"You know what you want to order?" The waiter asks annoyed.
The mumbling lady starts shouting after listening to his question "Fish n chips! Fish n chips!"
I search the menu, but fish and chips are not in it.
She keeps repeating the same words almost as if she was chanting.
I roll my eyes 'here goes nothing'.
"Fish and chips, please" I say and the waiter freezes.
"W-what did you say?" he says, he's annoyed façade falling and he's eyes showing surprise and sadness.
'Ah shit' I think tired.
"Fish n chips! Barbeque sauce on the side!" the mumbling lady shouts.
I hang my head, I hope this does not escalate, pinching the bridge of my nose with one hand I close my eyes and say my order again "Fish and chips with barbeque sauce on the side, please".
The waiter gulps and looks at me sadly, as if he was looking at someone else "…I'll bring your orders right away".
While we wait my dad looks at me "there was fish and chips on the menu?" while he says that he picks up the menu and turn it over searching for the option.
"…no, it's not in the menu" I say.
"Then why did he take the order?" he asked confuse "I don't think it is because he's trilled about his job" he chuckles.
"I suppose I got lucky today" I smile a little.
While I wait for the order I play with my phone, I don't have many friends, at least not living friends so I don't text anyone, I mostly just play in my phone.
My dad on the other hand got acquainted with our table's neighbor and started talking. Damn, I wish I was that good to strike a conversation with a stranger.
The waiter comes back with my dad's burger and a massive order of fish and chips. He puts the plates in front of us and smiles at me. It was not a flirty smile; it was more like the smile you give to a sister or a friend.
"You forgot the heart…" the mumbling lady says sadly.
Well, I already followed her instructions this far and I got delicious fish and chips, let's keep on going.
The waiter is about to leave but I grab his sleeve and he turns.
"Yes?" he says startled.
"You forgot the heart" I say calmly, and he opens his eyes, I think he's eyes are going to fall from his sockets.
"W-what?" he mumbles "w-what heart?" he says with trembling lips.
I discreetly look at the mumbling lady waiting for her instructions, and she doesn't disappoint me.
"The heart with the barbeque sauce… that's what is for, remember?" she says while looking at him and I repeat.
"The heart with the barbeque sauce"
He starts crying and looks at me "Who told you that?"
"What do you mean?" I ask. There we go, my ultimate weapon the 'feigning ignorance' strategy!
"I-I mean… the… the heart…" at this point he's just mumbling helplessly.
"Is that asking too much? You don't have to if you don't want to" I say calmly.
"NO! I'll do it!" he snaps.
He takes the barbeque sauce that he put in a plastic container and pours it in the fish and chips until the barbeque forms a heart.
"Thank you, Jeremy!!" the mumbling lady shouts "I'm sorry I left so soon… but… I will always be watching over you… It was not your fault; how could you know our uncle was going to do that? I love you, I love you all and I promise I'll come pick you up when it's your time".
I smile and the lady talks to me for the first time since she started talking "Thank you! Can I ask you for one last favor?" her body slowly starts to change from her haggard figure to a normal looking teenager, maybe my same age.
I nod without saying a word, talking out loud is never good, I found that out the hard way.
"Tell him the time capsule is hidden in the 'cave' where we used to play when we were kids! He will understand what that means" she explains and once she finishes talking her body slowly starts to fade away until she's gone.
I decided to tell him before I leave, it would be far too much drama if I tell him now.
The waiter stood there without saying anything, he doesn't ask if I need anything else and he's not paying attention to the other tables.
"Hey! We need to order here!" an angry middle-aged woman shout.
He stays there for so long, the owner starts to walk towards our table, he arrives and freezes when he sees my order.
"W-who ordered this?" he says surprised.
"Dad…" the waiter says, and I flinch.
"I did" I raise my hand and say in a calm manner.
"W-who told you…?" he doesn't finish his question, so I don't answer "no… it doesn't matter, just continue with the orders and let them eat in peace" his father instructs and thankfully he walks away.
We eat in quiet peace and I'm hopping I didn't overdo it. Why can't I stop messing with this? I know why, but I still get angry with myself every time I do this.
I just can't leave them alone, no one else sees them, no one knows they're still here, I can't ignore them when I'm the only one that sees them.
We finish our meal, my dad pays and the waiter comes back to pick our plates, I take a deep breath and prepare myself, it's time.
"Allie? You're not coming?" My dad asks me, he's already at the dinner's door.
"I'm coming, start the car, I'm going to steal something and I need the engine ready to drive off" I joke but fail miserably, my voice is so monotonic that my jokes sounds way too serious to be taken as a prank.
Fortunately, my dad knows me so he only laughs "I will have the car ready to run off!".
I walk towards the waiter and grab his sleeve. He turns and freezes when he realizes is me.
"W-w-what is it? D-do you need something?" he says nervously. I think I made him freak out but that's to be expected.