Page 23 of Redemption
The waitress returned with our drinks, carefully placing them in front of us. As if she weren’t there, Gabriel said, “There is nothing wrong with being selfish. Living is inherently a selfish act. If someone is treating you poorly, they are fair game at that point. You have every right to create an outcome that you benefit from, regardless of the price they might pay.” He didn’t care that the young server was hearing all of this. She stood patiently, waiting for him to finish, with red cheeks. She looked at me, afraid to cut off the conversation.
“Are you ready to order?” she mumbled.
“No, sorry, we don’t have menus. Will you bring us some?” Gabriel asked with surprising kindness in his voice.
“Of course, I’m very sorry.” A moment later, she placed two menus in front of us while carrying a rattling tray of drinks to a different table.
“I don’t think I agree with the idea that living is selfish,” I said.
Gabriel smiled. “I’ll prove it to you right now. What do you plan on ordering?”
“I don’t know, maybe fish.” He looked at me expectantly, palms up.
“Okay, I see your point, but it’s more complex than that.”
“Maybe. So anyway, have you thought about what you will change about your life yet?”
“I don’t know. This still doesn’t seem real to me. I’m just glad to not feel like I’m in survival mode anymore. I finally have some breathing room.”
“You deserve it,” he said, then looked at the menu.
“Maybe I’ll buy a car like yours,” I joked.
He laughed softly without looking up from the menu. “I don’t think you’re there just yet. Maybe one day.”
“How do you feel about nice cars, just in general?” I asked. He looked up at me from the menu with raised eyebrows.
“I don’t know. They are nice accessories, but I don’t really think about them. Why?”
“No reason really, I guess. It was stupid. When I was walking here, some guy in a nice car let me cross the street. While he did, he was giving your car a resentful look. He looked so envious of yours despite himself driving a car most people couldn’t afford.” I shook my head, then glanced back at my menu, wishing one of the salad options was more appetizing than fish. In the corner of my eye, I thought I saw concern etched on Gabriel's face, butwhen I looked at him, he was running a hand through his hair, looking hot and calm.
“Some people are just envious no matter what they have. He probably bought that car to compensate for something money can’t buy,” he said.
“Maybe, but he was attractive. He kind of looked like you in a way. So I don’t know what he would need to compensate for.” Then I realized Gabriel was making a dick joke and rolled my eyes as he smiled boyishly at me.
“What is it with you and rich guys with nice cars, Sophia?” he teased.
“I didn’t know rich guys slept on air mattresses in their office, Gabriel.”
He brushed it off.
“Plenty of them do. They can’t leave the office because they are terrified of losing everything. People think having a lot of money would make their problems go away, but that’s only partially true. Money opens people up to a whole new world of fear and problems. That’s how it’s always been. A thousand years ago, people envied kings, not knowing kings lay awake most nights a prisoner in their own castle.”
“I never really considered that. A king going through that probably thought his peasants had it easy.”
“They do in a way. All they have to worry about is shelter, food, and entertainment.”
“You mean they did?”
“What?”
“You said peasants have it easy, like they are still around.”
He shifted in his seat. “What? No, I was talking about peasants.”
“From the past.” He added.
“Alrighty, are we ready to order?” A new waitress asked. She was much older and carried herself with experience. I orderedfish and felt bad about being selfish. After the waitress left, Gabriel said, “I hope it doesn’t take long. I’m starving. I haven’t had a good meal since I moved here. Well, besides when you gave me breakfast, even then I only had a bite.”
