Chad lowered his eyes.
“But you never asked why people came here in the first place.”
I gestured toward the dining room.
“The Miller boys come because their mother brought them here on their birthdays. Mr. Haugen comes because he likes choosing the same pancakes every morning. The farmers come because they need somewhere to sit and rest before returning to work.”
I looked around the room.
“Some people don’t come here just because they’re hungry. They come because someone remembers their name.”
Chad listened silently.
“That’s what Gus understood. This diner isn’t just a place that sells breakfast.”
My voice shook.
“It’s somewhere people know they’ll be missed if they don’t show up.”
Chad looked at the customers.
Then back at me.
“I thought I knew how to run a diner,” he admitted. “But I don’t.”
He swallowed.
“Will you teach me?”
