My boardroom mask appeared automatically.
Cold. Controlled. Untouchable.
I pushed Ethan’s wheelchair through the room like a bodyguard escorting a VIP.
But inside, I was preparing for battle against pity.
My Biggest Mistake
When the waiter approached, I ordered for Ethan before he could speak.
“The sea bass,” I said.
“And sparkling water.”
No ice.
I told myself I was helping him.
In truth, I was protecting him from embarrassment.
But I was also silencing him.
The Music
Later that evening the band slowed the tempo.
The bass hummed.
The piano drifted into a familiar melody.
“What a Wonderful World.”
Ethan froze.
His fingers began tapping softly on the table.
Tap.
Tap-tap.
His eyes closed.
He wasn’t just listening.
He was imagining.
Across the small dance floor, couples moved slowly to the music.
Graceful.
Effortless.
Everything Ethan believed he could never be part of.
He watched them with a quiet smile that broke my heart.
The Waitress
Then a voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Excuse me, Mr. Cole.”
I looked up.
A waitress stood beside the table.
Her name tag read Sofia.
She was young, maybe twenty-five, with curly hair tied back and calm, thoughtful eyes.