Her mouth instantly watered at the sight. “Just ask,” she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible. “Just this once.” Mustering every last bit of courage she possessed, she stepped out from her hiding place and walked barefoot across the cold stone tiles of the patio.
A wave of audible gasps spread through the diners. “Where did she come from?” a woman wearing pearls whispered to her companion. “Isn’t security supposed to be watching the gates?” a man at another table muttered darkly.
The head waiter spotted her and immediately strode forward, the click-clack of his polished shoes on the stone sounding angry and loud. “Little girl, you do not belong here,” he said, his voice low and firm. “Leave this instant.”
But Layla moved first, just before he could reach out and grab her arm. She took another step forward, her large brown eyes fixed intently on Thomas. “Sir,” she said, her small voice trembling with the effort. Thomas, who had been engrossed in his phone, looked up, clearly startled by the interruption.
The sight of her—so small, so fragile—was jarring against the backdrop of black linen tablecloths and sparkling crystal chandeliers. “Can I… can I eat with you?” she asked. The head waiter froze, his hand still outstretched. A sudden, complete hush fell over the entire patio.
Thomas just stared at her, his mind struggling to catch up with the situation. “Please,” Layla added in a soft whisper, her small hands twisting the tattered fabric of her dress. “I’m sorry to ask.”
“I haven’t eaten in two days.” The waiter, recovering, inserted himself. “Sir,” he said sharply, “do you want me to remove her?” Thomas didn’t reply straight away. His gaze was locked on Layla’s face, taking in her sunken cheeks and her trembling lower lip.
In that moment, something deep inside him shifted. He saw himself. Years ago, he had been that child—hungry, dirty, and completely invisible to the world. A sharp memory surfaced: standing outside a bakery, the smell of fresh bread agonizing, praying that someone, anyone, would spare him a single crust…
