It was, I will admit, one of the most satisfying moments of my life, though I did not gloat, because gloating was never really in me.

Julian, who twelve hours earlier had made me empty my tip envelope over a walkout, now could not do enough for me.

He apologized again, and again, a dozen times over the course of that afternoon, tripping over himself with remorse.

He offered me a promotion, out of nowhere, to shift supervisor, more money, better hours, as if a title could unmake the night before.

I understood what was happening.