Emma walked to a small restaurant near the lake.
She had always wanted to eat there.
She sat by the window.
The waiter handed her a menu.
“Celebrating anything today?”
Emma smiled awkwardly.
“My birthday.”
“Happy birthday!”
It was the first time someone had said it to her.
She almost cried.
“Thank you.”
The waiter brought her a small piece of cake with a candle.
It wasn’t part of the meal.
He had simply noticed that she was sitting alone.
Emma stared at the candle.
For the first time that day, tears filled her eyes.
She closed her eyes.
“What did you wish for?”
The waiter asked.
She smiled sadly.
“Nothing.”
He looked confused.
“Everyone wishes for something.”
Emma looked at the candle.
“I used to.”
She blew it out.
The waiter walked away.
Emma wiped her eyes.
She didn’t know that someone had been watching her from another table.
An elderly woman sitting alone.
The woman had heard everything.
Part 4 — The Stranger
A few minutes later, the elderly woman approached Emma’s table.
“May I sit here?”
Emma looked surprised.
“Of course.”
The woman sat down.
“I’m Margaret.”
“Emma.”
Margaret smiled.
“Happy birthday, Emma.”
“Thank you.”
Margaret looked at her.
“You’re disappointed.”
Emma tried to laugh.
“No. I’m fine.”
“Don’t lie to an old woman.”
Emma smiled.
“I guess I’m a little disappointed.”
“Why?”
Emma looked down.
“Because I spend so much time remembering everyone else.”
She paused.
“And today, nobody remembered me.”
Margaret nodded slowly.
“I understand.”
“You do?”
Margaret looked toward the window.
“My husband died eight years ago.”
Emma’s expression softened.
“After he died, I thought people would check on me.”
She shook her head.
“They didn’t.”
“That’s terrible.”
“No.”
Margaret smiled.
“It taught me something.”
“What?”
“Sometimes loneliness isn’t about being alone.”
She looked directly into Emma’s eyes.
“It’s about realizing how many people you were only surrounded by because you were useful to them.”
Emma became silent.
The words hurt.
Because they felt true.
Part 5 — The Phone Call
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