Work Text:
"A cherry coke please." The girl answered, as she was asked what she wanted to drink. It was always a cherry cola when it came to Madeleine Ferguson. In terms of soda that was really all she drank, unless she was having a root beer float. The waitress walked away to grab her drink as she looked out the window of the diner and sighed.
For a brief moment, a memory she had of waiting at the diner for her little cousin Laura appeared and she could've sworn she saw her outside until the ugly truth reared it's head again. The fact that the poor girl had been murdered and that was really the entire reason she was even in town, and as the waitress came by she very nearly jumped out of her skin. "Oh I'm sorry, thank you." She offered a small smile as she accepted the coke and took a sip from it. After a few minutes of looking off into space and seeming to be a little lost in her thoughts, Norma, the owner of the very diner she was sat in came out and slid into the seat across from her. "Are you alright sweetheart? You seem a little.. well honestly you seem just plain lost." That pulled Maddy right out of her daydreams and caused a brief moment of awkward silence and staring before she answered. "To be honest? Not really.. I don't know what's the matter with me anymore." To this, Norma said it was likely grief and judging by the dark circles a few sleepless nights, which Madeleine didn't confirm nor deny.
"You'll be okay, everyone is pretty shaken still from all of this. And being at that house right now probably isn't helping matters too much." That, she had to agree with since all she could think about there was Laura and how she had turned out to be the way she had since she was such a good kid before and although Maddy had certainly encouraged a few bad behaviors unintentionally, all of this was never something that crossed her mind at all. Especially now that Donna told her that the girl was basically a prostitute and often went over the border to Canada with several men to a certain red bar there.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be pouring everything out on you." she said, to Norma as she sighed and placed her face in her hands. "I started first anyway by coming over here, really it's fine. If there's anything you need to say you can trust it won't go any further than me and the Double R." The only reply that was offered to this was simply a nod as she finished her coke. In all honesty? As much as she didn't want to talk about anything to anyone, Norma had really helped her just then. And after another minute or so of silence the woman stood, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and then slipped her a phone number before heading back to work. Granted, Maddy would probably never use the number but she really appreciated the kindness. And certainly would keep it in mind anyway.
And now, after paying she decides it's time to just walk back home to her aunt and uncle's place. The sun is even starting to set which means she needs to be there soon, especially with a curfew that although didn't apply to her, she felt it was best to stick by it anyway. Just in case...