Buffy sighed sitting in a taxi again leaving her life behind. She stuffed all her favorite items into the only suitcase she owned, leaving the extra clothes in a box in the bar with a note saying, “Thank you for everything. I’ll miss you –Buffy”.
She took all the money she had with her and hailed a taxi to head somewhere new. She knew she couldn’t stay in L.A. and Sunnydale was out of the picture.
She told the driver to take her somewhere she could start over. Not too far away but far enough so she could never have to step foot in L.A. again.
He took her to a small town between Sunnydale and L.A. He explained that he grew up here and the people were nice. He missed it at times and was sure she could start over new here.
She thanked the driver and handed him a $20 and lifted her suitcase out and went about walking down the main street looking for a place to live and a job.
She saw a sign for a motel on the first street she took and wandered inside thinking that she could afford to stay a night or two. She pulled her suitcase behind her and a sweet old lady answered Buffy’s bell ringing.
She said, “Need a room for the night? Are you planning to stay?”
Buffy nodded and said, “I’m new around here but looking to settle. I need a job and a place to live.”
The old lady yelled to her husband who appeared from the back room, “This young lady needs a place to stay and a job. Think Cassie would hire her? She’s always complaining she can never find good help and she has that cute little apartment above the diner.”
Buffy spoke up eager to meet this Cassie and thinking a diner would be way better to work in than a strip joint, “I have been a waitress for the past 2 years. It sounds perfect.”
The old lady smiled at her husband and said, “Mind driving her to Cassie’s diner?”
The husband said, “Nope don’t mind. Come on young lady. Lets see if we can’t get you settled in.”
Buffy followed eagerly ready to get settled into this new friendly town.
Buffy was hired for $7 dollars an hour at Cassie’s Diner in Smile Town and she was told the rent of the apartment was $100 a month plus utilities which averaged about $150 a month.
Buffy figured it out that it wouldn’t be even close to what she was making at the strip joint but she could get by.
It was a respectable job and she needed that after her time at the strip joint. She thought briefly of her one night stand and silently vowed she would never get involved with another man.
Her heart ached as she thought of William and how perfect he had been. She wished she was worthy of him but knew deep down inside she might never be. It was a depressing realization but she decided not to think of him too often.
Although she cried herself to sleep every night missing him like crazy, she always put on a bright smile while she served the people of the town.
The residents immediately took to her and invited her to different happenings. She attended lawn parties, picnics, barbeques, block parties, open houses at the school, and dinners as people’s houses. She felt like she really belonged although a part of her was missing.
She made tons of friends, her closest being Cassie, Sineya and Lucy. Lucy who was married to Parker, had two children who were simply adorable. Sineya was married to Percy. Buffy stayed single and was often the third or sometimes fifth wheel but she didn’t mind.
Her heart still ached for William and she couldn’t look at anyone the same again. Sometimes Cassie and her husband, Scott would tag along which helped Buffy to feel as though she belonged because then it was more of a crowd then a date.
She spent her days at the diner and soon Cassie being 9 months pregnant trusted her running the diner. Cassie would often say, “You’re a life saver Buffy” while she was rubbing her stomach while holding her sore back.
Buffy would get up at 5 am, shower quickly to run downstairs and open the place by 6. She served breakfast until 10. Cassie had hired a high school named Bill to help serve and she had a cook named Pike that handled the kitchen with ease. Lunch was always a busy time with people wanting lunches to go. Buffy would go the extra mile and fix up a few sandwiches for delivery to those who couldn't leave work to get to the diner. Lunch was served until 3 and the dinner was served until 9.
It was a quiet town so they never got any complaints about closing up at 9. Buffy worked long days and was dead on her feet by 9 but never complained.
They opened up everyday but Sunday. On Saturday, Buffy spent sleeping or catching up with friends.
Cassie had her first baby, girl, and followed that almost immediately with a bouncing baby boy.
After 18 months of being busy with babies, she returned to work at the diner giving Buffy some breaks. Buffy started getting restless again.
Cassie didn’t really seem to need her anymore and had hired on another girl to take a few more hours from Buffy.
Buffy spent a lot of time in the library reading, wishing she could go back to school but there were no colleges in Smile Town. Even the books she was reading were pretty basic stuff.
She longed for something more, something better; little did she know, fate was about to step in for her again.