Chapter 23 - David Returns
Six months passed.
Revenue stabilized.
The employee trust launched.
Redwood disappeared from the story.
Then David entered Imperial Lotus as a customer.
Nobody stopped him.
He requested a table for one.
Quan recognized him.
For one uncomfortable moment, former owner and former guard stared at each other.
Quan said:
“Welcome back, Mr. Tran.”
David almost cried.
Thomas happened to be upstairs.
Kevin told him.
“Mr. Tran is downstairs.”
Thomas asked:
“Did he request me?”
“No.”
“Then let him eat.”
Twenty minutes later, Thomas changed his mind.
He walked downstairs.
David was eating the dish they had created together in 2005.
Braised short rib with star anise and fish sauce caramel.
Thomas sat opposite him.
David looked up.
“You changed the plating.”
“The chef did.”
“It's better.”
Thomas smiled.
“That must hurt.”
“Terribly.”
For the first time in months, they laughed.
David became serious.
“I started therapy.”
Thomas blinked.
“Good.”
“Linda insisted.”
“Even better.”
David looked around.
“You kept it Vietnamese.”
Thomas frowned.
“Of course.”
“I thought maybe…”
“That I secretly wanted seven American steakhouses?”
David smiled.
“Something like that.”
Thomas leaned back.
“You never understood why I invested.”
“Money?”
“No.”
Thomas looked toward the kitchen.
“Because the first meal you cooked for me made me feel welcome when I was alone in a city where I knew nobody.”
David's eyes filled.
“You never told me.”
“You never asked.”
Another failure of silence.
David whispered:
“I don't deserve this place.”
Thomas responded:
“Maybe ownership isn't something people deserve forever.”
David looked at him.
“Maybe it's something they have to keep being worthy of.”
May you like
Neither man mentioned the future.
That was enough.
