Camille thought for a moment.
"I want him to understand."
"Understand what?"
"That what he did wasn't harmless."
Matthew nodded.
A knock sounded.
Ethan entered.
He looked nothing like the confident waiter from the night before.
His shoulders were lowered.
His eyes were tired.
His hands trembled slightly.
"Morning, sir."
"Sit down."
Ethan sat.
Matthew folded his hands.
"You know why you're here."
"Yes."
"What happened last night?"
Ethan swallowed.
"I made a mistake."
Camille spoke.
"What kind of mistake?"
"I didn't put the order in."
"Why?"
"I forgot."
"You didn't forget everyone else's orders."
Ethan looked at the floor.
"I was busy."
Camille stared at him.
"You've used that excuse several times."
Ethan remained silent.
Matthew spoke.
"This isn't about a forgotten order."
"I know."
"Then what is it about?"
Ethan didn't answer.
Matthew's voice hardened.
"You have one opportunity to be honest."
Ethan glanced toward Camille.
Then quickly looked away.
"I didn't mean to offend her."
Camille shook her head.
"You keep talking about how it appeared."
"What matters is what you did."
Ethan's face reddened.
"I said I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
He hesitated.
"For making her feel uncomfortable."
Camille leaned forward.
"No."
Ethan looked at her.
"You aren't sorry that I felt uncomfortable. You're sorry that someone noticed."
Silence.
Matthew nodded slowly.
"She's right."
Ethan looked trapped.
"I didn't think it would become a big deal."
Camille's voice softened.
"Why didn't you think it would become a big deal?"
Ethan looked down.
"I don't know."
"Yes, you do."
He said nothing.
Matthew leaned forward.
"Tell the truth."
Ethan's hands tightened together.
"I didn't think she'd cause trouble."
Camille's eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
"I just didn't."
"Why?"
He breathed out.
"I don't know."
Matthew remained silent.
The room became unbearable.
Finally, Ethan whispered:
"I didn't think anyone would care."
Camille felt a cold sensation move through her.
There it was.
Not an apology.
Not yet.
But the beginning of the truth.
Matthew leaned back.
"You thought nobody would care because you believed she couldn't do anything about it."
Ethan nodded.
"Why?"
Ethan closed his eyes.
"I don't know."
Camille answered for him.
"Because you thought I was someone who wouldn't speak up."
Ethan looked at her.
"I'm sorry."
"You haven't answered."
He looked down again.
"I thought you would just sit there."
Camille's voice was steady.
"And why did you think that?"
Ethan swallowed.
"I don't know."
Matthew's expression hardened.
"You do know."
Ethan remained silent.
Matthew pointed toward the door.
"Go home."
Ethan looked surprised.
"We're not finished."
"You'll come back tomorrow."
"Yes, sir."
"Tomorrow, I expect the truth."
Ethan stood.
He left quietly.
The door closed.
Camille looked at Matthew.
"Why didn't you fire him?"
Matthew sighed.
"Because I want him to understand exactly why he's being fired if that's where this ends."
Camille nodded.
"Do you think he'll tell the truth?"
"I don't know."
She looked toward the closed door.
"I think people reveal who they are when they believe no one is watching."
Matthew nodded.
"And last night, he thought no one was watching."
The Truth He Couldn't Hide
Ethan returned the following morning.
This time, he barely looked like himself.
He entered Matthew's office slowly.
"Sit."
Ethan sat.
Matthew looked at him.
"You had a night to think."
"Yes."
"What did you learn?"
Ethan took a breath.
"I was wrong."
Camille sat beside Matthew.
"Wrong about what?"
Ethan hesitated.
"I treated you badly."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Camille shook her head.
"Don't do that again."
Ethan looked at her.
"Do what?"
"Say you don't know when you do."
His eyes dropped.
Matthew waited.
The silence continued.
Finally Ethan spoke.
"I was angry."
"At me?"
"No."
"Then why me?"
Ethan's fingers twisted together.
"I don't know."
Camille leaned forward.
"You chose me."
Ethan looked up.
She continued.
"You could have ignored anyone. You could have made a mistake with anyone. But you chose my table."
Ethan's eyes became wet.
"I didn't think anyone would care."
Camille's voice softened.
"Why?"
Ethan stared at the floor.
His breathing became uneven.
Then he said it.
"Because you're Black."
The words hung in the room.
No one moved.
Camille felt her heart pound.
She had known.
Of course she had known.
But hearing him say it was different.
Matthew's jaw tightened.
"So you believed that because of her race, she wouldn't challenge you."