Chapter 5 - The Clean Exit
I looked down at the three of them sitting in the booth. They looked small. They looked pathetic. They had brought cameras to record a tragedy, and instead, they had documented their own spectacular failure.
I picked up a twenty-dollar bill from my wallet and dropped it on the table.
"For the cake," I told David. "Since I know you like to split the check."
I turned my back on them.
I walked across the restaurant. As I passed the counter, Maria reached out and squeezed my hand, her eyes shining with fierce pride. Mr. Romano gave me a firm nod.
May you like
I pushed open the heavy glass door of the restaurant and stepped out into the cool, damp October night. The bell chimed above me, a bright, clear sound that rang through the street. I didn't look back at the flickering bulb, the vinyl booths, or the family I was leaving behind.
I took a deep breath of the rain-washed air, completely free, and started walking toward the rest of my life.
