Karen took a breath.
“I wasn’t going to leave a scared child alone because I needed a paycheck.”
The words came out more sharply than she intended.
She immediately regretted them.
Lorenzo did not seem offended.
Something in his expression changed instead.
Not softness exactly.
Recognition.
He looked at Mia again.
“Did Karen scare you?”
Mia shook her head.
“Did she touch you when you didn’t want her to?”
Another shake.
“Did she help?”
Mia nodded fiercely.
“She made the bright light stop.
Brenda was loud.”
Brenda inhaled.
“Mr.
Rossi, children can misunderstand—”
Lorenzo turned so quickly that she stopped.
“Do not explain my daughter to me.”
The sentence landed harder than shouting could have.
Brenda’s mouth closed.
Lorenzo crouched beside Mia.
“Would you like the scarf off now?”
Mia thought about it, then shook her head.
“Keep it.”
“All right.”
He stood.
Then he reached into his jacket, removed a wallet, and placed a card on the counter beside Karen.
Brenda’s eyes flicked toward it.
“Charge the scarf to me,” he said.
“Of course,” Brenda answered quickly.
“No.”
She froze.
“Not because you demanded payment from Karen.
Because Mia wants it.
Those are different things.”
Brenda nodded stiffly.
Lorenzo continued.
“And Karen’s wages remain untouched.”
“That decision isn’t yours.”
It was the first openly defiant thing Brenda had said since seeing the video.
Lorenzo regarded her for a moment.
“You’re right.”
Karen’s heart dropped unexpectedly.
Brenda seemed to regain strength.
“Exactly.
Whatever your feelings about what occurred, I am the manager of this store.
Karen was insubordinate.
Her employment is over.”
She looked at Karen as she said the final words, reclaiming a small piece of power.
Karen felt the familiar fear return.
Rent.
Tuition.
