Emily led me to a beautiful table beside the window and ordered a special lunch. Then she handed me a small envelope. Inside was a photograph of us together, taken in her childhood bedroom, along with a handwritten letter.
She had also arranged to visit me every week and wanted me to become part of her family again. As for the manager, Emily required her to apologize sincerely and undergo customer-care training. I accepted the apology, because I knew mistakes could become lessons. That afternoon, I entered Romano’s looking for a glass of water. I left with something far more precious: the little girl I had once promised never to abandon had finally come home.
