"Yeah," replied Kyara regretfully. "We're just not doing well enough to close down if we're busy."
"Have you had time to look in the dining room?" asked Crystal, giving her an odd look.
"Why?" asked Kyara. "Have people pretty much cleared out?"
Crystal's face disappeared from the pass, reappearing a moment later as she pushed open the door to the dining area.
The room behind her was filled. The babble of voices washed over Kyara, distracting her for a moment as she tried to work out what Crystal was showing her.
Every face in the dining room, every single one, was someone from the trail project.
They didn't look up. They didn't smile at her, or even acknowledge her presence. They were just there.
Kyara went back into the kitchen with a smile.
By 6:30, people had stopped ordering and were just gathered, milling around out in the dining area while Kyara closed down the pass.
I can't survive on one good night a week, but this was an unbelievably nice gesture, she thought.
She stepped into the dining area as happy as she'd been in a long, long time.
Jason was already rallying the troops and getting them organized for their activities that night, giving Kyara a moment to take in the crowd. They were all there, with one exception. Officer Marsh was nowhere to be seen.
Kyara was just fine with that.
As they began to file out the back door to get the bags of gravel, Kyara slid in next to Caitlin, K, and Ashley.
"Did you all plan this?" she asked quietly.
"Not us," replied Caitlin. "It was fearless leader. He figured we should meet here so we can all grab a bag of the gravel."
So it is just a one time thing.
"Plus, you're literally the only place in town with air conditioning. Much nicer than meeting outside," pointed out K.
"Yeah. We'll probably keep meeting there," said Caitlin casually. Ashley nodded.
The truck out back wasn't the usual red pick-up. Instead, it was a huge SUV, blocky and massive. The back was open, and people were tossing the bags of gravel into it.
Figures, thought Kyara. The only time I need a parking lot is when people show up to take away the material for my parking lot.
Still, the work went quickly. As Kyara hauled her bag into the back of the new vehicle, Jason approached. He gave her a little smile, almost shy. He opened his mouth for a moment, but didn't speak. He just helped her haul the bag into the back, then turned to K to do the same.
With the back of the SUV full of bags of gravel, they had to walk up the path. The SUV turned out to be Jason's, so he drove on ahead. The rest of them walked, noting places the path could be improved further.
Finally, Kyara had to ask.
"So, where's Officer Marsh?"
K snorted.
"He got himself un-invited," said K. "A few of us went over to his house last Wednesday, and we wound up having it out on the lawn. The 'officer' said some things that people who are not him have pretty much avoided saying since the 60s. He said them pretty loud, too, before he realized how many people could hear him."
Kyara's jaw dropped.
"Oh," she said. "I didn't realize he felt that strongly." Or that anyone would care if he did, Kyara added to herself silently.
"Neither did anyone else," said Caitlin. "I'd be surprised if he's still sheriff after the next election."