Selfish Woman Humiliates Waitress, Then Learns a Hurtful Lesson – Story of the Day

Eleanor is grieving the loss of her husband, the estrangement from the son, and the loneliness that just seems to keep up on her. One day, she meets Gabriella, a waitress at Eleanor’s favourite coffee shop – who changes everything, by helping heal Eleanor. But can Gabi change her?

As Eleanor set up the living room for Book Club that evening, she wondered which ladies would have read the book of the month. She knew that most of the women only read their books a few days before the meeting and that, for some, it was just an excuse to get out of the house.

But she loved it. She loved sitting in bed every evening and reading until her eyes felt droopy – the only sign to close the book for the night.

The book of the month was Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, a timeless book that she had read many times over. But this time, Eleanor had found herself in the loneliness of the moors in the book. Once, she had read the book as a complicated love story, a story that was dangerous and consuming in its intensity.

But this time, she had read it as a book where the protagonists were lonely individuals who just wanted to have someone around, irrespective of how intense and toxic everything was.

Eleanor's phone rang, and she sighed.

"Please tell me that you're coming tonight?" she asked Kristen, her closest friend from the group – which was saying something because Eleanor wasn't very close with any of them.

"I wouldn't miss it," Kristen said. "I just wanted to know if you wanted me to bring wine or anything else?"

"Wine always works," Eleanor said. "But honestly, bring whatever."

"Did you read the book?" Kristen asked."Of course I did! Did you?"

"All of it in High School and half last week," Kristen chuckled. "But don't hold it against me. You know I have the grandkids to worry about most of the time."

"Yes, and you have to promise to show me photos of them," Eleanor said. "Now, let me go, I want to shower before sorting out the snacks."

"Wait," Kristen said. "How many glasses of wine do you think it will take Lisa before she starts yawning uncontrollably and talking about cheesy fries?" Kristen laughed.

"I'd say three – the last time I said two, but she was okay until the end," Eleanor snorted, thinking about how their friend Lisa almost passed out on her couch. Eleanor would have asked her to stay over, but she preferred to wake up alone in the mornings. Instead, she had called her a taxi and let her go.

"You're on," Kristen said as she hung up.

Eleanor showered and stood in front of her closet, deciding what to wear. She would have sat in her long silk pajamas and thick woolen socks if she had her own way. But she knew the ladies would think she had finally let herself go.

No, she would dress up. And she would apply some mascara and lipstick. She would dress to remember who she used to be. Not the person that she had become.

Eleanor's phone beeped. She picked it up, glancing at the sender.

Ah, she thought. Ethan. Right on cue.

She wondered if Karen knew he had been in contact with her – or he was trying to be. Eleanor knew she should probably reply to a message or even answer the phone when he called. But she just couldn't bring herself to it. She needed to remain unforgiving for a little longer. She needed to dwell on his betrayal for a little longer.

But more than that – she needed to learn how to dispel the anger from herself. She knew that it had consumed her despite how much she loved Ethan. But enough was enough. And every time she thought of forgiveness, her anger and betrayal reminded her that she was unquestionably alone.

Eleanor stood at the kitchen counter, working her magic through a charcuterie board. If she had her own way, she would have fed everyone different pastries, but she knew that wine was not always a winning combination of rich and flaky pastries.

She had learned that the hard way – when Lisa had drunk her wine and eaten her pastries all too quickly and needed to make a run to Eleanor's bathroom.

No, this was the safest option.

Just as she had arranged grapes onto a platter, the doorbell rang.

"Hi!" Kristen said, holding up two bottles of red wine.

"Hi," Eleanor said, giving Kristen a hug. "Thank you for coming early."

"Well, I didn't want to miss the Lisa wine count," Kristen laughed.

Eleanor smiled. In another world, where she had David and even Ethan, she could see herself getting along with Kristen. But for now, it would have to be the odd phone call and meeting once a month at the Book Club, wherever it was held.

Kristen set the bottles on the table and helped herself to a piece of cheese and some grapes.

"Why can't we eat normal food at these things?" she laughed.

"Like?"

"Like pasta or even a good curry."

"Are you hungry?" Eleanor asked.

"Starving! Before coming here, I had to drop off the grandbabies at my daughter's house. It was such a rush."

"There's plenty of leftovers in the fridge," Eleanor said. "Go help yourself before the rest of the ladies get here."

"You're a doll," Kristen said.

Eleanor left Kristen to feed herself while she set up the wine glasses and the food on the coffee table.

She had wanted to cancel the meeting or at least move it to someone else's home.

But I needed this. I truly needed this, she thought while folding deep purple paper napkins.

"This soup is delicious," Kristen said from the kitchen. "Did you make it? I must have the recipe!"

"Nope, it's from a tin. But I added my own bits and pieces," Eleanor chuckled, walking into the kitchen.

"You could have fooled me," Kristen said, licking her spoon.

As the discussion ended, Eleanor began to feel a little drained from the ladies. She had to admit, they were good company, but Eleanor could only handle them on their meeting nights. They were happy, and that was something she struggled with. She didn't want to be bitter about their joy but was only human. And she was still grieving.

"So, would anyone reread the book?" she asked, passing around a jar of almond brittle.

"Probably not," Kristen said, taking the jar. "Once was enough, really."

"I'd reread it," Lisa said, hiccupping. "There's something dreamy about Heathcliff. Am I right?"

Eleanor's phone flashed. She was glad that it was on vibrate. Of course, it was Ethan again. She turned it face down on the coffee table.

Out of sight is out of mind, Eleanor, she thought.

"I guess so," Padma said. "But in a forbidden way, maybe?"

"Does anyone feel like cheesy fries?" Lisa asked.

Kristen snorted into her wineglass and caught Eleanor's eye, who winked back.

"Okay, I think it's time to call it a night," Marion said. "I know Richard will be waiting up for me. He wanted to drop me off and hang around in the area until we were done. But I told him to stay home and enjoy the TV."

Eleanor's heart skipped a beat. In another time, that would have been David. He would be ready to drop her off somewhere and find the nearest café where he would read the newspaper until she was ready. She missed David with her entire heart.

Marion got up and pulled Lisa with her.

"Come on," she said. "I'll take you home, too."

"Okay," Lisa said. "But can we get cheesy fries on the way home?"

Eleanor cleaned the kitchen, carefully putting the wine glasses into the dishwasher. She knew she should have washed them by hand because they were delicate, but she honestly couldn't be bothered. David would have insisted that she get a helper.

One thing at a time, she thought.

She got into her pajamas and sat at the edge of her bed, her feet dangling. She needed to get her nails done.

It is my birthday, after all.

Eleanor got into bed and turned off the light. She turned to David's side of the bed and fell asleep, thinking about how she would have to kick him in the middle of the night to stop snoring. She missed his long arms around her, even if she used to push him away at night because she got too hot.

She turned her back and wondered what Ethan was doing. Yes, she was upset with her son – but she often wondered what he was doing. And whether he was okay. And how his partner Karen must be treating him whenever they were alone.

*

Eleanor was in a foul mood when she woke up the next morning. This is not how she was supposed to spend her big 60th birthday. She stretched and then wrapped herself in a ball again. She was so heartsore.

It's okay to admit that I've become cold and bitter, she thought.

Eleanor reached for her cell phone from the nightstand and scrolled through the birthday messages she had received. Some were sickly sweet, something she had loved before, especially because David would have pulled her phone and read each message dramatically.

And he would read them to suit the sender, usually exaggerating their characteristics so much that she would be left in stitches.

She thought about their conversation about her birthday from years ago.

*

"For your birthday sixty, we'll go somewhere warm," David said as he massaged her knee the one evening after dinner.

"Where will we go?" she asked.

"Maybe the Maldives or something? Hawaii? Spain? Somewhere, we could get sunburned so badly that our bones would feel the warmth."

"That sounds anything but fun," she laughed.

"Okay, then not sunburned. How about sun-kissed?" he asked, kissing her forehead.

"Much better," she said. "I like this version."

"Or do you want something bigger? A birthday party where you get to wear a tiara?" he teased.

"Oh, I'd hate that, David," she said. "I'm serious!"

David laughed at her, and she loved his laugh.

"Fine," he said. "We won't throw a birthday party. But a lot can change in the next two years, El. You may warm up to the idea."

"Highly unlikely, but your optimism is appreciated," she laughed. "I'd be happy with Hawaii. Very happy."

"Hawaii, it is!"

"And what about Ethan?" she asked.

"I don't think he'd want to come along. There won't be anything in it for him," David said. "But we can ask him. It could be a family trip."

Eleanor smiled at him.

"Yeah, probably his last family trip with us," she said. "He's already building his own life."

Eleanor did not know when her trip down memory lane turned into tears streaming down her face, but it was enough to shake her out of her mind.

Stop it, Eleanor, she thought.

She shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair. She was going to get out of bed, and she was going to do something for the day. It even meant going to the coffee shop to get her favorite croissants and coffee. She would get her nails done. Maybe her hair, too. Perhaps even buy a new dress and a pair of shoes.

She would live. Because she could.

*

But everything she promised herself in bed went strongly out the window when Eleanor stepped out of the shower. She couldn't stand trying to be happy. She was alone, and that was the truth.

Her phone buzzed on the bed.

Ethan again. She thought about answering the call this time but didn't want to talk to him. Not after what he did to her. The way he had spoken to her. The way he had let Karen talk to her.

Somewhere not so far away...

Gabi stepped out of the bathtub, careful not to slip like she had done the day before.

I've got to get a carpet for the bathroom, she thought, grabbing her towel.

Her hair dripped down her neck as she vigorously dried it with a smaller towel. She was early, so she knew that there was no rush for her to get to work on time. She sat on the edge of the double bed, feeling the springs beneath her. Gabi desperately needed to upgrade her bed - it was beginning to cause too many issues.

One day, it was the lumpy pillow hurting her neck. The next day, it was the horrible springs causing her back to cry out in pain.

She was in so much discomfort from the bed that she had to actually leave work during her shift just to run to the bodega and buy painkillers.

*

“Sorry, Gabi,” Mr. Luiz said. "This is the strongest we can sell without a dispensary license."

"As long as it allows me to work through the end of the day, it will be fine, thank you," she said.

Mr. Luiz gave her a bottle of fresh orange juice on the house.

"You look tired," he said. "Get some fresh food in you."

Gabi smiled at him. She appreciated him and Mrs. Luiz, especially when she was terribly homesick, and she would go to the bodega to grab a sandwich and walk around the familiar smells. She also knew that the Luizs enjoyed her company, and it helped that she did look similar to their daughter, Marisol, who was studying abroad.

"Thank you," she said.

"Come to dinner tomorrow night," Mr. Luiz said. He gestured to the ceiling, to their flat above the bodega. "Come have a good home-cooked meal, Gabi. Ana will be delighted!"

"I'll be there," she said, elated at the thought of spending time with family and being fussed over by Mrs. Luiz.

*

Gabi poured some warm milk over her cereal with one hand as she towel-dried her hair. She had about thirty minutes before leaving the house and heading to work. Work was as a waitress and cashier at a popular coffee shop with a proper French pastry chef who made all the pastries.

The coffee shop was always busy, and Gabi was getting used to seeing some familiar faces, but more than that, she was always in awe of the young women who came in – women who were free to just be themselves.

She looked around the small studio flat that she was renting. If she wanted Miguel to come and live with her, she needed to fix the place or look for somewhere else to stay. She couldn't wait for her baby to be in her arms again. She looked forward to spoiling and kissing him whenever she wanted – simply because she could.

He would be there with her, physically, and not worlds away with his grandfather who had been raising him in his orthodox home.

Gabi sighed. She knew her thoughts were unreasonable. Her parents were orthodox, but because they took Miguel in, wanting to raise him, she was in the city, trying to make a new reality, a better and brighter future for Miguel and herself.

"You can come take him when you're ready and settled, Gabi," her father had said.

"You have documentation. Everything is above board, and all is done legally. It will be easy to take Miguel when you make enough money to sustain you both," her mother said, bouncing baby Miguel on her lap.

"And he needs stability," her father said. "You being out looking for jobs or working odd hours will be the complete opposite of that. So, go take care of yourself. Go build a foundation. And when you have enough resources, Miguel will be with you before you know it."

"Or you can stay?" her mother asked hopefully.

Gabi shook her head.

"I can't, Mama. He needs more from this life," she said.

"Then you must do what you need to, Gabi," her mother said.

After that, her parents helped her pack for the move. They encouraged her and reminded her that what she was doing was for the future, even if it sometimes felt impossibly lonely. Gabi knew that they cared, even if, just a few months ago, they were horrified and embarrassed that she was pregnant with no interest in telling the baby's father.

Gabi's father was the easier of the two. He eventually knew that the reality was that Gabi was pregnant with his grandchild, and he could either get involved or shun her. Her mother threatened to do the latter, but there was no way she would really allow her child to move out, especially with her own baby on the way.

Gabi had to endure months of discomfort, being uncertain whether to share the baby's milestones with her parents. But eventually, when Miguel was born, her parents wanted nothing more than to love and care for her baby.

But they didn't know that Gabi's mom would pass away a week before she was scheduled to move. Her father insisted that she move anyway.

Gabi dressed, grabbed a jacket on her way out, and left for work.

Another day of serving the rich, she thought while walking down the three flights of stairs to the bottom of the building.

But at least her manager was a nice man. He was a mousy man named Andy, but he was always pleasant enough to her. Although Callie, one of the waitresses, said to watch out for him. He would stop at nothing when it came to making customers happy.

"Just do everything diligently, Gabi, and it will all be okay," Callie said one evening when leaving the coffee shop.

"I will. Thank you for the heads-up," she said.

*

After her shower, Eleanor stood at the window in the living room.

"I'm supposed to be in Hawaii," she muttered.

After a moment of self-pity, she decided to go to her favorite coffee shop and get those croissants she loved. She missed David. She missed Ethan. And her birthday felt just like any other ordinary day for her.

She would go to the coffee shop and get her fix, then bring it home and eat in the comfort of her home, with maybe Frank Sinatra playing through the speakers – that would make her feel like David was right there with her.

Her phone rang again, and she did not even look at it. Instead, she went to put her shoes on and grab her handbag while the phone buzzed into the couch.

Eleanor was greeted by the smells of the dark roast coffee blends when she walked into the coffee shop. She smelt the pastry, just sitting there, waiting to be chosen. She heard Parisian music blaring from the overhead speakers, drowning out the chatter from the other customers.

She still felt moody and down, but she was determined to at least get a breakfast that she loved. Maybe the sweet and flaky croissants would cheer her up from the inside out. And perhaps the coffee would warm her heart.

Eleanor stood in line, waiting for the young couple to choose if they wanted a Danish and an apple turnover or a croissant and a pain au chocolat. She rolled her eyes. They were just adding to her mood.

Gabi waited patiently for the couple to decide on their order. They had spent so long looking at the display case that the man had fogged it with his breath. She knew Andy would make her wipe it down with disinfectant when everyone was served. Callie called to signal that their coffee orders were ready.

"Have you decided?" Gabi asked them cheerfully.

"Not yet!" the woman said in a sing-song voice.

Gabi put her hands on her lower back, trying to massage it as she waited. She was in pain. A horrible discomfort reached from her lower back to halfway up her spine. And she knew the cause: the springs of her bed.

She watched the woman standing behind the couple roll her eyes. Gabi almost chuckled, people hated waiting in lines, but it was worse when it was due to people being indecisive. Gabi moved a little to the left to stand in front of the couple on the other side of the counter.

"We'll take two chocolate muffins," the woman said.

Gabi sighed.

All that for two muffins, she thought.

As she reached into the display case and took out the muffins, Gabi felt a sharp pain in her back.

That bed has got to go, she thought.

She tried to be alert, but the pain had almost knocked her off her feet. She felt lightheaded for a few minutes. But she knew that she had to breathe through it.

She packed the muffins and handed the box and the coffee to the couple, who tipped her and walked away.

Gabi was breathing hard when she heard the next woman's order – two croissants, one almond and one plain.

The cashier looked like she was on another cloud, and Eleanor hoped she would just pack her order and be done with Eleanor before she collapsed or something. That was the last thing Eleanor needed to worry about.

It was her birthday, after all. She needed someone to celebrate her. She was already twenty minutes behind her schedule – that young couple had almost made her want to leave the coffee shop. But the croissants were the only thing keeping her standing in that line.

"Come on," she told the cashier. "Hurry up."

But it appeared that the woman wasn't listening.

"Hey, you! Get a move on!" Eleanor shouted at her.

The woman jumped and dropped a croissant on the counter.

"Butterfingers," Eleanor tutted, frowning at the woman.

"Don't worry, I'll give you another one. We have plenty," Gabrielle told her.

"You idiot, I don't need another one. I needed that one," Eleanor barked. "Just fix it."

Eleanor watched her keenly.

"Immigrants," she muttered. She almost felt bad, but her mood was horrible, and she did not care if anyone heard her.

"There you go, ma'am. Have a lovely day," Gabrielle said, handing the box and the receipt over to Eleanor.

Eleanor studied the receipt. She knew the girl had not been paying attention; she was clumsy, and her mind was elsewhere. Eleanor was not going to pay for her mistakes. And then she saw it.

"Damn it, girl! This is the last straw," she said. "Call the manager now!"

"But, what's the problem?" Gabi asked her, stuttering.

"Call the manager," Eleanor repeated. "Now."

"I'm the manager," a man said, walking up to the counter. "Gabi, what happened?"

"That clumsy girl, she tried to trick me into paying more!" Eleanor said.

She held the receipt up for the manager.

"Look here," she said. "There are two coffees on the bill, but I only asked for one!"

"Ma'am," the manager said. "This must be a misunderstanding, is all. It will not happen again, I promise you."

"Of course, it won't happen again. Because you are going to fire this woman right now."

Eleanor watched as the manager turned from her to the cashier. She did not want to lose this fight. She had to fight for herself. Someone had to.

"Are you just going to leave it at that?" she demanded from the manager.

Eleanor turned to look at the woman.

"Ga-bri-ell-a," she said, reading the nametag stuck to the woman's clothes. "Now, I see. I know this type. They cannot be trusted."

Eleanor almost felt like a stranger to herself. This wasn't her. But she was enjoying that she got a reaction out of them.

"Don't worry, ma'am," the manager said. "She will be punished."

"Come on. Either you fire her right now, or I am going to your top brass," she confidently told the manager. She felt powerful.

"I will not allow a thief and liar like her to work in my favorite boulangerie. Do you understand?"

"You are right, ma'am," he said solemnly. "You will not see her again."

When the woman had left the coffee shop with her box of croissants, Andy, the manager, walked up to Gabi.

"I'm sorry, Gabi," he said. "My hands are tied. If she comes back and you're still working here, she will escalate this."

"But it's not fair, Andy," Gabi said, wincing as she spoke to him.

"But you did make the error?" he asked.

Gabi nodded. There was no point denying it; she had been in pain, and she had made an error. She didn't want to fight it.

As Gabi wiped down the counter before the next lot of customers came in, she saw a black wallet next to the cash register. She opened it just to look at the driver's license or something that would have a name. Eleanor Lockwood. It had to be the woman who had just gotten her fired.

She put the wallet into her apron pocket and finished wiping everything up.

When she was finished, Gabi was done with the coffee shop. She said goodbye to everyone there, including Andy, who smiled and tapped her shoulder sadly.

When she was out on the sidewalk, she pulled out the wallet again and made a mental note of the woman's address. She knew exactly what she wanted to do next.

When Eleanor got home, she plated her croissants and placed the coffee neatly beside them. She sat down at the table and was ready to enjoy her breakfast. Her phone rang again, and she put it face down on the table. She wanted a minute to herself.

As she was about to sip her coffee, her phone rang again.

She decided to answer the call. She needed him to stop calling her.

"Mum," he said. "Thank Goodness!"

"What do you want?" Eleanor asked.

"Where are you?" Ethan asked. "I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday."

"Well, consider it done," she said, cutting the call.

Again, Eleanor picked up her cup, but the doorbell rang as she was about to take a sip.

"Who the hell is that now?" Eleanor said to the empty room.

*

Eleanor went to the door and was surprised to find the woman from the coffee shop standing before her.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Are you here for revenge? I'm calling the police!"

"No, sorry," Gabriella said, taking Eleanor's wallet out of her bag. "I found this on the counter. It's yours...isn't it?"

Eleanor opened the wallet and counted the notes. She couldn't start to feel sorry for the woman if she had helped herself to Eleanor's money.

"All right, then," Gabrielle said. "Goodbye!"

She turned around and began to walk away.

"Hey!" Eleanor called out to her. "You were fired because of me, but you brought me my wallet. Why did you do that? Are you a saint?"

Gabrielle smiled.

"I'm not who you think I am, ma'am. I'm not a thief."

Eleanor believed her. There was something about this woman. She seemed genuine, and for a moment, Eleanor felt disgusted with how she had treated her.

"Fine," she said. "Here's some money."

Gabrielle looked straight at her for a moment.

"And I'm not a beggar," she said to Eleanor.

"Hmm," Eleanor said, returning the money to her wallet. "How long have you been here?"

"About six months," Gabi replied. "I'm trying to get a new start."

Eleanor nodded.

"Do you have a family?"

"I do," Gabi said. "My mom died recently, and my father is taking care of my son. And I'm trying to find a decent job to provide for my family."

Eleanor looked at Gabi for a moment.

"Oh, I'm tired of this. Clean up in here," she told Gabi. "And then you have a rest and go get your belongings. You can stay in that room," she said, pointing to a room that Gabi could not see.

"What?" Gabi asked nervously.

"Yes, you're going to work for me. But let me warn you, if anything goes missing, I'll send you right back to where you belong. Got it?"

Gabi nodded.

*

Gabi felt conflicted. There was an opportunity waiting for her. Eleanor's house was lovely, and she knew that she would be taken care of, financially at least. But this woman had had her fired earlier in the day.

Would it be a good move or a foolish one? Gabi asked herself.

After Gabi cleaned the kitchen and the two bathrooms, Eleanor allowed her to return to her flat and get all her belongings.

She stopped at the bodega first. She had to tell the Luiz's what had happened and politely decline their dinner invite.

"I don't think it's a good idea, Gabi," Mr. Luiz said, his eyebrows furrowed deeply.

"She got you fired. What's to say she won't do something worse if you make a mistake in her home?" Mrs. Luiz asked, her hands flat on the counter.

"I don't know. I guess I feel bad for her. Yes, she started off being nasty to me, but there's something else to her. I think she's lonely," Gabi said. "And anyway, I need the job."

"Gabi," Mr. Luiz said, taking her hands. "If it's the job you need, then we'll make one here for you. You can help in the bodega. Maybe we can set up a coffee section. You can do that," he said hopefully.

Gabi's heart swelled. It felt good to be loved.

"Let me try this out first, okay?"

The old couple nodded and left Gabi to her own decisions.

A month had passed, and Gabi and Eleanor had hit it off rather nicely. There wasn't any lingering nastiness from Eleanor. In fact, having the company seemed to have brought out a different person in her.

Gabi hoped that it would stay like that. Her back thanked her for the good bed, and her neck was pleased with the new pillows.

One morning, Gabi was cleaning out the second bedroom. Eleanor had told her to dust all the shelves and windowsills because one of her friends was planning on visiting, and Eleanor wanted to keep the room ready for her in case she wanted to stay the night.

Gabi removed books, frames, and boxes.

As she lifted up one of the boxes to return to the dust-free shelf, she came across one with a sticker.

Ethan's clothes.

She saw some old toys and children's books, which made her think of Miguel, folded clothes, and a photo frame of Eleanor and a boy.

At that moment, Eleanor walked past the room and looked in.

"What are you doing?" Eleanor exploded.

"I'm sorry," Gabi said quickly, dropping the frame she held.

"Look what you've done," Eleanor hissed, looking at the frame.

"I'm sorry! I'll clean it up," Gabi cried.

"How dare you go through my things? You are useless! I can't believe I allowed you to live here with me!"

"Who is that in the picture?" Gabi asked, holding the photo up.

"What's with the third degree, Gabriella?" Eleanor shouted.

"Is that your son?" Gabi asked.

"I think you need to go," Eleanor told her.

"Is that who has been calling you all the time?" Gabi asked, surprised. She had wondered who had been calling Eleanor, only to have their calls silenced by her.

"Get out, Gabi! I just don't want to see you anymore."

Eleanor walked out of the room, and Gabi's heart sank. She thought they were making progress and Eleanor's outbursts were a thing of the past.

*

When Gabi returned to the bodega, wheeling her bag behind her, Mr. Luiz smiled and held his arms open for her.

"Welcome back, Gabi," he said, hugging her. "Ana!" he called from over Gabi's shoulder.

"You lasted way longer than I thought you would," Mrs. Luiz said. "And for that, I am proud of you."

"Take Gabi upstairs and get her sorted in Marisol's room," Mr. Luiz said.

"Thank you," Gabi said. She knew they would be excited to see her, but she didn't expect this. It meant the world to her.

"And you can work here if you'd like," Mrs. Luiz said. "But take a few days to breathe first. Take a break from everything."

*

Gabi did just that. She took some time off. She cooked for Mr. and Mrs. Luiz as a thank you for their kindness, but more than that, she spent some time searching for Ethan Lockwood online.

It didn't take her long to track him down. Eventually, he agreed to meet her if Gabi could take him to his mother.

They met on a bench at the park near the bodega.

"Hi, Gabriella?" he asked, sitting beside her.

Gabi nodded.

"Thank you for meeting me, Ethan," she said.

"You work for my Mom?" he asked. "Is she okay?"

"I used to – she fired me when I found a box of your old things. Including a photo of the two of you."

"She fired you over that?" he asked, shocked.

Gabi nodded.

"She's very lonely. And she's become cold to the world."

"She closed herself off after my father died," Ethan said. "It didn't help that my wife wanted to ship her to an old age home."

Gabi bit her lip from laughing out. She wasn't trying to be ugly. She just couldn't see Eleanor at an old age home – despite her flaws, the woman was strong, and everything she did was an act of survival.

"Is that why you fell out with her?"

Ethan nodded.

"I allowed Karen, my wife, to dictate. I didn't want my mom to be sent there. I just told her it was something to consider for the future because she must be cared for. But she lost it. And she hasn't spoken to me since."

He paused as if lost in thought.

"Do you think you could arrange a meeting?" he asked.

"I'll try," Gabi said.

Eleanor hated the quiet. She used to love it, but after getting used to having Gabi around, the silence was just another reminder that she was alone in this world.

She sat on the couch and was about to drink some coffee when her phone rang. She looked at the number and shook her head.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I just wanted to say hello and ask how you've been, that's all," Gabi said.

"Right, of course," Eleanor said. "You just wanted to ask. Well, I'm excellent, Gabriella. Now, just don't ever call here again!"

"Wait, wait, hold on! I just wanted to invite you over to the coffee shop. I just want to celebrate a special occasion."

"What nonsense? What special occasion have you got?"

"I just received my first salary at my new workplace, and I wanted to thank you for your kindness. I may have had to leave your home, but you gave me a month of stability, and I am grateful for that," she said.

Eleanor felt a little hurt that Gabi had moved on so quickly.

"We'll you've moved on pretty quickly, haven't you?" she said.

"So, you'll come then?" Gabi asked her. "I'll treat you to your favorite croissants, I promise!"

Eleanor expected Gabi to plead more, but there was no reply. That's when she realized that Gabi had cut the call. She really wanted to go. She wanted to see Gabi. She had fired Gabi because she had been 'snooping,' but the truth was, Gabi wasn't snooping – Eleanor just didn't want to tell her about Ethan.

Gabi sat at the coffee shop with Ethan across from her. She could tell that he was unsure of whether his mother would actually show up or not.

"Don't worry," Gabi told him. "She will come."

After a while, Gabi looked down from the coffee shop gallery and saw Eleanor walk in.

"She's here," Gabi told Ethan.

*

Eleanor walked into the coffee shop.

"Time has passed, but I see that service is the same as usual," she said to the cashier. "I'll take two croissants and make it snappy!"

Eleanor looked around the coffee shop, trying to see Gabriella. When she spotted her on the first floor, she went up the stairs.

"Mom, finally," Ethan said, standing up.

"What on earth are you doing here?" Eleanor asked him.

"Just listen to me, please?" he pleaded with her. "I made a mistake."

"Gabriella, I can't believe this. I can't believe I fell for this," she said. "I'm leaving!"

"I broke up with Karen, mom. I shouldn't have listened to any of it. I'm sorry."

"You tried to send me to a nursing home, and now you're sorry?"

"Mom, please, just listen."

Eleanor had enough. She decided to walk away.

Gabi followed Eleanor downstairs.

"Eleanor, wait! Why don't you want to talk to your son?" Gabi asked her.

"Come on, Gabriella. You heard everything! He betrayed me!"

"But he made a mistake. Eleanor, he is your son, and he loves you so much. When I met him –"

"So, you did set all of this up?" Eleanor interrupted. "How dare you?"

"You have no heart. Or if you do, then you just don't want to use it," Gabi said. "You don't want to accept the fact that your child is trying to mend your relationship. You controlled the fact that he had to stay away from you just because his wife had suggested a nursing home. A suggestion that he didn't even want to listen to. Is it easier for you to give up on your son instead of letting him admit his mistakes and fix everything?"

"What do you know about any of this? Come on, Gabriella, what do you even know about life?"

"My parents threatened to kick me out when they found out that I was pregnant. They barely spoke to me. But they realized that I was their child and that my baby was their blood. And when I chose to come here, I had to leave my son behind with my father. For all I know, my boy could be taking his first steps, and I am here, missing out on it all. Your son, Eleanor, is right here. You don't have to miss a thing."

Eleanor looked at Gabi; her little speech seemed to melt something in her. She looked up at the gallery and saw Ethan looking down at her.

"Family is the most important thing, Eleanor. Don't miss out on this opportunity to fix things with Ethan," Gabi said.

"Okay," Eleanor said. "Ethan, come down here and bring some croissants with you," she called.

Gabi smiled at her.

*

A few years later, Gabi and Ethan sat across from Eleanor in her living room.

"Happy Birthday, Mom!" Ethan said. "I am so happy that we are all finally together!"

"Happy Birthday," Gabi said, clinking glasses with Eleanor and Ethan in turn.

"It's all thanks to Gabi," Eleanor said. "And now she's leaving me."

A few months after the surprise meeting with Ethan and Gabi at the coffee shop, Gabi had moved back in.

"What do you mean?" Ethan asked.

"I've got a new job," Gabi explained. "Something I love."

"She's going to teach at the dance studio. That's why she came to the city in the first place," Eleanor said.

"Look at her," Eleanor teased. "She's positively glowing now that she's leaving me!"

"Oh, come on," Gabi smiled. "You know I'll come back and visit you."

"You should definitely come by," Ethan told Gabi.

Eleanor watched them smile at each other. She hoped that they would end up together. He was good for her, and she was great for him. And together, they could provide a good home for Miguel. She knew that she wouldn't admit it, but she kept her fingers crossed all the same.

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If you enjoyed this story - here’s another one | A married couple had stable jobs until the wife had to homeschool their children. She lost her job and could no longer afford rent, but her mother-in-law and sister-in-law refused to give them a place to stay. Years later, her mother-in-law knocked on their door, asking if she could live with them. | Read the full story here.

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