Chapter 20: Joe

He started for the door, walking just slightly ahead of her. Elizabeth caught up with him and grabbed his hand. Joe felt her hand squeeze around his and he stopped and looked to their hands. She didn't say anything; she just smiled like this was just any other normal day. Her touch once again quickened his pulse. Joe paused there for a moment longer; he squeezed her hand and then turned toward the door as they pushed through the crowd.

When they finally made it back to the street the crowds had begun to diminish. Joe took in a deep breath and spun around, looking back to the door they had just exited. He smiled as he looked up to sign on the building. Elizabeth nudged him on his arm and then walked past and started down the street. He hurried to catch up to her, and then Elizabeth grabbed his arm.

"Sorry about rushing you out of there," he said.

"It's ok, Joe. Believe it or not, I understand. I have had several friends that have come home from the war and, well, you don't need to apologize."

He grinned and looked over to her. Elizabeth squeezed his arm and then looked into his eyes. "You know, Joe, you had better be careful, that tough, guarded facade you wear so well might be slipping away."

He scoffed. "Guarded, huh?"

Elizabeth squeezed his arm again. "Uh-huh," she playfully said.

They walked down the street in silence for several minutes, looking around at the buildings and storefronts. As they passed the places from their youth, they all seemed so familiar, yet, at the same time, as things from another life. They took their time walking, not saying much, just enjoying being near each other again. When they reached the end of the block they stood at the corner. They watched as cars passed in front of them and, as a break in the traffic came, they started into the crosswalk. Just then, a couple of young boys in a large yellow Chevrolet stopped by the curb near them. One of the boys hung out the back window and yelled to Elizabeth. "Hey, baby, why don't you come ride with us?"

Joe stepped toward the boys as if he was going to yell at them, but before he could say anything, Elizabeth crossed in front of him. "Isn't it past your bedtime, boys?"

The young man threw his hands up in defeat as his friends in the car laughed uncontrollably, and they sped away. Joe stood staring at Elizabeth. She innocently looked back at him.

"What?" she asked.

Joe looked back down the street to where the car had gone and then back to her. He pulled her in close to him.

"Nothing at all. You're doing just fine, Miss Thompson."

She scowled. "Well, they had it coming."

They both began to laugh. They walked for a while longer, stopping in various shops. As they went, they reminisced about old friends and funny moments, and for an instant, Joe seemed to feel as if everything was right with the world. Having Elizabeth there with him helped him forget about the past, if only for a minute. Joe smiled as he looked over to her, and it was at this moment that she looked up to him and stopped. She began to grin.

"Are you getting hungry yet?" she asked.

He shrugged, "Sure, what were you thinking?"

Elizabeth was quiet for a moment and then bobbed her head back and forth. "Well, I haven't been back in years, and I was hoping we could go to Ray's. You know, have a basket of fries and whatever else we can think of."

Joe's eyebrows rose. "Ray's, huh? I don't know why I would have expected anything else." He chuckled. "You haven't changed a bit."

"Why would I?" She lingered there for a moment. "And don't give me a hard time for knowing what I like," she said.

Joe chuckled again, and then looked to the traffic passing by. "Well, let's go, then," he said.

They made their way up the block to where they had parked, and as they got back in the truck and eased out into the traffic, he looked over to Elizabeth. She sat over in her seat; her feet stretched out in front of her. She smoothed her dress with her hands.

"You know, Joe, I don't remember the last time I had so much fun."

Joe scoffed. "You don't get out much, do you?"

She huffed. "Oh sure, I get out, but not like this."

Joe didn't say anything at first. He just maneuvered through the traffic. They made their way up the street and finally turned off onto a side road.

"You know, Elizabeth, I just don't understand."

She turned to him, looking at him inquisitively. "Don't understand what?"

Joe reached down and shifted the truck into another gear. "Of all the places to eat in town, and you want Ray's?"

Elizabeth laughed.

"Well, what can I say? It has always been one of my favorite places to eat, and it's kind of a special place."

Joe couldn't help but laugh. Ray's had been the local spot that they went to when they dated in high school. He didn't think it had the greatest food, but he knew what it was like to miss your favorite places after being gone from home.

He made his way across town, and as he got closer, he could see the lights in the distance, guiding them in. As they turned onto the street, he could see the unmistakable tall red roof. He pulled into the lot and negotiated around the waitresses on roller skates, delivering food. He idled the truck into a spot by one of the red and yellow order boards that held the menus. The boards were filled with everything you could imagine, from burgers and dogs to ice cream, and even a famous pecan pie, as well as the occasional purposefully placed piece of half-chewed gum.

Joe watched as the waitresses rolled by, carrying trays piled with food. He couldn't understand how they could negotiate through all the crowds on skates and not fall or drop their orders. He could see young couples sitting on picnic tables all around the main building. Only a few parking spots were left unoccupied.

He turned the engine off and then rubbed his hands on his legs. Elizabeth looked like she just couldn't wait. A waitress rolled up to the window; she couldn't have been much older than sixteen. She leaned down to see inside the truck.

"What can I do for you tonight, hun?"

Joe glanced over to Elizabeth. "Anything special in mind?" he asked.

Elizabeth grinned and then leaned over toward Joe as she blurted out her order. "I need the burger basket with fries and a cherry Coke."

Joe smiled and then looked back to the waitress, holding up two fingers. "Better make that two, please. And you might want to hurry, she seems pretty serious about her food tonight."

The waitress snapped her gum. "I'll have that right up for you!"

Elizabeth looked down at her dress; she smoothed it out once again. "I'm sorry, Joe. It's just I never got decent food like this back in Wisconsin. I was always too worried about this and too worried about that, so it's nice to just relax occasionally, and get what I want."

He put his hands up. "No problem. I'm not complaining."

She raised her eyebrows. "Well, I do love my food, and you're not going to make me feel bad."

Elizabeth looked away from him and back to the restaurant; she sat quietly watching at all the cars and the couples milling about.

"So, Joe, tell me about your work at the paper"

Joe fidgeted with the steering wheel. "You really do just get to the point these days, don't you?"

Elizabeth bit her lip and then shifted in her seat. "Well, if I left the conversation up to you, it would be very quiet around here, sooo-tell me about your work."

Joe shook his head and then ran his hand through his hair. "Well, I guess it's not bad. I like it. I don't have to worry about too much. My editor keeps me pretty busy and, for the most part, I like the people I work with."

Elizabeth interrupted. "Or don't work with."

She tapped her hand on the gearshift. "I figure by being on the other end of that camera, that you don't have to interact with too many people these days."

Joe gave a little uncomfortable grumble. "I do spend time with a lot of folks." He nodded his head. "I don't talk to many of them, but I spend time with a lot of people."

Elizabeth studied his face.

He laughed nervously as she looked at him and then he tried to shift the attention back to her. "So, tell me about your work. Do you like it?" he asked.

Elizabeth scrunched up her chin and pursed her lips as she scowled at him. "Nope, I'm not going to let you change the subject that fast, Joe. Tell me more. Why do you like your work?"

Joe laughed nervously again. He'd thought she was going to let him change the subject, but she wouldn't. Joe sighed; he didn't know what to tell her next. As he tried to think of something to say, a voice belted through the window.

"Order up!"

Joe turned from Elizabeth and looked to the window to find the waitress there. He reached for the window handle and rolled the window up about four inches, so she could hang the tray on it. The waitress reached to her apron, pulled out a bottle opener and flipped the tops off the bottles. She placed the drinks back on the tray. "That'll be two ten."

Joe reached into his pocket, pulled out some dollar bills and handed the money over to her. He grabbed one drink and a basket and passed it over to Elizabeth. "Leave the finger, ok?"

Elizabeth scowled. "Now, I'm not that bad."

She took the food from him and set the basket on the seat next to her and pulled out the first hot fry. She bit into it, savoring its flavor. "Mmm, that is so good. I haven't had a fry this good since high school," she said.

"What, they don't have burger joints in Wisconsin?" Joe asked.

"No, they do, they just seem to taste better back home. You know, here-with you."

She grabbed her Coke and sipped it as she coyly looked over to Joe. She then grabbed a fry and pointed at Joe. "Remember how we used to come down here and how all our friends used to be here? It wasn't long ago that we were those kids out there at those tables. Those were the good days before- well before life got so complicated."

Joe picked at the food in his basket. "Yeah, before-"

He watched as Elizabeth enjoyed each bite of the burger. He was almost jealous at how much she seemed to be relishing it. Elizabeth looked over at Joe's half-eaten burger. She wiped her hands with a napkin and then giggled as if she felt a little embarrassed.

"You've barely touched your burger, Joe. You don't like it?"

Joe looked down at his food and then back to her. "Oh, no, it's fine. I just have never seen anyone so happy over a burger at Ray's."

She shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "I know I can get a little carried away when it comes to food, but what can I say?"

She grinned at him as she handed him her almost-empty basket. Joe piled the remnants up on the tray. As he did this, the waitress rolled by and then turned around as she saw the empty baskets. She pulled the tray from the window. "Can I get you anything else?"

Joe looked to Elizabeth, almost anticipating a second round.

"Anything else?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, I am fine, thank you."

The waitress winked at Joe. "Well, you all have a good evening, hun."

She wheeled away and disappeared inside the restaurant. Joe sat there for a moment in silence. He reached up, resting his hand on the keys still in the ignition. He bit his lip as he contemplated the evening. Elizabeth sat looking at Joe, waiting for him to say something. He stayed silent a moment longer, and then Elizabeth spoke.

"So, what do we do now?"

He looked over to her. "I don't know. Are you ready to go home?"

She turned so she was facing him. "Well, not particularly."

Joe started the truck and let it idle. "I have an idea."