“I know.”
“I don’t mean money.”
He glanced toward me.
“I mean appointments.”
“I mean fixing things around the house.”
“I mean repairing the restaurant oven.”
“I mean actually paying attention.”
I looked out the window before answering.
“That would be a good place to start.”
A month later I officially retired from rideshare driving.
For the first time in twenty years, I pressed the button that permanently deactivated my account.
Oddly enough…
I didn’t feel afraid.
I felt relieved.
Tiffany apologized differently.
She came to Gloria’s Corner alone.
No Kevin.
No audience.
She quietly sat at the table where she had eaten countless meals before becoming part of our family.
“The usual?” Gloria asked.
Tiffany’s eyes immediately filled with tears.
“Yes.”
After serving lunch, Gloria sat across from her.
“I remember you before you married Kevin.”
“You always said thank you.”
Tiffany lowered her eyes.
“I don’t know when I changed.”
“You’ll have to find that person again.”
“I want to.”
“Wanting isn’t enough.”
“I know.”
The next Saturday Tiffany returned.
Not dressed for lunch.
Dressed to work.
Without saying anything, Gloria handed her a cleaning cloth.
“Start with the windows.”
Tiffany cleaned.
Served customers.
Washed dishes.
Stayed until closing.
When everything was finished, Gloria handed her an apron.
“If you choose to come back next Saturday… this will be waiting.”
Tiffany accepted it with both hands.
“I’ll be here.”
She was.
Week after week.
Eventually she and Kevin repaid every dollar Gloria had spent buying groceries for Kayla’s birthday.
They also paid to repair the restaurant oven.
Not as a gift.
As something they should have done from the beginning.
The monthly bank transfers never returned.
Neither did the expectation that Gloria’s time and labor were unlimited.
Six weeks after the birthday, Gloria invited everyone for Friday dinner.
This time there were only three dishes.
Tomato soup.
Roast chicken.
Fresh sourdough bread.
Nothing extravagant.
Kevin arrived first.
Without being asked, he found the bread knife and began slicing.
“What else needs doing?”
“The butter’s in the refrigerator,” Gloria answered.
He brought it immediately.
Tiffany arrived carrying homemade rice.
“No one asked me to bring anything,” she admitted.
“I just didn’t want to come empty-handed.”
“Keep it warm,” Gloria said.
A few minutes later Kayla hurried inside carrying her own peach cobbler.
She smiled proudly.
“I wasn’t late.”
“Only by four minutes,” Gloria teased.
Kayla uncovered the dessert.
