But then it happened again.
A small twitch. Then another.
Her breath caught in her throat.
“No…” she whispered.
Tears filled her eyes as she slowly lifted her foot… and lowered it.
Her heel touched the ground.
The café erupted in gasps.
“How did you…?” she choked, looking at the boy like she was seeing a miracle.
But the boy didn’t smile.
He wasn’t even looking at her.
His eyes had already returned to the plate.
Hungry. Quiet. Distant.
“I didn’t fix you,” he said softly.
The room fell silent again.
The woman blinked, confused. “Then… what did you do?”
The boy hesitated.
Then, slowly, he pointed under the wheelchair.
A man rushed forward, crouching down.
“There’s a lock mechanism here…” he said, stunned. “It’s been engaged this whole time.”
Murmurs spread like wildfire.
The woman’s face drained of color.
“All this time…?” she whispered.
The boy finally reached for the plate, his hands still shaking slightly.
“You weren’t broken,” he said.
A pause.
He picked up the sandwich.
“Just stuck.”
