Hearing this from her daughter, Savannah finally set her mind at ease and settled in happily to talk with her daughter and son-in-law about where to eat.
Olivia's tone was all warmth.
"Mom, you've been up all night playing cards lately. You've gotten so thin."
"Let me take you to that new upscale steakhouse downtown. The food there is healthy and nourishing, perfect for building you back up."
Savannah nodded, gratified.
"Good, good. I always knew you were the most devoted of them all."
Once it was settled, Olivia went straight to the back kitchen, leaned half her body through the doorway, and reminded me,
"Mom, Bernard and I are taking his mother out to eat. Remember to lock up the restaurant, and come in early tomorrow to prep the dishes and wash up."
"Someone's booked more than a dozen tables tomorrow for a graduation celebration dinner. I've already taken the deposit, so whatever you do, don't be late."
I answered flatly, "Fine."
And so the three of them walked out of the restaurant, laughing and chatting.
The moment the door clicked shut, the place fell completely silent.
Only me, left standing at the sink in the back kitchen.
I didn't wash the dishes or clean as they'd ordered. The first thing I did was walk over to the surveillance unit and quietly cut the power to every camera.
Then I walked slowly back to the sink.
Looking at the dirty dishes piled high, five years came flickering through my mind, scene after scene, like a film.
I thought of the empty streets at four-thirty in the morning.
I thought of my hands, soaked year after year in freezing water.
I thought of myself, back aching so badly I couldn't straighten up, still bending to mop the floor.
And then I thought of the way the three of them had accused me in front of everyone earlier tonight.
I stood there a long time before I slowly took out my phone and dialed a number I hadn't called in ages.
"Do something for me."
After I'd gone over everything with the person on the other end, I left the restaurant.
That night, I didn't go back to the cramped, cheap little rental near the restaurant.
Instead I boarded the overnight express train home.
On the train, I saw that Savannah had posted an update.
It was a selfie of her at the steakhouse, captioned:
"My daughter-in-law's so good to me, insisted on taking me out to build me up. Some people are just born to be pampered. There's no fighting it."
I quietly gave it a like.
Yes.
You really are born to be pampered.
I just wonder whether you'll be able to bear the good fortune that's coming next.
A few hours later, I was back in my hometown.
I took a nice hot shower, then fell into a deep sleep.
Early the next morning, I was woken by the sharp, urgent ring of my phone.
I picked it up and saw it was my daughter calling.
The moment the call connected, I heard her sobbing, frantic and panicked,
"Mom, where did you go? Something terrible's happened at the restaurant!"
