the same expression I remembered from years earlier, when we first met.
Tired.
Uncertain.
Human.
“I wanted to thank you,” she said.
I waited.
“For not making this worse.”
I almost smiled.
“You made it worse.”
“I know.”
She looked around the shop.
“You really built all this?”
I nodded.
She stared at the waiting room.
Three customers were sitting there.
A delivery driver had just dropped off another shipment of parts.
My employees were working.
Business was good.
Better than good.
I had finally hired two mechanics so I wasn’t working until midnight every night.
Laura looked back at me.
“You really did it.”
“Did what?”
“Made something of yourself.”
I shook my head.
“Laura, I always was something.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I know that now.”
I didn’t answer.
She took a breath.
“I was wrong about you.”
“About the money?”
“About everything.”
For a moment, neither
