Martin, who owns a lot of restaurants, got worried when he spotted a young dishwasher slipping into the locker room a lot. He thought the young dishwasher was stealing, so he humiliated her in front of everyone and grabbed her bag. But as soon as he found out what was inside, he regretted he hadn’t.
Martin Price was the type of person who thought he understood everything there was to know about life. He was in his early forties and had a lot of money because he owned one of the city’s most popular restaurants. He walked through life with the confidence of someone who thought the world would do what he wanted. He liked to think of himself as brilliant and pleasant, but his coworkers said things like “bald,” “potbelly,” and “full of himself” when he passed by.
Martin didn’t enjoy the whispers.
He still thought he was just as good-looking as he had been in his twenties. He thought of age as just a number. He still flirted with waiters and made lazy comments to the young women who worked for him. He didn’t always flirt, but when he had the chance, he did.
When Lila Benson started working as a dishwasher, Martin recognized her immediately away.
Lila was twenty years old and had a soft, graceful way about her that drew attention without her trying. She had only been working at the restaurant for a little over a month, but her coworkers respected her since she worked hard and quickly. But there was a pain beneath her charming smile: she had lost her husband.
She had married Aaron, her high school sweetheart, who had been everything to her. But he got sick out of the blue, only a few months before she was due to have their baby. Lila was alone and having difficulties paying her rent when she saw a sign in the window of a restaurant that said “We’re Hiring.” It was a dreary afternoon. The next day, she was cleaning up Martin’s kitchen.
Her coworkers warned her early on that the boss’s eyes were always moving.
“That guy thinks his money makes him irresistible,” one of the waitresses stated. “People don’t treat you well because they’re nice.” He is fishing.
Lila didn’t care. She wasn’t there to make friends, and she definitely wasn’t there to deal with advances. “I know what I can and can’t do,” she said simply.
She was able to avoid seeing Martin directly for a few weeks, except for polite hellos. But one night, after a long shift, she was the only one in the dining room. She was clearing a table before going home.
At that time, he stopped her.
“Miss Benson, do you know why I hired you?” He remarked this while taking a rose from a nearby vase.
Lila stood up straight and watched. “No, sir.” Sorry, but I have to go home—
Martin stepped closer and added, “Don’t call me sir.” “Please call me Martin.”
Her stomach got tight. She could smell the little cologne he used, which was a little too strong, like he had just put it on again.
He handed her the rose and said, “I was drawn to you the first time I saw you.” “Your smile could make the whole city shine.” We should go away for the weekend sometime… A trip, some champagne, and shopping. You should obtain the best.
Lila took a step back. “Sir, I’m here to do my job.” That’s all. I appreciate my job and the people I work with. Thanks for the offer, but I’m not interested. Before he could say anything else, she ran away from him.
Martin stood there, humiliated. No one had been so plain about not wanting him in years. To him, Lila was no longer merely a dishwasher; she was a challenge. And he wasn’t going to lose.
In the days that followed, his anger turned into an obsession.
Then he noticed something. Lila had started to bring a big canvas bag to work with her. She took it to the staff locker room every day and went back to it many times during her shift. Martin’s mind went immediately to the worst conceivable conclusion: stealing. He thought she was taking meals and maybe even supplies from his business.
He kept an eye on her for almost a week and timed her trips to the locker room. He grew more and more suspicious until he decided to catch her in the act in front of everyone.
The opportunity came up on a Thursday afternoon. The lunch rush was over, although several tables were still packed. That day, Lila left work early and told her coworkers she had things to do. She put her hefty backpack over her shoulder and proceeded to the door.
“Stop right there, Miss Benson!” People in the room could hear Martin’s voice.
Everyone looked.
“What’s in the bag today?” He asked. “Stealing food? What do you use to clean? What do I do with the leftovers from my customers? He was very angry when he spoke. “You’ve come to an end here.” You no longer have a job.
Lila stopped. She could hear her heart beating in her ears. The dining room got quiet, except for the gentle sound of silverware hitting the table next to it.
Her voice shook as she said, “I haven’t taken anything.” “It’s just my lunchbox and some new clothes.”
Before she could stop him, Martin stepped over to her and took the bag off her shoulder. He couldn’t believe how heavy it was.
He put the bag on a table and said, “Let’s see what’s inside.” The staff members gathered together, and they were all interested. Some customers leaned forward in their chairs.
Martin took a warm, folded blanket out of the bag. After that, there was a muffled sound.
“Ma… ma…”
The blanket shook.
When Martin slowly unwrapped the blanket, everybody gasped in shock. A tiny girl with big brown eyes blinked at him. She waved her small fists in the air and made a noise that sounded like an inquiry.
Martin’s chest got tight.
“That’s… that’s a baby,” someone murmured in a hushed voice.
Lila quickly stepped up and said, “She’s my daughter.” “Please, I can explain.”
Her voice shook as she narrated her story. When Aaron died, she didn’t have any family nearby, so she couldn’t leave the baby with anyone while she worked. She couldn’t find a daycare that didn’t have a long waiting list or cost more than she made in a week.
“I couldn’t leave her alone at home,” she said, her eyes full of grief. “That’s why I bring her here.” I keep her in the staff room bag so she can stay warm and quiet. I check on her when I can. Change her, give her food, and make sure she is well. She has never been in the kitchen or near food. I wasn’t taking anything. I was just trying to protect her and retain my job.
For a long time, Martin couldn’t say anything. He looked down at the baby, who was now looking up at him with peaceful attentiveness.
She looked a lot like his daughter, who died in a vehicle accident with his wife many years ago. He was hit hard by memories, like the small socks he used to hold in his hand and the way his wife’s laughing used to fill their apartment. And the terrible silence that came after the accident, a silence that never really went away.
He broke inside. Martin’s eyes filled with tears in front of customers and workers.
I… “I’m sorry, Lila,” he said in a shaky voice. “I lost my wife and baby a long time ago. I thought I had put that pain behind me, but seeing her… He stared at the child. “I let my loneliness turn me into someone I’m not proud of.” I thought that money could buy anything, including love. “I was wrong.”
Lila blinked because she was shocked at how feeble his voice sounded all of a sudden.
“I apologize for blaming you,” Martin said. “And for how I’ve treated you. Please take the next month off with pay so you can spend time with your daughter. When you’re ready to come back, your job will still be there, plus you’ll get paid twice as much. If you want to, you can hire a babysitter since you have the money.
Lila’s lips trembled. “Thanks… I really appreciate it.”
Martin gently handed the baby back to her, and for a moment, his hands rested on the blanket, as if he didn’t want to let go.
Lila was both relieved and shocked when she exited the restaurant. Martin Price, the nasty boss who had cornered her just days before, had not only apologized, but he had also showed her a side of himself she didn’t know existed.
It was still unclear if he would really change. It’s hard to break old habits, after all. He stopped hitting on the ladies who worked for him after that day, but he still flirted with folks he didn’t know outside of the restaurant.
But he was different now. Lila had had enough. She knew that even those who looked tough because they were angry or proud might be broken open by something as small and forceful as a pair of innocent eyes.
