No One from Her Family Showed up for Our Café Older Regular’s Birthday—But I Tried to Fix It
Every café has its regulars, and ours was Miss Helen. For nearly eight years she had been a familiar presence, always cheerful, always polite, and often with her grandkids in tow. That morning, though, the air felt different. I unlocked the door like I did every day, keys jingling in one hand, apron slung over…