“Thanks,” the man said. “We’re fine.” Andrew gave a polite smile and stepped away, but lingered behind the counter where he could still watch them. The man did most of the talking. At one point, he leaned forward, voice low but intense.
The girls were still as statues, just nodding occasionally or staring into their bowls. Andrew couldn’t hear what was being said, but then the man’s voice rose sharply, just loud enough to turn heads nearby.
“She wouldn’t understand!” he snapped. “She never has.” A few guests looked over. The girls flinched. The man didn’t seem to care. He leaned back in the booth, exhaling hard and rubbing a hand over his face. His jaw clenched.
Andrew was halfway between stepping forward and minding his business when the man waved him over without making eye contact. “Check,” he said flatly. “We’re done.” Andrew nodded and brought the bill over. It came to exactly ten dollars.