Of COURSE I'm stuck outside the store, waiting for my daughter. Of COURSE, the heater in my car is acting up again. I grumble under my breath, hoping whatever is wrong with my ancient car's only source of warmth will just fix itself. I should ask my other half to fix it, it's probably something simple like a broken dial.
I fold my arms and harumph as loud as I can, hoping somehow Caprice could *feel* my annoyance from here. Last thing I want to do is go in there with her, because one thing I know for a fact about her is that she takes even longer than **me** when shopping. Which means I've been waiting in an idling car for like... an hour and a half.
All I wanted to do was see my daughter and maybe grab some food! Maybe a coffee! Nope, "Mom, Mekki doesn't want to drive, can you bring me to the store?" and here we are. I don't know when Christmas became about spending money and giving gifts, rather than spending time with each other but it bugs me to no end.
Maybe I'm just a little bitter because I've been alone most of the season, thanks to my hubby spending time with his side of the family this year, the side of the family I'm still pretty awkward around. Finally, Caprice emerges from the store, arms filled with enough bags to make her look smaller than she already is.
I reach over and unlock her side of the car, pushing the door open a bit so she can pull it open. She reaches to the back, unlocks the door behind us and deposits her purchases.
"Done, finally?"
"Yep!"
I tap the steering wheel. "Wanna go somewhere for some food? I'm hungry and it's right around when I'd make some dinner."
Caprice nods a few times. "Oh! Oh, I know a good place. I've been going to it lately a lot, I bet you'd like it tons!"
"Yeah? What's it called? I'm always for new places!"
Caprice is starting to get excited, although she said it's a place she frequents. "It called the Turntable! It's a diner in a trolley that the owner bought and was used back in 1927. She refurbished it and it's pretty cool. I know the directions there by heart."
She gives me the turn-by-turn, making sure to give me directions step by step while we pull out of the mall's parking lot. The trip goes smoothly, minus the one time that I misunderstood and wound up swerving across a lane so I didn't miss a turn. At first, frantic shouting and me getting annoyed but eventually devolved into laughter like usual.
"So… this is the place?" I wasn't sure what I was expecting when she said that it was in a trolley, but I wasn't expecting it to be *in a trolley*. It doesn't even look like a diner! Anyone passing by would just guess that someone misplaced their trolley car and never found it.
Well, I guess the big ol' sign reading "The Turntable Diner" right about it would be a pretty big clue.
"Come on, come on!" Like a lightning bolt, Caprice has already moved her shopping bags into the security of my trunk and is now pulling me towards the entrance of the diner.
Once we're inside, Caprice continues to tug me down the narrow walkway to a certain booth.
"This seat's my favorite." She proclaims proudly while folding her arms. I look over my shoulder, comparing the other little booths to this one.
They all look… pretty much the same!
"Why? They're all identical."
Caprice, like she was waiting for me to say that, reaches over and grabs hold of the window's blinds. With a sharp tug, the blinds shoot up and I'm presented with an amazing view of the snow-covered city.
"WOW! That's so pretty! I had no idea this place had such a view!"
Caprice laughs. "YEP! We're on the tippity-top of a hill, you know."
Oh yeah, I'd forgotten we climbed a hill to get here. Caprice has gone back to looking forward, while I'm still looking over a large stretch of SLC. "I wonder if I can see our home from here."
"Hiya Tina! Working today again?" Caprice says. Probably our waitress.
"Yep. Boss said jump, so I jumped. Who's this? Your sister?"
I laugh at the notion as I look away from the window. "Oh gosh, no. I'm her mom, Charlie." The woman Caprice referred to as Tina laughs nervously.
"Really? My mistake." The waitress doesn't seem to know how to react.
"It's a-okay. Better than being called her grandma!"
She laughs it off and takes our orders. Coffee for the both of us, some sandwiches for Caprice and a sub for me.
"Soooooo… how're you and pops doing?" Caprice asks, smirking a little.
"We're fiiiine. You know, the usual. Being married 'n stuff." I stir my coffee absentmindedly as my eyes wander back to the view out the window.
"Reeeeeally? Not even a little fight?"
"Nope!"
Caprice almost seems disappointed that there's nothing to gossip about. There was plenty last time we met up. "So, who'd you buy gifts for?"
She lights up immediately. Caprice has always liked getting gifts for people. "Well, I got a gift for Mekki, you and pops, the people at the club..."
Caprice claps her hands together. "Oh yeah! I bought some supplies for the art club and our little Christmas party we're throwing soon."
I lean on a hand. "Did you buy yourself anything?"
My daughter's eyes become a little distant as she thinks about it. "I don't think so, no."
I laugh. "You should! Treat yourself!"
Caprice hums a little. "Nahhhh, I should save my money. Rent is coming up soon, so there's that."
This time I clap my hands together. "Better yet, you should come to my house. You and I can decorate the tree and spend some time together!"
She nods. "That sounds fun! It's been a little while since we've decorated a tree. I can prooooobably use some of the supplies I bought to make things to put around the house, too. I'll just get some more later."
"Good! Lets go, then!" This is really what I've been wanting this Christmas. I think I've gotten everything I could've wanted already.
"Mom, we haven't even eaten."
I slap some money down on the table and grab Caprice by the arm. "No worries, I'm sure they'll be okay. I did the math in my head, this is enough for the grub AND the tip! We'll just make something at home. How's cookies sound, too?"
Me tugging Caprice turns into Caprice leading me out of the diner. "Oh, I love fresh cookies! Yeah, lets go!"
We get a confused look from the waitress as we rush out the door to hop into my car. I wave as we leave. "Sorry, things to do, trees to decorate! Money's on the table."
Once we're in the car, I quickly pull out of the parking lot and start talking about the new ornaments I bought. I can't wait!