Despite everything, Maya almost smiled. Nicole didn't. They're trying to connect us. Yes. To make it look coordinated.
Yes. Nicole stared at her. How are you saying yes like this isn't terrifying? Maya's answer came quietly because if I get scared out loud, he still gets what he wants. That evening, second table was crowded.
Cold rain had moved over Cincinnati before sunset and people came in carrying wet umbrellas and shaking water from heavy coats. The windows fogged. Soup simmerred in two steel pots. Cutlery clicked against mismatched plates. Maya worked the serving line until Marcus Bell, 46, one of the kitchen's regular volunteers, stepped wrong while carrying a crate of canned vegetables.
His ankle rolled. The crate hit the floor. Marcus grabbed the counter. Maya was beside him before anyone else reached him. Don't put weight on it.
I'm fine. You're standing on one leg, still standing. Sit down. Marcus gave her a look. You always this bossy, only when people are making bad decisions.
She helped him into a chair, checked for swelling, wrapped the ankle with an elastic bandage from the kitchen first aid box, and made sure he could move his toes without sharp pain. Ruth came over. Hospital? Not necessarily, Maya said. But he shouldn't walk home alone.
Marcus immediately shook his head. You are not walking me home. I didn't ask. You've got homework. So, do you?
I don't. Then I'm ahead already. 30 minutes later, Maya was walking beside Marcus under one umbrella through cold rain, carrying his grocery bag while he moved carefully with a borrowed cane. His apartment was three blocks away. At the entrance, he looked at her.
"You didn't have to do this," Maya smiled tiredly. I know it was becoming the sentence of her life. Back at second table, Earl Simmons was waiting with an old laptop open in front of him. I broke it. You didn't break it.
It says invalid session. That means the website broke itself. Earl looked relieved. Good. I was ready to fight the computer.
You'd lose. That's disrespectful. Computers don't get tired. She sat beside him and helped rebuild the online application he'd been working on for a machine maintenance position at a packaging plant. Halfway through, her phone buzzed.
Nicole, the message was short. Conduct office wants another meeting tomorrow. Maya looked at it, then put the phone face down. Earl noticed. You need to go?
No. You sure? Yes. He studied her for a moment. You look like your mind's in another room. Maya looked at the application.
Then let's finish before it gets any farther away. They completed it at 8:47. Earl stared at the screen where submission received appeared in green. Been a while since I've seen those words. Maya smiled.