Then she picked up the plate.
She added a slice of bread, poured a fresh cup of coffee, and carried it out as if it were just another order.
“This came back,” she said, setting it down in front of him. “Still hot. No sense letting it go to waste.”
The man stared at the plate, then at her, his expression caught somewhere between disbelief and gratitude. “I can’t pay for this,” he said quietly.
“It’s already covered,” she replied, offering a small shrug that made it seem insignificant. “Don’t worry about it.”