my. It is not a truck stop anymore.”

Mack’s was a two-story restaurant with a lot of windows, an outdoor dining area, and lots of colors.

Gone were the old-fashioned diner motif, the trucks in the lot and … “Wait, are those palm trees? What the heck? Palm trees in New York?”

Vinny laughed. “Mack’s dad remarried a diva.”

“Do they still have pancakes?” She asked. Vinny parked. He nodded, “Yes. And, just wait. They have a store that would make Stuckey’s and Buc-ee’s laugh.” They got out.

Raya talked about different memories, and her brother held the entrance door for her. As she walked in, the cold air enveloped her. In the lobby, she smiled. There was a picture of Mack as a kid, making a funny face, sitting on top of a truck. “Well, somethings never change.”

Vinny held the door for her, and she walked under his arm. “Oh my goodness. It is like if the strip in Las Vegas mated with the Cracker Barrel.”

“That is something I never thought of. Come on.” He nudged her to a booth. They ordered. After eating, they went upstairs to the “store.”

Vinny was right … it was a tourist trap.

Raya’s eyes were drawn to the kid section where there were shelves of stuffed animals. She walked by each one and touched some, and then she stopped.

She was almost frozen in her spot. Sitting in front of her was a light tan, six inch stuffed monkey with dark eyes. Raya picked it up, and stroked it, and looked at the arms.

At that moment, Raya felt like she was back in time. “Ezekiel.” She whispered.

Vinny walked over, “What is it? You look you have seen a ghost.”

Raya turned to her brother and held up the monkey. “Look.”

“Hey, Zeke. That looks like Zeke.” Ezekiel was the name of the stuffed monkey that Raya had for 10 years, and he got lost during a move from Boston to New York.

Vinny took it from her and gave it a once over. Raya looked on the shelves. “That is the only one like him.”

“Raya, he has one arm longer than the other.” Raya’s original monkey had the same issue. She took the monkey from her brother. “Are you serious?” Raya looked. “Oh wow.”

The monkey had been Raya’s favorite … it was small enough to be carried everywhere and had been a big help to her after their mom had almost lost her life when a criminal attacked her. Raya came on the scene after it happened, and found her mom. Ezekiel had been her “therapy animal” since she was diagnosed with PTSD. Raya had been 15.

“I am thinking you should get it. It is only $8.00.” Vinny said. “I will buy it for you.” He took it and went to the cash register.

Raya followed him … her heart was filled with good memories. Though the diner was no longer a diner, it was a good place. And, Ezekiel … She couldn’t help but smile.

That stuffed monkey had, and it sounds silly, been her best friend.

It had a calming effect on her anxieties.

She waited for Vinny by the stairs. He walked over with the monkey in a bag. “Here is to a happy weekend.”

Raya said, “Thank you, big brother. I appreciate it.” She grabbed the bag. As they walked down the stairs, Vinny said, “You can take him out, I know you want too.”

She opened the bag and pulled the monkey out. Raya nearly cried real tears. “Zeke is back.”