The moon goddess chose wrong: twice
flashed in neon above the door and the smell of burgers and coffee drifted out like a promise.
I pushed inside. Bells jingled overhead. The place was half-full, with truckers at the counter, a young couple sharing fries in a booth, and an old man nursing coffee in the corner. I slid into a worn vinyl booth near the back, the seat sticking to my thighs through my leggings. My hands shook as I pulled out the crumpled bills and counted them twice.
A waitress appeared almost immediately, order pad in hand. Her name tag read “Gia” in cheerful blue letters. She was in her late forties, with warm brown skin, curly hair pulled into a messy ponytail, and kind eyes that