Author's Note: This was written for the CCOAC Fanfic Challenge 20 - The Original Character Challenge. My chosen character was David Rossi and my assigned Original Character was Mildred O'Toole - Older waitress at the diner on the corner.

A Diner's Tale

In all of her seventy-three years, Mildred O'Toole had never met a man that fascinated her quite like David Rossi, including her own dear departed Walter. There were days that he came into the diner loud and boisterous, wowing everyone in the diner. There were other days that he snuck inside and sat in the corner booth, talking to no one other than herself. He was always engaging either way. He rarely brought anyone with him, but when he did, he made sure to introduce everyone that worked at the diner to them. She knew he was rich, a well-known author, and expert profiler, but inside the diner, he was just David.

David hadn't been around for the last couple of days, which surprised her. He usually dropped in for at least a light snack and she found herself missing him. Mildred looked up from pouring a cup of coffee to see the man occupying her thoughts walking down the street. She hurried to the counter to drop off the coffee pot before running her hand through her curly, white hair and straightened out her blue uniform. Mildred tried to read David's face through the glass to determine which mood he was in, but was unable to get a clear picture. She felt her heart fall a little when he immediately headed toward the back booth once inside. This meant he had something on his mind.

Grabbing the pot once again, Mildred made her way to David, planting a genuine smile on her face. He looked up from the table and answered her grin with one of her own. David flipped the white ceramic mug upward, pushing it towards the edge.

"How are you today, Millie?" David asked her, removing the light brown jacket he wore.

Mildred felt her cheeks heat up at the nickname only he used. "Fine, just fine. I'm going to retire in six months."

David's grin deepened. She had been spouting the same line for the last four years. "That's wonderful! You name the day and I'll throw you a retirement party."

"You've got a deal," Mildred replied. "So, David, are you going to need the menu this evening or do you know what you want?"

"I know what I want," David muttered, just loud enough for Mildred to hear. He sent her an apologetic look when she raised an eyebrow. "You should probably bring a menu, just in case."

Mildred nodded, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder before scurrying off. When she returned just a minute or so later, she found David staring out the window, nervously twisting his silverware. She handed him a menu, asking, "Everything okay, David?"

David nodded, slowly. "Just a lot on my mind, I guess."

"About the young lady that you brought in here a few weeks ago?"

"Nothing gets by you, Millie," David chuckled.

Mildred glanced at her only other table. Seeing that they didn't need anything, she sat down across from him. "I'm guessing that you've asked her a question?"

David looked at her in amazement. "Are you sure you're not a profiler?"

She laughed. "Definitely not. I just recognize the signs of a man waiting on a question. What was the question?"

"I asked her to redefine the nature of our relationship."

"I hope you asked her better than that!" Mildred's eyes were wide with amusement.

He frowned. "I did... I think. We're colleagues, friends. In some ways, I think we know each other better than anyone else in the world. In other ways, I don't think we know each other at all."

Mildred reached out to pat his hands. "You love her."

"I do. Very much."

"But you're not sure if she loves you." Mildred squeezed his hand when he nodded. "What did she say when you told her you wanted to explore this change?"

David ran his hand through his hair. "She was surprised; told me she wasn't sure. I told her that if her answer was yes to meet me here tonight, but that if her answer was no, that we'd go back to being friends and never mention this again."

Mildred gazed through the window, willing the woman to appear. "That doesn't sound like you to be so passive."

"I suppose it's not." David absently stroked his beard. "She's different. She makes me want to be a better man." He took a sip of his coffee. "Tell me, Millie, did your grandson get into the United Nations Camp that he applied for?"

"He did!" Mildred boasted, her eyes twinkling with pride as she willingly allowed him to change the subject. "We were trying to figure out how to pull the money together to send him when he mysteriously received a scholarship covering all expenses. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

David briefly ducked his head. "Sounds like Jordan has a guardian angel on his side. He's a great kid. I'm going to miss our spirited debates this summer, though. He always keeps me on my toes."

"You are his idol. He's needed someone like you since his father walked out." Mildred stood to check on her other table. "You are an amazing man, David Rossi. If this girl is foolish enough to not see that, she doesn't deserve you."

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice cracking. He watched as Mildred took care of the bill for the other table, leaving the two of them alone with the other waitress and the cook. Rossi's head hung over his mug as he was left alone.

Mildred sat back down across from the table, unsurprised when his face reflected misery as he raised his head. "Have I ever told you the story about my boy and his wife?"

"Thomas and Alanna, right?"

"Yes," she affirmed, tickled that he remembered. "They were friends, too, for a long time. Thomas met her the first day he moved to Philadelphia after college. It wasn't long until they were doing everything together, all the while insisting they were just friends. She came home with him for every holiday, every family gathering. Even when Tommy had a girlfriend, Alanna was the one he brought home with him; the one he told all his secrets to."

Mildred paused, when she saw movement outside, but it proved to be a couple walking down the street. "Tommy finally realized just how much he cared for Alanna and decided that he needed to tell her. She turned him down at first, told him they were just friends, that she didn't feel that way about him. But my Tommy, he was patient. He continued to be her friend just as before until the day she realized that she loved him, too. They've been married for nearly twenty years."

"That's a beautiful story, Millie, but I'm not sure have that type of patience," David admitted.

Mildred peered at him, calmly. "Do you love her?" David nodded. "Then, she's worth waiting for."

"You're a peach," he told her, the misery from his face leaving as he decided to take her advice. He leaned forward, "So, what do you plan on doing after your retirement?"

"This week, I'm thinking Florida."

David laughed. "So, no Barbados for you?"

Mildred laughed along with him. Every week, she had some sort of new destination in mind for her retirement that would never happen. "Nah. Too many young folks."

"Do you-"

"Dave?" Emily said, softly, walking up to the table. Instantly, both David and Mildred stilled. Emily's eyes darted nervously to Mildred before settling on David's.

"Emily," David breathed out, his eyes focusing only on her.

Mildred stood up. She quietly slipped away from the booth while keeping her eye on the two agents in the corner. She pretended to clean one of the tables. Mildred smiled to herself as she saw Emily sit down in the booth next to David. Emily took his hand in hers, interlinking their fingers. They talked for a few minutes before David reached up with his free hand to wipe a tear that fell from Emily's eye. She leaned into his touch before capturing his lips.

At her table, Mildred smile, placing her hand over her heart. She turned away from them to give them some privacy. As she walked to the counter to gossip with the cook, she made a mental note to mention to David the next time she saw him that her daughter was an excellent wedding planner.

END