Minutes into her meal, Karen flagged Stephanie down again, jabbing a finger toward her plate. “Is this even cooked?” she snapped, voice loud enough to turn heads. “You people just throw things on a grill and call it food? Seriously, this would give me Salmonella.” Stephanie’s stomach twisted with anger, but she forced a polite nod.
She cast a glance at the other patrons, who were visibly uncomfortable now. Karen’s kids were dashing around the diner, brushing against chairs and bumping into tables without a care. But Karen remained oblivious, more focused on scrutinizing the salt shaker and barking at Stephanie for more condiments.