It was the end of the night, several hours later and we were closing up the resturaunt, collecting our tips for the night. tThe other waitresses and i had just left the kitchen. I was walking out the swinging green front doors when a white car pulled up and parked in a parking spot. The door to the driver's side opened and the woman I'd served earlier got out, dressed in a long black wool coat. The night was dark and cold.

"Um, miss, the resturant is closed for the night you'll have to come back tomorrow," I called to her.

"That's not what I'm here for," she told me, walking up onto the sidewalk.

"Oh it's.....not?" I asked.

"No hun. I'm here to bring you this," she told me, reaching into her black leather purse and pulling out a 20 dollar bill.

"I....I can't take this," I told her.

"I wanted to apologise for my husband earlier tonight. He's been doing that all evening. He's a workaholic so I don't know what happens during the day when he's at work."

"But.......I mean......I can't take the money. That's very generous of you though."

She put it in my hand, closing her fingers around mine.

"Buy some dinner for yourself hun. You look like you could use it," she told me.

"Oh well th thank you, I guess. If you insist."

She smiled warmly; "I do."

"Wow thank you so much."

"Your'e very welcome. I'm Jill by the way."

"I'm Stacey."

"I hope to see you soon Stacey. Without my husband."

She turned from me, got in her car and drove off.