Chapter 4 - The Diner on Main Street
Bennett took Toby into town to meet with Jax’s long-time acquaintance, a woman named Martha who ran the local diner. The diner was a quiet haven of polished chrome and vinyl booths, smelling faintly of roasted coffee and fresh pastry. Martha had worked the counter for over twenty years and knew every shadow that passed through the small town.
When Bennett and Toby walked in, Martha looked up from wiping down the counter. Her eyes immediately rested on Toby, her expression softening from weary suspicion to gentle recognition.
"He looks just like Jax did when he first came to this valley," Martha said quietly, walking over with two glasses of juice. "Full of questions he’s too young to ask."
Toby sat on the tall swivel stool, his small feet dangling far above the floor. He carefully unfolded the paper he carried, placing it beside the faded photograph Bennett had brought along.
May you like
"Jax isn't a bad man," Toby said earnestly, looking at Martha. "He just gets lost."
Martha sighed, placing a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. "Sometimes people get lost because they think nobody is looking for them, Toby. Your coming here might be the only thing that brings him back."
