Breakfast had already ended, and the plates had been cleared, but no one had moved from the table. Coffee lingered in their cups, and the air inside the restaurant was thick with sugar, butter, and cigarette smoke.
Then dessert appeared.
A whole cake was set at the center of the table, its frosting uneven but generous, dark glaze pooling along the edges. A tray of syrup-soaked pastries followed, and smaller plates were placed in front of them without comment.
"For people who are leaving in an hour," Iyisha said quietly, eyeing the cake, "this feels generous."
Pauline exhaled a slow stream of smoke toward the ceiling. "The Route doesn't send guests off hungry."
Pauline's gaze shifted to Malcolm.
"And this is for Malcolm." She said winking. "If you stayed," she added, almost casually, "the girls would've loved you."
Iyisha turned before she could stop herself.
Malcolm didn't look up, and instead cut himself a slice.
