29: Chapter 29 The Store Managers' Stories (Part 8): Sofia

Sofia is the youngest employee at the Orange County Store.

Nineteen years old, Mexican, only been in the US for a year, English not fluent yet.

Her daily work is simple: serving plates, clearing tables, pouring water for customers.

But she does it with the most care.

Lisa observed her for two weeks and noticed one thing—whenever Sofia serves plates, she secretly watches the customers.

Watches their expressions.

Watches how they eat fried chicken.

Watches whether they smile or not.

Lisa asked her, "Sofia, what are you looking at?"

Sofia was stunned for a moment, then whispered,

"I am watching to see if they are happy."

Lisa raised her eyebrows: "Why?"

Sofia thought for a moment and said seriously,

"Because when I first arrived, no one watched to see if I was happy."

— — —

Sofia came to the US from Mexico as an illegal immigrant.

Following her aunt, crossing the desert, walking for three days and three nights.

When she arrived, she only had one photo on her—her mother's.

Her mother didn't come.

"Why?" Tommy asked her.

Sofia remained silent for a long time.

Then she said, "Because there was no money. Let me come first, and she will figure out a way later."

Tommy asked, "Then is she here now?"

Sofia shook her head.

Her eyes were red, but she didn't cry.

— —

Tommy told Lin Feng about this.

Lin Feng was silent on the other end of the phone for three seconds.

Then he said, "I know."

Tommy asked, "Brother, can you help her?"

Lin Feng said, "I can't. I can't handle immigration matters."

Tommy was silent.

Lin Feng continued, "But I can make sure that while she is here, someone watches to see if she is happy."

— — —

Sofia became more and more popular in the store.

Not because her English got better—her English was still terrible.

It was because of her smile.

Every time she served plates, she smiled.

Every time she cleared tables, she smiled.

Every time she poured water for customers, she still smiled.

A customer asked Lisa, "That Mexican girl, why does she always smile?"

Lisa glanced at Sofia and said,

"Because she is happy."

The customer was stunned: "Working as a server here, what is there to be happy about?"

Lisa thought for a moment and said seriously,

"Someone watches her, so she is happy."

— — — —

Sofia's English was taught by Tommy.

Every afternoon, when the store wasn't busy, Tommy would sit in his wheelchair, holding flashcards, and teach her to read.

"Apple."

"Apple."

"Customer."

"Customer."

"Happy."

"Happy."

Sofia learned very slowly, but she was never in a rush.

Tommy asked her, "Why aren't you anxious?"

Sofia said, "My mother said that happy things should be learned slowly."

Tommy was stunned for a moment.

Then he smiled.

"Then you learn slowly. I will teach slowly."

— — — —

One day, half a year later, Sofia received a letter.

It was sent from Mexico.

When she opened it, her hands were shaking.

The letter was very short, only a few lines.

It was written by her mother.

[Sofia, I have saved enough money. Coming next month. Wait for me.]

Sofia stared at the letter for a long time.

Then she cried.

Tommy was by her side, at a loss.

"Sofia, what's wrong? What does the letter say?"

Sofia handed the letter to him.

Tommy finished reading and was also stunned.

Then he smiled.

"Sofia, your mother is coming!"

Sofia nodded, tears streaming down.

But she was smiling.

It was that kind of joy from the bottom of her heart.

— — — — — —

The day Sofia's mother arrived, everyone in the store was there.

Lisa prepared fried chicken.

Tommy prepared flashcards—in Chinese, he didn't know why he prepared Chinese ones.

Lao Zhang mopped the floor three times.

Lao Zhangs son wiped the windows twice.

Sofia stood at the door, looking across the street.

At three in the afternoon, a dilapidated bus stopped on the side of the road.

A woman stepped down.

Thin, dark-skinned, wearing washed-out clothes.

Sofia was stunned.

Then she ran over.

She ran faster than anyone else.

Because no one else was running, except her.

— — — — —

Mother and daughter hugged and cried for a long time.

Everyone in the store stood at the door, watching.

Tommy's eyes turned red.

Lisa turned her face away.

Lao Zhang lowered his head, not knowing what he was thinking.

Lao Zhangs son whispered, "Dad, what's wrong with you?"

Lao Zhang didn't speak.

But the corners of his mouth curled up.

— — — — — —

When Sofia's mother entered the store, she was a bit reserved.

She didn't know English, only Spanish.

Sofia translated on the side.

Lisa said, "Welcome."

Sofia's mother nodded, her eyes red.

Tommy said, "Your daughter is amazing."

Sofia's mother smiled and held Sofia's hand.

Lao Zhang walked over and said in Spanish,

"Bienvenida."

Welcome.

Sofia's mother was stunned.

Lao Zhang smiled and turned back to mop the floor.

Sofia looked at his back and whispered to her mother,

"He is the best person here."

---

In the evening after closing, Lin Feng came.

He squatted at the door, holding a straw in his mouth, looking inside.

Sofia took her mother to tour the store, introducing things one by one.

This is the fried chicken fryer.

This is the cash register.

This is Tommy's corner.

This is Lao Zhang's mop.

Lin Feng watched for a while and smiled.

Lisa squatted over and asked, "Boss, why did you come?"

Lin Feng said, "Just to see."

Lisa asked, "See what?"

Lin Feng pointed at Sofia and her mother:

"See people reunite."

Lisa was silent for a second.

Then she asked, "Did you help?"

Lin Feng shook his head: "I couldn't help. She waited for it herself."

Lisa looked at him without speaking.

Lin Feng continued, "What I could do was make sure that while she waited, someone watched to see if she was happy."

Lisa was stunned for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"Lin Feng, you really are a lunatic."

Lin Feng nodded: "I know, I've always known."

--- -

Sofia's mother stayed to work.

Washing dishes.

She didn't know English, couldn't fry chicken, couldn't work the register, but she could wash dishes.

She washed them very clean.

Lisa said, "Your mother washes dishes even more carefully than Lao Zhang mops the floor."

Sofia smiled, "She does everything carefully."

Lisa nodded, "Then you are like her."

Sofia was stunned for a moment.

Then she smiled.

— — — — — — —

On the weekend, Lin Feng came again.

He squatted at the door, looking inside.

Sofia was serving plates, smiling.

Sofia's mother was washing dishes, also smiling.

Tommy was at the register, smiling.

Lisa was frying chicken, smiling.

Lao Zhang was mopping the floor, the corners of his mouth curled up.

Lao Zhangs son was wiping the windows, the corners of his mouth also curled up.

Everything was quite good.

Lin Feng watched for a while, stood up, dusted his pants, and prepared to leave.

Sofia ran out and called to him.

"Boss!"

Lin Feng turned back.

Sofia stood at the door and said seriously,

"Thank you."

Lin Feng raised his eyebrows: "Thank you for what?"

Sofia thought for a moment and said,

"Thank you for letting someone watch me while I waited."

Lin Feng was silent for three seconds.

Then he smiled.

"Sofia, do you know—"

Sofia waited.

Lin Feng said, "When your mother came, it wasn't me who made her come. It was you who waited for it yourself."

He paused,

"What I did was make it not so hard to wait while you were waiting."

Sofia was stunned.

Lin Feng turned and walked toward the car.

After two steps, he turned back:

"By the way, your mother's dishwashing is not bad. Tell Lisa to give her a raise."

Sofia stared at the car disappearing around the street corner.

Then she turned back and went inside to continue serving plates.

Smiling.

[Chapter 29 End]