Chapter 9: The Diner at Dusk
The neon sign of the highway diner buzzed softly against the twilight sky. Inside, the dinner rush had cleared, leaving only the soft hum of the refrigerator and the smell of fresh coffee.
Jax entered, taking off his wet leather vest and placing it on the rack near the door. He walked over to the corner booth where Sarah was folding napkins.
"He knows," Jax said simply, sitting down.
Sarah paused, looking at him with deep compassion. "How did he take it?"
"Like a man who just realized he's been standing in an empty room his whole life," Jax said, staring at his hands. "He wanted to fight. He always wants to fight. But you can't fight a boy holding a photo of a father he never knew."
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Sarah placed a warm hand over his calloused knuckles. "And what about you, Jax? Are you going to stop running?"
Jax looked toward the front window, where the rain was beginning to clear, revealing the first stars over the open highway. "I've been riding for twenty years trying to outrun a debt I couldn't pay. It's time to put the bike away."
