The woman removed her glasses.
“You know,” she said quietly, “many years ago, I was sent away from a shop for refusing to join in stealing from customers.”
Mayel looked up, surprised.
“I slept in a church for three nights,” the woman continued. “Today I own my own businesses.”
Silence sat between them.
Then the woman asked one more question.
“If I take you back to that salon right now and ask them to apologize, will you go?”
Mayel thought for a moment. Then she answered softly:
“No, ma.”
“Why?”
“Because they have already decided who I am. I do not want to work where my character is a problem.”
The woman smiled quietly.
That was the answer she had been waiting for.
“Get in,” she said.
Mayel hesitated.
“Ma—”
“You returned my wallet when you had nothing. You did not know who I was. That tells me everything I need to know about you.”
The woman opened the car door herself.