Chapter 9 - The Dinner With Three WitnessesTwo years after the first dinner, Summer hosted another.
The same three witnesses attended.
Denise.
Marcus.
Mr. Greene.
And Evelyn.
There was no Andy.
There was no drama.
No secret recording.
No lawyer.
Just food.
Real food.
Summer placed a roast in the center of the table.
Denise laughed.
“Remember when Andy demanded meat every night?”
Summer smiled.
“I remember.”
Marcus raised his glass.
“To seventy-five dollars.”
Everyone laughed.
Evelyn looked at Summer.
“I still feel terrible about that night.”
“You shouldn't.”
“I should.”
“No.”
Summer shook her head.
“That night saved me.”
Evelyn smiled.
“How?”
“Because I stopped asking myself whether I was being unreasonable.”
She looked around the table.
“I finally understood that I wasn't asking for too much.”
Denise nodded.
“You were asking for partnership.”
“Yes.”
Marcus lifted his glass.
“And you got something better.”
“What?”
“Freedom.”
Summer laughed.
“That's true.”
They ate.
They talked.
They celebrated.
At the end of the evening, Summer opened a small envelope.
Inside was a receipt.
The original receipt.
The $37,000 receipt that had started everything.
She had kept it for two years.
She placed it on the table.
Then she tore it in half.
And then again.
She dropped the pieces into the trash.
“I don't need it anymore.”
Evelyn watched her.
“You kept it all this time.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I thought I needed proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“That I wasn't crazy.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“You never were.”
May you like
Summer smiled.
“Now I know.”
