But it became possible.
And possible was not small.
Possible was everything.
On the anniversary of that first night, Lila insisted they all meet at The Sapphire Room.
“Full circle,” she said.
Dorothy said, “I hope the mac and cheese is as good as everyone keeps claiming.”
“It is,” Tiana said.
“It better be.”
Miles reserved table fifteen.
Not the private room.
Not the best table.
The corner table.
Lila walked in on her own, taller now, hair pulled into a messy ponytail, sketchbook under one arm.
Her old blue cast was long gone, but she had kept it in a box.
“Historical artifact,” she called it.
They ordered strawberry lemonade.
Mac and cheese.
Coffee for Dorothy.
Tea for Mrs. Chen, who had somehow become part of every important family event without anyone formally deciding it.
Halfway through dinner, Lila pulled out a folded paper.
“I wrote something.”
Miles looked alarmed.
“Should I be worried?”
“Yes,” Lila said.
She stood beside the table and read.
“Two years ago, I thought people only saw what was wrong with me. My cast. My chair. My fear. Then a waitress I did not know sat down like she had all the time in the world, even though she probably had none.”
Tiana looked down at her napkin.
Lila continued.
“She helped me hold a fork. But really, she helped me hold on to myself. My dad says that night changed our lives. I think it changed hers too. So I made a rule for myself.”
She unfolded the paper farther.
“When I see someone sitting alone at the corner table, I will not assume they want to be left alone. I will ask. I will look. I will see.”
The table went quiet.
Dorothy dabbed at her eyes.
Mrs. Chen pretended she was not crying by aggressively stirring her tea.
Miles looked at the ceiling.
Lila pointed at him.
“See? Weird.”
Everyone laughed.
Tiana reached across the table and squeezed Lila’s hand.
“You did good.”
Lila smiled.
“You always say that.”
“Because you keep doing good.”
At the end of dinner, the server brought the check.
Miles reached for it.
Dorothy slapped his hand lightly with the edge of a napkin.
“Not every good moment has to be purchased by you, Mr. Whitaker.”
