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"Am I doing the right thing?"
The question breaks the delicate silence of the cafe, found only in the earliest hours of the morning nowadays. Flo knows who it's from without looking up from her coffee: their sleepy town's most recent resident (and the only other person left in the diner.)
"Why do you ask?" Flo picks up her cup, sliding into the booth seat across from the young woman.
The only name she had ever told Flo was "Sparkle", which a decade ago would have struck her as odd. But after living with Kid for years and having aliens in her diner on the daily, it was now one of the more mundane aspects of the town. She had been an online friend of Jo's for years, apparently, until it became obvious that Papa G's declining health meant he needed someone to help around the house. Flo had been against the idea; of hiring a girl who was practically a stranger, even with all of Jo's reassurances. Then she stepped off of the bus looking like a lost kitten and all of Flo's fear faded.
"I feel like I'm intruding. Papa G is still in great health and it's not like..." Ve looks away "Shouldn't you be signing these papers?"
"Now why would I be doing something like that?"
"You've known them for so much longer than I have. You have the diner and Jo and you're just... incredible. Kid has already been through so much, he deserves so much." Sparkle stares down at the pile of paperwork she's been sifting through all night. "I’m still really young. I know I talk a lot about being good with kids because of my siblings, but I’ve never done anything like this before. Not really." She stares at her hands, fiddling with the string bracelet she always wears. "What if I'm not good enough?"
"You are good enough. And 'intruding'? Please, they love you!" Flo places her free hand over the younger girl's. "We all do. And we'll be here to support you, no matter what. Even if it means those papers stay blank."
Sparkle wipes at her damp eyes. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
The girl returns to the adoption paperwork on the table, and while Flo can’t read any of it upside down, she can make out the shaky signature dotting each and every page.
Flo could still remember when Papa G first brought up the idea, of Sparkle legally adopting Kid.
"I'm not planning on going anywhere." He laughed. "But we all know I'm far from my best nowadays. I'd rather have things sorted out now than make a mess of things later." And that was it. He kept right on with the conversation, turning a blind eye when Flo needed a moment to come to terms with yes, Papa G wasn't going to be around much longer. She had always known he was old, of course she had. Flo had known the mad her entire life, growing up in the diner just a stone's throw from his home. But to learn that he was a hundred and twelve had been staggering.
At first there had been shock that he wasn't asking Flo or the Flores family to sign the papers. They had more than enough room and love for the kid. Yet, Papa G was adamant that Sparkle should be the one to do it. Flo hadn't really understood why until a few weeks ago, when she finally saw the pair on their own. No Jo, no Rosa, no Papa G, just the two of them drawing in the dirt together. Kid was nothing but his usual, energetic self, but there was something just slightly different. When Sparkle said something funny he laughed, and responded as fast as he could. Flo couldn't make out the words, but she saw what was happening as plain as day. The kid was soaking up her attention like a sponge, putting on an old, familiar show to appear as "cool" as he possibly could.
It was something Kid hadn't done since way back when he terrorized the cafe with far-fetched tales of aliens. A way to try and "earn" his place in their little family. In the grand scheme of things it didn't mean much. It may not really mean anything at all. But it was enough for her to trust that Papa G knew what he was saying and to resolve that no matter what, whether it was the right choice or no, that Flo would be there whenever Papa G couldn't.
Her cup was empty.
"You up for a snack? Fry has been experimenting with a new recipe for gluten-free pie crust."
"Oh, I couldn't-"
"Free of charge, of course." Flo winked. "Call it the midnight oil special."
Sparkle laughed. "Midnight was hours ago."
"Can't you appreciate some good hyperbole? I thought you were a writer."
"I appreciate your confidence in me." There was the sarcasm Sparkle and Jo loved to throw back and forth.
Flo throws a frozen pie in the oven to bake, and returns before Sparkle has even finished a page.
"You sure you don't want help with this? I'm no lawyer, but I do know a thing or two."
"No, I've got this. It's just a lot of reading."
"Suit yourself."
They sit like that, quietly taking in the night as the smell of pie fills the diner. When Flo finally cuts them each a slice, she jokes that it may as well be their breakfast.
Years later, they'll still meet in that diner booth to talk and share pie as late as they can.