"Booth by the window, boys," Charlie said politely.
Bradley ignored her.
His eyes wandered across the room.
Then they stopped.
On Hassan.
A grin slowly appeared on his face.
"Well, well, well."
His friend Troy followed his gaze.
"What?"
Bradley laughed.
"Look at that."
The others laughed too.
Charlie felt a knot form in her stomach.
She knew exactly where this was going.
Bradley walked toward Hassan's booth.
Hassan didn't look up.
He continued staring into his coffee.
"Didn't know it was Halloween," Bradley said.
No response.
Bradley stepped closer.
"Hey, Grandpa."
Hassan slowly raised his eyes.
Bradley smiled.
"Nice costume."
Still nothing.
"Is that a real leather vest?"
Hassan's expression didn't change.
Bradley reached toward the back of the vest.
Charlie immediately stepped around the counter.
"Bradley."
He ignored her.
"That's some serious old-man cosplay."
Troy laughed.
Bradley leaned closer.
"Is your motorcycle even real?"
Hassan finally spoke.
His voice was low and rough.
"I suggest you take a seat with your friends."
Bradley blinked.
"What?"
"Enjoy your meal."
Hassan returned his attention to the coffee.
"Leave me to mine."
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Bradley laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because he had been challenged.
"Or what?"
Hassan didn't answer.
Bradley stepped closer.
"You gonna do something?"
Charlie stopped several feet away.
"Bradley, just leave him alone."
He turned toward her.
"Shut up, waitress."
The words hit harder than they should have.
Charlie swallowed.
"Kitchen closes in twenty minutes."
"Nobody asked you."
Bradley turned back.
His hand reached out.
Two fingers flicked the edge of Hassan's leather vest.
Hassan's eyes hardened.
Charlie had never seen anything like it.
The old man's entire face seemed to change.
The weakness disappeared.
The trembling stopped.
For one moment, he looked younger.
Much younger.
"Take your hand off my colors."
His voice was quiet.
"Right now."
Bradley hesitated.
Then his friends laughed.
And Bradley made the mistake that changed everything.
He grabbed the collar of Hassan's vest.
Hard.
"Make me, fossil."
He yanked.
Hassan lurched forward.
His cane crashed onto the floor.
Charlie didn't think.
She grabbed the nearest coffee carafe.
It was fresh.
Scalding hot.
She stepped between them.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"
Bradley jumped back.
Coffee splashed onto the floor.
Charlie held the carafe with both hands.
Her entire body was shaking.
"Put your hands on him again," she said, "and I swear I'll pour this over you."
Silence.
Even the refrigerators seemed to stop humming.
Bradley stared at her.
"Are you insane?"
"Get out."
"What?"
"Get out of this diner."
Bradley laughed.
"You can't tell me what to do."
"I can when you're hurting somebody."
Charlie pointed at the door.
"Leave."
The swinging kitchen doors opened.
Greg Tanner appeared.
His eyes moved from Charlie to Bradley.
Then to Hassan.
Greg immediately understood who mattered.
"What's going on?"
Bradley pointed at Charlie.
"Your waitress just threatened to burn my face off."
Charlie stared at him.
"That's not what happened."
"She attacked me."
"I did not!"
Greg's expression tightened.
"Charlie."
"He grabbed Hassan!"
Greg glanced at Hassan.
Then at Bradley.
The calculation was immediate.
One customer was an old biker who had ordered coffee.
The other was Richard Hayes's son.
Greg chose money.
"Put the coffee pot down."
Charlie slowly lowered it.
"Greg, check the cameras."
"The cameras are broken."
"You know they're broken because you haven't fixed them."
"I don't care!"
Greg stepped toward her.
"You threatened a customer."
"He was attacking an old man!"
"That's enough."
Greg's voice became colder.
"You're fired."
Charlie stared at him.
The word didn't make sense.
"Greg..."
"Take off your apron."
Her lips trembled.
"Please."
"Now."
Charlie looked toward Hassan.
The old man was sitting quietly, his cane back in his hand.
He watched her.
He said nothing.
Charlie untied her apron.
Her fingers shook.
She placed it on the counter.
Bradley smiled.
"Good riddance."
Charlie grabbed her purse.
She walked toward the door.
Then Hassan spoke.
"Miss Henderson."
She stopped.
She turned.
Hassan reached into his wallet and placed a hundred-dollar bill on the counter.
"Keep the change."
Charlie shook her head.
"I can't."
He looked at her carefully.
"You shouldn't have risked your job for me."
"I couldn't just stand there."
A faint smile touched his face.
"That's what I thought."