Part 2:

Then it was gone. You have no right to speak to me like this. And you have no right to speak to that old man like he’s garbage. He spilled coffee. He’s 70 years old and his hands shake. That’s not a crime. That’s called being human. I don’t have to tolerate. Yes, you do. Daniel’s voice dropped lower.

Because you’re in public in a cafe where people come to get away from people like you. And for once in your life, you’re going to sit down, shut up, and act like you understand that the world doesn’t revolve around you. The silence was so thick you could choke on it. Isabella’s face went through about six different emotions in 3 seconds.

Shock, anger, disbelief, something else Daniel couldn’t name. You You can’t talk to me like that. I just did. I could excuse me. The small voice came from knee height. Everyone looked down. Sophie stood there looking up at Isabella with those huge brown eyes that Daniel’s wife used to have. You’re being mean, Sophie said simply.

And when people are mean, it makes other people sad. She pointed at Arthur, who sat frozen in the booth, coffee stained napkin in hand. See, you made them sad. That’s not nice. Isabella stared at the little girl like she’d been slapped. Daniel put his hand on Sophie’s shoulder. Sophie, we talked about interrupting, but you always say we should tell the truth, Sophie said, looking up at him.

And the truth is, she’s being mean, right? Daniel opened his mouth, closed it. Right, he admitted. Sophie turned back to Isabella. My teacher says that being rich doesn’t make you better than other people. It just means you have more stuff. But stuff doesn’t make you happy. Being nice makes you happy. Someone in the back of the cafe laughed.

Just a small sound quickly stifled. Isabella’s face went red. For a long moment, nobody moved. Then Isabella did something no one expected. She sat down. Not gracefully, not with dignity. She just sat like her legs had stopped working. She stared at the table, at the coffee drops, at her own reflection in the window.

I She started to say something, then stopped. Daniel waited. The whole cafe waited. “I apologize,” Isabella said finally, and her voice sounded different, smaller. “To to you, sir. I was out of line.” Arthur looked like he might faint. “Oh, um, that’s that’s all right.” “It’s not all right.” Isabella looked up at him, and something in her face had cracked. “It was cruel.

I was cruel. I’m sorry.” Arthur nodded slowly, unsure what to do with this. Isabella turned to Daniel. And you? I You were right about all of it. Daniel said nothing. Would you? Isabella gestured at the empty seats around her table. “Would you and your daughter sit with me, please?” The assistant looked like she might pass out.

Daniel glanced at Sophie, who shrugged. “Okay,” he said carefully. But if you’re rude again, we’re leaving. Fair enough. They sat for about 30 seconds. No one spoke. The tension was suffocating. Then Sophie, completely oblivious to social cues, said, “Do you like dinosaurs?” Isabella blinked. “What?” “Dinosaurs. Do you like them?” “I I don’t know.

I’ve never really thought about it.” “You should think about it. Dinosaurs are cool. My favorite is the brachiosaurus because it has a long neck and it eats plants. What’s your favorite? Isabella looked at Daniel helplessly. He shrugged. She asked you a question. I don’t I suppose the uh the triceratops. That’s a good one.

Sophie pulled out her coloring book. Do you want to color? I’m 30 years old. So my daddy colors with me and he’s old. I’m 32. Daniel muttered. see old. Despite everything, Isabella almost smiled. Almost. I don’t think I remember how to color. Sophie pushed the book toward her. It’s easy. You just pick a color and stay in the lines. Mostly.

Isabella stared at the crayon like it might bite her. Then, slowly, she picked it up. Daniel watched this unfold with a mix of disbelief and exhaustion. An hour ago, he’d been trying to make a single coffee last until noon. Now he was sitting across from one of the most powerful women in New York while she colored a Stegosaurus purple. Life was strange.

Arthur came over carrying his coffee carefully. “May I join you?” Isabella nodded. “Please,” he sat down, and for a while the four of them just existed in the same space. Isabella colored badly. Sophie offered corrections. Arthur read his newspaper. Daniel drank his cold coffee and wondered what the hell had just happened.

“Can I ask you something?” Isabella said eventually, not looking up from the dinosaur. “Sure,” Daniel said. “Why did you do that? Stand up for him?” She nodded at Arthur. “You didn’t know him.” Daniel was quiet for a moment. “My wife used to say something,” he said finally. “She said that the world is full of people who have the power to help and choose not to.

And it’s full of people who don’t have any power but help anyway.” She said, “Those are the only people worth knowing.” “She sounds wise.” “She was.” Isabella heard the past tense. “She didn’t ask.” “I’m not a good person,” Isabella said quietly. “It wasn’t self-pity, just a statement of fact.” “Maybe not,” Daniel agreed.

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