“All right, all right, but hold still.”

Katie stopped squirming, and Josie tied a ribbon at the end of each braid. “There; you’re done.”

Katie spun around and cocked her head. She placed her small hand on Josie’s knee. “Are you gonna stay forever?”

It was more of a plea than a question, and although Josie knew this, she couldn’t help feeling as if she had been accused of something. She wanted this conventional definition of happiness, came here intent on feeling exactly what she was indeed feeling, but Katie’s question poked at the stillness that had settled inside her, and she knew the answer without even needing to consider. “We’ll see,” she stammered, and placed the unused ribbons back in the box.

That night the restaurant was slow, and Phillip let the other servers go early. Josie managed the last table and folded napkins while Katie played in a booth.

“I need these for my ponies,” Katie said, and reached for the napkins.

“Use the unfolded ones,” Josie said and handed her a dozen.

Katie folded the napkins into small pillows and laid a pony on each. “They’re sleeping.”

“Like you should be,” Josie said, and tickled her chin. Phillip had set up a cot in the office, and Josie and he had perfected transferring Katie from cot to car seat to bed without waking her. “Five more minutes, then bed,”

“No,” Katie said.

“Yes.”

“Daddy!” Katie yelled.

“Sh,” Josie said. She could see Phillip scowling from across the room. “There are customers here.”

“I want to show him my ponies,” she said, and started to cry.

“Okay, but let’s take them into the back.” She picked up the napkins and Katie cried louder.

“You’re ruining them.”

Josie gestured to Phillip and he walked quickly over.

“Hush, honey,” he said and pulled Katie to him, then saw the napkins. “Why’d you let her use those? I told her no yesterday.”

“What does it matter?” Josie asked.

“They’ll need to be rewashed now. It costs money.”

“A few cents.”

“Those few cents build up,” he said, and turned to Katie. “Quiet now. It’s time for bed.”

“No!” Katie sobbed louder.

“Sh,” he said sharply.

“She’s tired, Phillip,” Josie said. “It’s hard for her to be here every night.”

“Katie. Now,” he demanded.

Instead, she curled up beside Josie, crying softly into her lap. “Just let her sleep here,” Josie said.

“Christ,” Phillip said. “Do what you want.” He wiped his hands on his apron and stormed off.

Josie sighed. “Lie flat,” she said to Katie. “Let me give this table their bill and then I’ll tickle your back.” She got up, ran the last table’s credit card, gave them a doggie bag, and then locked the front door and slid back into the booth.

“Daddy’s mad,” Katie said, and rested her head on Josie’s lap.