Melissa grinned. Most people wouldn't even have noticed her time of day error. They wouldn't notice anything. Except maybe her outfit which usually caused some comments. Not from this woman though. She took a beer from the fridge and laughed. She had to bite her tongue not to say that what she recommended was good, was to get to hell out of here. Instead she tossed two burgers from the fridge on the grill.<br/><br/>"They're the owners... So yeah,  I work here alone.."<br/><br/>The good thing about burgers is that they don't take long. Normally she'd have bunged them on the buns and serve as is. Now though, she slightly grilled the buns, a slice of cheese and even added some cucumber and lettuce. With the plate in her hand she got out of the kitchen just in time to see the woman look at Donna and Dave with a look she had seen the two owners give her often. She put the plate down and grinned.<br/><br/>"Not literally. But their idea of a house is a bit.. odd."<br/><br/>She sighed and shook her head. How naive and stupid she had been when she had believed that they would actually let her stay in a proper house.<br/><br/>"Enjoy the burger. It's not the golden M, it's just, Mel's M."<br/><br/>They talked, mostly small talk as Beatty wasn't the place for heavy stuff. Mel made her guest another round of burgers, had one herself as well and shared a beer with the stranger. Donna and Dave had left, without as much as a thank you again and the place was empty. Except one of the truckers who was too busy on his tablet. She took the offered hand and shook it.<br/><br/>"Melissa, most folks call me 'honey'. I should also mention that this place is not named after me. I just work here. Don't want you to get the wrong ideas."<br/><br/>The hand was something different, again. Just a bit too long and just a bit too much contact. Not enough to be akward but just enough to make Melissa blush a little bit. She wasn't used to so much attention.<br/><br/>"I open and close. So basically I get off whenever the last customer leaves."<br/><br/>She raised a finger at Lori and got off her seat. By now she was seated next to Lori, rather than on her usual side of the bar. Melissa walked to the lonely trucker in the corner and told him she was closing. Back at her seat, she finished her beer as well, took the two bottles back and stuck them in the plastic crate and turned on the dishwasher. All the stoves were shut off long ago and with the trucker gone, she led Lori out of the diner, turned off the lights and locked the door.<br/><br/>"I eh.. I live just down here."<br/><br/>Embarrassed to be showing her home to a complete stranger she began her usual walk, only this time a lot slower than she normally would.<br/><br/>"You haven't told me what brings you here? Just stopping by? You staying in the Inn then?"<br/><br/>Eventually she could no longer hide her tragic excuse for a house and she stopped.<br/><br/>"Well... This is me... I wish I could offer you something but unless you want a smoke, there's nothing in here on offer."<br/><br/>She sighed and looked at Lori.<br/><br/>"You can just walk the same way back to the diner, cross the street and you'll be at the inn. Never mind the dogs. They're are harmless as a fully fed hamster. I'll be open at 6:30 in the morning."