It is the opposite of what I intended, and I am ashamed of it.”

Chapter 18 — A Tip

“A tip,” I said, and something in me, ten years of being the person who always absorbed the cost, laughed a short disbelieving laugh.

“It was supposed to be a tip.

Well, it wasn’t a tip, Arthur.

Your team walked out and my manager made me empty my own tip envelope to cover their check.

That four hundred dollars was my family’s grocery money.

So forgive me if I’m having a hard time being grateful for the tip that was supposed to be under the file your people lost.”