Confession of a Night Shift Little

I work nights at a diner, long hours that make me feel like I'm in another world. Recently, something odd happened, or rather, someone odd began to visit my workplace regularly. He's an older man, forty maybe, and he seems drawn to the quietness and emptiness of our late-night shifts. It started as just another patron looking for a quick bite before heading home. But over time, his visits grew more frequent, and so did our conversations. He began calling me 'sweetheart' and asked if I could refer to him as 'Daddy'. At first, it felt strange, but there was something oddly comforting about the dynamic he offered. We never went beyond that initial conversation or pet names, but the idea of stepping into a different role during these long shifts is surprisingly intriguing. He's hinted at the possibilities, but I've held back, feeling unsure and still processing what this could mean for me as an adult. It's like playing pretend in a world where everything else feels real and unchanging.